Lohagara Upazila, Chittagong

In 1660, Mughal prince Shah Shuja took shelter in the Kingdom of Arakan to escape from Mir Jumla II. While heading to Arakan, he stayed in a beautiful hilly place (present-day Chunati) between Chittagong and Cox's Bazar for a few days. At the time of departure, he engraved an iron bar in that place as a sign. It is thought that because of engraving iron bar by Shah Shuja the area is called 'Lohagara' since 'Loha' means 'iron'.

Lohagara was once under Satkania Upazila. Lohagara thana was formed in 1981 and it was turned into an upazila in 1983.

Tonkaboti canal

Lohagara is located at 22.0083°N 92.1056°E / 22.0083; 92.1056. It has 33,981 households and a total area of 258.87 square kilometres (99.95 sq mi). It is bordered by Satkania Upazila on the north, Chakaria and Lama Upazilas on the south, Bandarban Sadar and Lama Upazilas on the east and Banshkhali Upazila on the west. The noted canals are Tonkaboti, Dolu and Hangor.

Lohagara thana was turned into an upazila in 1983. The upazila consists of nine union parishads, 40 mouzas and 43 villages. The largest union is Barohatia and the largest village is Rashider Ghona.

The nine union parishads are:

• Barohatia Union
• Amirabad Union
• Padua Union
• Charamba Union
• Kolaujan Union
• Lohagara Union
• Putibilla Union
• Chunati Union
• Adhunogor Union

As of 2001, the population of Lohmalesa upazila was 2,66,741. Of these, 1,34,094 were male and 1,32,647 are females. The total population was 89% Muslim, 9% Hindu, 2% Buddhists and other religions.

The culture of this area has been developed through the lives of people of different opinions. In the past, there were foreign merchants here with seemingly different ethnicity and existences.

Architecture

Shrine at Hafez Ahmad Shah Saheb

• Chunti Khan Mosque
• Upazila Memorial Museum
• Central Mosque
• Gupta Landlord House (Padua)
• Gupta Landlord House (Aduonagor)

The literacy rate of Lohagara Upazila is 44.6%, with male literacy at 42.40% and female at 25.03%.

There are one kamil madrasas, two degree colleges (two honors courses), one mohila College (the only govt. college in Lohagara Upazila), nine fazil madrasas, one technical college, one school and college, 1 alim madrasas, 25 secondary schools (1 govt), 18 dakhil madrasas, two quami madrasas, 10 lower secondary schools, 105 primary schools, 43 ebtedi madrasas, and 30 kindergartens.

There are 1 Upazila health center, 5 family planning Centers, 4 union health centers, clinics, and 16 diagnostic centers. Sanitary system: 49.24% of the area (53.96% in rural and 48.69% in urban) is healthier and 34.55% (33.95% in villages and 39.68% of urban households) use non-sanitary latrines. 16.22% of households do not have latrine facilities.

The main sources of community income are: Agriculture 39.29%, non-agricultural laborer 5.40%, industry 0.82%, business 17.71%, transport and communication 3.43%, employment 14.58%, construction 1.59%, religious services 0.49%, Rent and remittance 5.19% and other 11.50%.

Ownership of agricultural land: Landowner 63.88%, landless 36.12%. 64.13% of the city and 61.74% of the rural households have agricultural land.

Main crops: paddy, potato, sugarcane, chilli, fellong

Extinct or nearly extinct crops: stil, linseed, watermelon

Main fruits: banana, papaya, guava, amra, plum

Fisheries, dairies and poultries: fishery 2322 (pond), hatchery (fishery) 22, poultry 5, poultry 139

Industries and factories: rice mill, ice factory, biscuit factory, textile mill, plywood factory

Cottage industries: goldsmith, blacksmith, potteries, stools, mesh fabric, bamboo work, woodwork

Haats and fairs: 24 haats and bazars, three fairs (noted among them is Dervay Haat), Tawari Hat, Khaatat Hat, Hindu Hat, Sener Hat and Manufakir Hat

The main export is the scraping, fake, ready-made garments.

• Bulbul Chowdhury, pioneer of modern dance in Bangladesh, born in Chunati in 1919
• Major Nazmul Huq, Sector Commander, 7th sector of Bangladesh Liberation War (March to August 1971), born at Amirabad village in 1938