Galachipa Upazila HQ

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

Galachipa Upazila (Patuakhali district) with an area of 1268.37 sq km, is bounded by Patuakhali sadar, Bauphal and Dashmina upazilas on the north, Dashmina and Charfasson upazilas on the east, the bay of Bengal on the south, Amtali and Kalapara upazilas on the west. Main rivers are Tentulia, Galachipa, Kazal, Agunmukha, Char Kalami. Rabnabad Channel is noted.

The location of the Galachipa town is 22.1650114N 90.4094364E. Galachipa (Town) consists of 9 wards and 8 mahallas. The area of the town is 9.6 sq km. It has a population of 17547; male 53.17%, female 46.83%. The density of population is 1828 per sq km. The literacy rate among the town people is 43.97%. It has two dakbungalows.

Galachipa thana was constituted in 1873 and was turned into an upazila in 1983. It consists of 13 union parishads, 142 mouzas and 230 villages.

Archaeological heritage: single domed Gurinda Mosque at Ratandi (18th century).

Historical events: A group of the Rakhains escaped the atrocities of the Burmese king to the Rangabali Island of Galachipa upazila and settled there in 1784. These Rakhains are reported to have been first settlers in the island.

As of the 1991 Bangladesh census: Population 286307; male 53.47%, female 46.53%; Muslim 92.01%, Hindu 7.95%, Buddhist 0.04%; major ethnic nationals: Rakhains 2490 (51 families).

Religious institutions: Mosque 1001, temple 50, Buddhist Vihara 10, pagoda 1.

Literacy and educational institutions: Average literacy 34.8%; male 39.7%, female 29.9%. Educational institutions: college 6, high school 46, madrasa 38, primary school 225. Noted institution: Galachipa High School (1932).

Cultural organisations: Club 22, public library 1, press club 1, theatre group 2, jatra party 1, cinema hall 6, playground 52.

Main occupations: Agriculture 50%, fishing 3.75%, agricultural labourer 22.56%, wage labourer 3.94%, commerce 7.83%, construction 1.01%, service 2.67%, others 8.24%.

Land use: Cultivable land 69824 hectares, fallow land 1271 hectares; single crop 45%, double crop 48.06%, triple crop 6.94%.

Land control: Among the peasants, 78.62% are landless, 16.24% small, 3.7% intermediate, 1.44% rich; cultivable land per head 0.243 hectare.

Fishery, poultry, dairy Fishery 20, shrimp cultivation 25, livestock 7, poultry 25.

Communication facilities- Roads: pucca 15 km, semi pucca 20 km and mud road 1000 km.

Manufactories: Ice mill 2, saw mill 18, rice mill 178.

Cottage industries: Weaving 70, welding 72, goldsmith 160, blacksmith 172, wood work 228, tailoring 1870.

NGO activities: asa, SCI, CODEC, brac, Urban, SAP-Bangladesh, BAOPA, CEP BARD, CHDP.

Health centres: Upazila health complex 1, satellite clinic 4, private health centre 1, family planning centre 10