Jhalokati, also spelled Jhalokathi, (Bengali: ঝালকাঠি) is a district in southern Bangladesh.[3] It is located in the Barisal Division and covers an area of 758.06 km2 It is bounded by Barisal district to the north, Barguna district to the east and the Bishkhali river in the south, and Pirojpur district to the west. The main rivers in this district are the Bishkhali, Dhanshiri, Gabkhan, Sugandha, Jangalia, Bamanda and Bajitpur. "পেয়ারা আর শীতলপাটি, এই নিয়ে ঝালকাঠি" "(Jhalokathi, The land of tasty Guava and Shitolpati)" is the official motto of the district.[4]
Jhalokati
ঝালকাঠি | |
|---|---|
    From top: Jhalokati Sadar Road, Kirtipasha Zamindar Bari Ruins and Jhalokathi N S Kamil Madrasah Complex | |
 Location of Jhalokati in Bangladesh | |
 Expandable map of Jhalokati District | |
| Coordinates: 22°34′N 90°09′E / 22.567°N 90.150°E | |
| Country |  Bangladesh |
| Division | Barisal |
| Headquarters | Jhalokati |
| Government | |
| • Deputy Commissioner | Md. Johar Ali |
| Area | |
• Total | 706.76 km2 (272.88 sq mi) |
| Population | |
• Total | 661,160 |
| • Density | 940/km2 (2,400/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+06:00 (BST) |
| Postal code | 8400 |
| Area code | 0498 |
| ISO 3166 code | BD-25 |
| HDI (2018) | 0.672[2] medium · 2nd of 21 |
| Website | www |
History
editJhalokati subdivision was established in 1972, shortly after the Liberation of East Pakistan, now Bangladesh and was turned into a district in 1984.[5] The 2021 Bangladesh ferry fire occurred on the Sugandha River near the town.[6]
Subdivisions
editThe district is administratively subdivided into 4 upazilas, these are:
Administration
editZilla Parishad Chairman/Administrator: Khan Saifullah Panir[7]
Transportation
edit- Roads & Highways: The district is connected to nearby districts such as Barisal and Pirojpur through regional roads. Local buses are readily available for these destinations. One can also go to Dhaka and other places in the country through the N8 Highway.
- Rural communications: Water transport is a major attraction in Jhalokati district. People can travel at a cheap cost by boats and various types of engine boats. Jhalokati is famous for its beautiful rivers and canals. Tourists can find it enjoyable to travel through boats.
Population
edit| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 1974 | 496,791 | — |
| 1981 | 583,102 | +2.31% |
| 1991 | 666,139 | +1.34% |
| 2001 | 694,231 | +0.41% |
| 2011 | 682,669 | −0.17% |
| 2022 | 661,160 | −0.29% |
| Sources:[1][10] | ||
According to the 2022 Census of Bangladesh, Jhalokati District had 162,401 households and a population of 661,160 with an average 4.02 people per household. Among the population, 121,894 (18.44%) inhabitants were under 10 years of age. The population density was 935 people per km2. Jhalokati District had a literacy rate (age 7 and over) of 83.21%, compared to the national average of 74.80%, and a sex ratio of 1088 females per 1000 males. Approximately, 27.85% of the population lived in urban areas. The ethnic population was 203.[1]
Religion
edit| Religion | 1941[11]: 100–101 [a] | 1981[10] | 1991[10] | 2001[10] | 2011[10] | 2022[1] | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | |
Islam 
|
252,292 | 64.09% | 494,499 | 84.81% | 581,629 | 87.31% | 620,585 | 89.39% | 613,750 | 89.90% | 599,593 | 90.69% |
Hinduism 
|
141,259 | 35.89% | 88,258 | 15.14% | 84,224 | 12.65% | 73,327 | 10.56% | 68,572 | 10.04% | 61,352 | 9.28% |
| Others [b] | 82 | 0.02% | 345 | 0.05% | 286 | 0.04% | 319 | 0.05% | 347 | 0.06% | 215 | 0.03% |
| Total Population | 393,633 | 100% | 583,102 | 100% | 666,139 | 100% | 694,231 | 100% | 682,669 | 100% | 661,160 | 100% |
A large majority of the district population is Muslim. It has 2475 mosques, 46 Hindu temples and five Buddhist pagodas. The percentage share of minority Hindus and Christians has seen a decline in absolute numbers since the 1981 census.After partition,many Hindus of the area migrated to West Bengal now in India.
Most of the local residents speak a native dialect of Bengali, known by fellow countrymen as "Barishailla".
Notable personalities
edit- Maqsudullah, Islamic scholar and first Pir of Talgachhia
- Nachiketa Chakraborty, famous Tollywood singer's family hails from Chechri Rampur village in Kathalia Upazila[12]
- Kabir Ahmed, former international footballer who played for the Pakistan national football team
See also
editNotes
edit- ^ Nalchiti, Jhalokati, Rajapur and Kathalia thanas of erstwhile Bakerganj district
- ^ Including Jainism, Christianity, Buddhism, Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Ad-Dharmis, or not stated
References
edit- ^ a b c d e Population and Housing Census 2022 National Report (PDF). Vol. 1. Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics. November 2023.
- ^ "Sub-national HDI - Area Database - Global Data Lab". hdi.globaldatalab.org. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
- ^ a b Rahman, Humayun (2012). "Jhalokati District". In Islam, Sirajul; Jamal, Ahmed A. (eds.). Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh (Second ed.). Asiatic Society of Bangladesh.
- ^ ছবিতে জেলা ব্র্যান্ডিং [District Branding]. Jhalokati District (in Bengali).
- ^ "LGED - Jhalokathi".[dead link]
- ^ "Bangladesh: Death toll rises to 41 in ferry fire on Sugandha River". Free Press Journal. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
- ^ "ভোট ছাড়াই চেয়ারম্যান হচ্ছেন ১৯ জন". Jugantor. 16 September 2022.
- ^ "List of Deputy Commissioners". Ministry of Public Administration. Archived from the original on 8 November 2019. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
- ^ "Officers: Deputy Commissioner's Office".
- ^ a b c d e "Bangladesh Population and Housing Census 2011 Zila Report – Jhalokati" (PDF). bbs.gov.bd. Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics.
- ^ "Census of India, 1941 Volume VI Bengal Province" (PDF). Retrieved 13 August 2022.
- ^ "Shekorer taane Nachiketa ghure gelen Nachiketa". amaderbarisal.com. 18 November 2014. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
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