Moheshkahli Island

 island, township, subdistrict, fourth-level administrative division, local government

Maheshkhali Upazila (Cox's bazar district) with an area of 362.18 sq km, is bounded by Chakaria upazila on the north, Cox's bazar sadar upazila and the Bay of Bengal on the south, Chakaria and Cox's Bazar sadar upazilas on the east, Kutubdia upazila and the Bay of Bengal on the west. The eastern part of the upazila is separated from the mainland by the Maheshkhali channel. Main rivers are Bak-khali and Maheshkhali channel.

Maheshkhali town is located at . Maheshkhali (Town) conists of 1 mouza with an area of 2.93 sq km. It has a population of 13519; male 54.54%, female 45.46%. The density of population per sq km is 4614. Literacy rate among the town people is 30.9%.

Maheshkhali thana was turned into an upazila in 1982. It consists of 7 union parishads, 25 mouzas and 170 villages.

Archaeological heritage and relic: adinath temple.

As of the 1991 Bangladesh census: Population 219520; male 53.13%, female 46.87%; Muslim 91.52%, Hindu 7.35%, Buddhist 1.12%, others 0.01%; ethnic nationals: Rakhain 515 families.

Religious institutions: Mosque 210, temple 26, Buddhist keyang 6.

Literacy and educational institutions: Average literacy 27.2%; male 35.3%, female 18.2%. Educational institutions: college 3, government high school 1, non-government high school 15, madrasa 10, government primary school 47, non-government primary school 16, Old institutions: Maheshkhali Government Vernacular School (1923), Maheshkhali Model High School (1946).

Cultural organisations: Club 13, public library 1.

Main occupations: Agriculture 22.99%, forestry 1.25%, fishing 6.08%, sericulture 6.08%, agricultural labourer 25.19%, wage labourer 7.17%, commerce 13.78%, service 2.57%, others 19.94%.

Land use: Cultivable land 5275. 36 hectares, salt production 2073.4 hectares, shrimp cultivation 2105.69 hectares, fallow land 1715.21 hectares.

Land control: Among the peasants 66.62% are landless, 33.38% land owner.

Main crops: Betel, paddy, betel nut.

Dairy, fishery, poultry Dairy 2, poultry 3, shrimp 277.

Communication facilities- Roads: pucca 7 km, semi pucca 15 km and mud road 135 km.

Manufactories: Salt mill 6, flour mill 1, ice mill 5.

Cottage industries: Weaving 178, other industries 480.

Main exports: Salt, betel, shrimp, sea-fish, dry fish.

NGO activities: Operationally important NGOs are caritas, Christian Commission Development in Bangladesh, Prism Bangladesh.

Health centres: Upazila health complex 1, satellite clinic 1, family planning centre 4.

Moheshkhali Island It is another attraction for the tourists who go to Cox's Bazaar. An island off the coast of Cox's Bazar, it has an area of 268 square kilometers. Through the center of the island and along the eastern coastline rises, a range of low hills, 300 feet high; but the coast to the west and north is a low-lying treat, fringed by mangrove jungle. In the hills on the coast is built the shrine of Adinath. By its side on the same hill is Buddhist Pagoda. One can go to this Island by local motorboat called trawler or by speedboat. By trawler, it takes an hour and a half and by speedboat, it takes only half an hour to reach this Island. You will find etc. This island is famous for mangrove forests, hilly areas, salt field, Buddhist Temple and Pagoda; one can enjoy a full day sight seeing if intended to visit Sonadia and some other Islands nearby.