Lakhai Upazila

Lakhai
লাখাই
Rarishal Karab High School
Rarishal Karab High School
Location of Lakhai
Coordinates: 24°17.3′N 91°13′E / 24.2883°N 91.217°E / 24.2883; 91.217
Country Bangladesh
DivisionSylhet
DistrictHabiganj
Government
 • Upazila ChairmanMushfiqul Alam Azad Korabi
Area
 • Total
196.54 km2 (75.88 sq mi)
Population
 • Total
158,717
 • Density810/km2 (2,100/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+6 (BST)
Postal code
3341[2]
Websitelakhai.habiganj.gov.bd

Lakhai (Bengali: লাখাই), is an upazila of Habiganj District in the Division of Sylhet, Bangladesh.[3]

History

Following the 1303 Conquest of Sylhet, Bayazid Shah, a companion of Shah Jalal, took refuge in Bulla and propagated Islam there. Bayazid remains buried in a mazar (mausoleum) in Bulla bazaar.[4]

Lakhai was previously under the sub-registry of Charabhanga in modern-day Madhabpur Upazila. On 10 January 1922, the Lakhai thana was established as per Assam Province's gazette notification 176GK.

During the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971, a massacre was conducted in the village of Krishnapur on 18 September. The Pakistani Army also attacked the villages of Murakari and Bhabanipur. In the village of Madna, the army set fire to the house of Dewan Ali. On 29 October, the Pakistani forces took shelter in the houses of some brokers at night in Muriyauk. Early in the morning, they wanted to go to the house of Shahjahan Chishti, a freedom fighter in Muriyauk. Unable to find Chishti at his house, the forces captured his sixty-year-old father, Abdul Jabbar, and set the house on fire. In the same village, the forces also captured 65-year old Idris Ali, father of Bengali freedom fighter Ilias Kamal. They then proceeded to kidnap the two old men to Lakhai Union. According to some sources, the next day the forces took a speed boat to Bhairab and the old men were shot dead on the way and were never found.[5]

In 1983, Lakhai was promoted to a designated police station through the efforts of many people. On 15 April 1983, the foundation was laid for a police station at Kalauk in Bhadikara Mouza, Bamai Union. In 1984, there was a circle officer development outpost in modern-day Swajangram in Lakhai Union.[6]

Geography

Lakhai is located at 24°17′20″N 91°13′00″E / 24.2889°N 91.2167°E / 24.2889; 91.2167. It has 27,759 households and total area of 196.54 km2. Lakhai is the connecting point of 3 administrative divisions Sylhet, Dhaka & Chittagong of Bangladesh. It is surrounded by Habiganj Sadar Upazila, Baniachang Upazila, Madhabpur Upazila of Habiganj, Nasirnagar Upazila of Brahmanbaria and Austagram Upazila of Kishoreganj where Lakhai Upazila is the centre Point. Main rivers are: Meghna, Sutang, Monikhai, Balabhadra rivers

Demographics

Historical population
YearPop. (000) ±%
1981 93—    
1991 110+18.3%
2001 121+10.0%
2011 149+23.1%
2022 159+6.7%
Source:
Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics[7]
Religions in Lakhai Upazila (2022)[8]
Religion Percent
Islam
86.03%
Hinduism
13.96%
Other or not stated
0.01%

According to the 2011 Census of Bangladesh, Lakhai Upazila had 27,759 households and a population of 148,811. 49,273 (33.11%) were under 10 years of age. Lakhai had a literacy rate (age 7 and over) of 33.73%, compared to the national average of 51.8%, and a sex ratio of 1104 females per 1000 males. 17,235 (11.58%) lived in urban areas.[7][9]

Economy

Lakhai consists of both plain lands and haor areas, not only self-sufficient in food and fish but also exports, is famous for paddy, jute and winter corps.

Points of interest

Kalauk, Bhadikara, Bamai, Katihara, Lakhai, Amanullahpur (Borbari) Morakori, Muriauk, Karab, Bulla, Madna, Sinhagram, Begunai, Teghoria, Shibpur, Krishnapur, Dharmapur, Moshadia, Fulbaria, Satauk, Sajangram, Rarishal, Marugach, Noagaon, Sontoshpur, Zirunda Manpur, Kamrapur, Montoil, Shuneswar, Moubari, Gonipoor, Kataia, Foridpur, Bali, Chondipur, Morshidpur.Nokhlak,Bamoi [10]

Administration

Lakhai Upazila is divided into six union parishads: Bamai, Bulla, Karab, Lakhai, Murakari, and Muriauk. The union parishads are subdivided into 70 mauzas and 65 villages.[7]

Transport

Lakhai is connected through Habiganj, Ashuganj, Fandauk, Chatiain by road; Bhairab by launch and Shayestaganj, Shahjibazar, Nayapara by rail communications. Regional highway runs through Sarail, Nasirnagar, Lakhai, Habiganj route is important for road communications in this region. Lakhai–Dhaka and Lakhai–Sylhet direct bus services are available.

Lakhai was river based upazila in the past. But nowadays it has developed immediately.

Education and culture

At the 2001 census the average literacy rate of Lakhai Upazila was 28.7% (7+ years),[11] where national average is 46.2%.[citation needed]

Lakhai is famous for pithas and hospitality, rich with cross cultures of greater Sylhet, Dhaka & Chittagong's flavour and foreign connections, it is unique of Bangladesh.

There is a non-governmental orphanage in Battala called Nurul Huda Orphanage. Notable eidgahs are Mashadiya and Kataiya Eidgah and well-known mosques are Teghoriya Mosque, Singhgram Masjid and Bhadikara Mosque.

Educational institutes include

  • Karab Nuria Islamia Madrasah.
  • Hazrat Aisha Siddika (R.) Women's Madrasah, Karab.
  • Fulbaria Mujibia Islamia Hafizia Madrasa
  • Lakhai Muktijoddha Degree College
  • Kalauk High School, (Upazila Sadar)
  • Zirunda Manpur Tofailia Senior Madrasa
  • Muriauk High School
  • Dharmapur Baage Modina Gausia Dakhil Madrasa
  • Bamai Model High School (founded 1961)
  • Rarhishal Korab High School
  • Amanullahpur Shafikia Hafizia Madrasah, (Borbari)
  • Lakhai Darul Hoda Madrasah & Yeateem Khana
  • Bhabanipur High School
  • Kataia Darussalam Islamia Madrasa
  • Katihara Hafizia Madrasah
  • Teghoria Darul Ulom Madrasah
  • Morakori High School (founded 1962)
  • Bulla Singhgram Girls High School
  • Teghoria SEDF Model High School
  • Krishnapur High School
  • Korab Rahmania Dakhil Madrasa
  • Fulbaria Ebtedaee Madrasa

Notable residents

See also

References

  1. ^ National Report (PDF). Population and Housing Census 2022. Vol. 1. Dhaka: Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics. November 2023. p. 404. ISBN 978-9844752016.
  2. ^ "Bangladesh Postal Code". Dhaka: Bangladesh Postal Department under the Department of Posts and Telecommunications of the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology of the People's Republic of Bangladesh. 20 October 2024.
  3. ^ Roy, Jayanta Singh (2012). "Lakhai Upazila". In Sirajul Islam; Miah, Sajahan; Khanam, Mahfuza; Ahmed, Sabbir (eds.). Banglapedia: the National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh (Online ed.). Dhaka, Bangladesh: Banglapedia Trust, Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. ISBN 984-32-0576-6. OCLC 52727562. OL 30677644M. Retrieved 20 December 2024.
  4. ^ উপজেলার প্রখ্যাত ব্যক্তিত্ব. Lakhai Upazila (in Bengali).
  5. ^ মুক্তিযুদ্ধ. Lakhai Upazila (in Bengali).
  6. ^ উপজেলার পটভূমি. Lakhai Upazila (in Bengali).
  7. ^ a b c "Bangladesh Population and Housing Census 2011 Zila Report – Habiganj" (PDF). bbs.gov.bd. Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics.
  8. ^ Population and Housing Census 2022 - District Report: Habiganj (PDF). District Series. Dhaka: Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics. June 2024. ISBN 978-984-475-227-6.
  9. ^ "Community Tables: Habiganj district" (PDF). bbs.gov.bd. Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics. 2011.
  10. ^ "Lakhai Upazila". spiritus-temporis.com. Archived from the original on 2013-04-11. Retrieved 2013-03-24.
  11. ^ "Area, Population and Literacy Rate by Upazila/Thana-2001" (PDF). Population Census Wing, BBS. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 July 2007. Retrieved 3 September 2007.
  12. ^ "Home". Mokhles Chowdhury.