Payra Sea Port (Bengali: কলাপাড়া, also known as Khepupara: খেপুপাড়া) is an upazila of Patuakhali District in the Division of Barisal, Bangladesh. In present day, this area is called by Payra Sea Port Area (পায়রা সমুদ্র বন্দর এলাকা).
Kalapara
কলাপাড়া Khepupara | |
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| Coordinates: 21°59.2′N 90°14.5′E / 21.9867°N 90.2417°E | |
| Country |  Bangladesh |
| Division | Barisal Division |
| District | Patuakhali District |
| Government | |
| Area | |
| • Total | 491.89 km2 (189.92 sq mi) |
| Population (2011) | |
| • Total | 237,831 |
| • Density | 480/km2 (1,300/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+6 (BST) |
History edit
The Rakhine tribe of Bangladesh first settled in this upazila. A section of the people belonging to the Buddhist Rakhine tribe of Arakan came to this upazila in quest of better living and first settled at Khepupara and Kuakata. Tradition goes that the Rakhines on excavating wells traced fresh water in the area and thereby settled there. The Rakhine word 'kansai' means 'beach of fate'. The place was named as Kansai after this. The place was subsequently renamed as Kuakata (digging of well) after the wells dug out by the Rakhines. The upazila though named as Kalapara, the upazila sadar is known as Khepupara. It is said that two influential Rakhine chiefs used to reside on either side of a canal running northsouth through the upazila, Kalau Magh on the eastern bank and Khepu Magh on the western side. The habitation on eastern bank of the canal was named as Kalapara after the name of Kalau Magh and that on the western bank as Khepupara after Khepu Magh.
Geography edit
Kalapara is located at 21°59′10″N 90°14′32″E / 21.9861°N 90.2422°E. It has 31324 households and total area 483.08 km2. The major rivers are the Andharmanik, Nilganj, and Dhankhali.[1]
Demographics edit
According to the 2011 Bangladesh census, Kalapara Upazila had 57,525 households and a population of 237,831. 56,870 (19.94%) were under 10 years of age. Kalapara has a literacy rate (age 7 and over) of 52.0%, compared to the national average of 51.8%, and a sex ratio of 993 females per 1000 males. 35,354 (14.87%) lived in urban areas.[2][3]
As of the 1991 Bangladesh census, Kalapara has a population of 174921. Males constitute 50.89% of the population, and females 49.11%. This Upazila's eighteen up population was 82394. Kalapara has an average literacy rate of 34.9% (7+ years), and the national average of 32.4% literate.[4]
Administration edit
Kalapara thana was established in 1921 and was turned into an upazila in 1983.[1]
Kalapara Upazila is divided into Kalapara Municipality, Kuakata Municipality, and 12 union parishads: Baliatali, Chakamaia, Champapur, Dalbugonj, Dhankhali, Dulaser, Lalua, Latachapli, Mahipur, Mihagonj, Nilgonj, and Tiakhali. The union parishads are subdivided into 58 mauzas and 239 villages.[5]
Kalapara Municipality and Kuakata Municipality are each subdivided into 9 wards.[5]
The area of the town is 19.49 km2. It has a population of 16330; male 55.18%, female 44.82%. The density of population is 838 per km2. The literacy rate among the town people is 39.37%. The town has one bungalow.
- Member of Parliament: Muhibur Rahman Muhib
- Chairman: Md Motaleb Howlader
- Woman Vice Chairman: Bilkich Jahan
- Vice Chairman: Mostafa
- Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO): Shankar Chandra Baidya.[6]
Points of interest edit
Kuakata Buddhist Vihara, Kapradanga Buddhist Math (dilapidated), Mistripara Buddhist Vihara (dilapidated).
Religious institutions edit
Mosque 275, temple 41, pagoda 4, Buddhist Vihara 8, church 2, mazar 1. Notable institutions includes: Kalapara Jame Masjid, Kuakata Buddhist Vihara, Mazar of Pir Bashiruddin.
See also edit
References edit
- ^ a b Kabir, Ekramul (2012). "Kalapara Upazila". In Islam, Sirajul; Jamal, Ahmed A. (eds.). Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh (Second ed.). Asiatic Society of Bangladesh.
- ^ a b "Community Tables: Patuakhali district" (PDF). bbs.gov.bd. 2011.
- ^ "Bangladesh Population and Housing Census 2011 Zila Report – Patuakhali" (PDF). bbs.gov.bd. Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics.
- ^ "Population Census Wing, BBS". Archived from the original on 2005-03-27. Retrieved November 10, 2006.
- ^ a b "District Statistics 2011: Patuakhali" (PDF). Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 November 2014. Retrieved 14 July 2014.
- ^ "Patuakhali Govt. Website". www.patuakhali.gov.bd. Retrieved 2023-02-20.