Jhalokati District Town | city, third-level administrative division, town district

 city, third-level administrative division, town district

Jhalokati District (Barisal division) with an area of 758.06 sq km, is bounded by Barisal district on the north and east, Barguna district and the Bishkhali river on the south, Lohagara and Pirojpur districts on the west. Annual average temperature: maximum 33.3°C, minimum 12.1°C; annual rainfall 2506 mm. Main rivers are Bishkhali, Sugandha, Dhansiri, Gabkhan, Jangalia and Bamanda.

The location of the Jhalokati town is 22.6416281N 90.1999721E. Jhalokati (Town) is a municipal (1875) town consists of 9 wards and 47 mahallas. The area of the town is 6.37 sq km. The town has a population of 45095; male 53.11%, female 46.89%; density of population is 7079 per sq km. Literacy rate among the town people is 67.5%. The town has two dakbungalows.

Jhalokati subdivision was established in 1972 and was turned into a district in 1984. It consists of 2 municipalities, 18 wards, 4 upazilas, 32 union parishads, 400 mouzas, 66 mahallas and 449 villages. The upazilas are jhalokati sadar, kathalia, nalchity and rajapur.

Archaeological heritage and relics: Sujabad Kellah (fort), remnants of the Ghosal Rajbari, Old Municipal Building, Civil Court Building (1781), Surichora Jami Mosque, Madabar Mosque.

Historical events: During the British rule 17 Muslims were killed in an encounter with the British army at Kulkati. Due to navigation facilities the area attracted the Europeans; the East India Company, the Dutch and the French established their trade centres in phases. Because of its commercial importance Jhalokati was called the 'second Kolkata'.

As of the 1991 Bangladesh census: Population 696055; male 49.36%, female 50.64%; Muslim 87.31%, Hindu 12.64% and others 0.05%.

Religious institutions: Mosque 1697, temple 307, church 2, tomb 4.

Literacy and educational institutions: Average literacy 51.2%; male 55.9% and female 46.5%. Educational institutions: college 23, high school 167, junior school 3, madrasa 159, government primary school 339, non-government primary school 68, kindergarten 1.

Cultural organisations: Club 73, public library 3, theatre group 7, cinema hall 6, literary society 2, playground 84, community centre 3, Shilpakala academy 1, women's organisation 3.

Main occupations: Agriculture 40.07%, agricultural labourer 15.68%, wage labourer 4.66%, commerce 12.43%, service 11.03%, fishing 1.1%, transport 1.86%, construction 1.75% and others 11.42%.

Land use: Total cultivable land 112388 hectares; single crop 45.08%, double crop 38.09% and treble crop 16.83%; cultivable land under irrigation 40%.

Fisheries, dairies, poultries Poultry 1097, dairy 97, hatchery 13, fishery 573.

Communication facilities- Roads: pucca 176 km, semi pucca 77 km and mud road 1467 km; waterways 204 nautical mile.

Manufactories: Ice factory, flour mill, salt factory, rice mill, oil mill, saw mill, bidi factory.

Cottage industries: Weaving, wood work, goldsmith, blacksmith, potteries, bamboo & cane work, pati (mat) making, tailoring, welding.

NGO activities: Operationally important NGOs are brac, asa, CARE, Abirvab, Annesha, JDS, Parshi, South Bengal Development Society, Social Welfare Organisation, Popular Development Society, CIDA, proshika, Palli Unnayan Sangstha.

Health centres: Hospital 2, upazila health complex 4, union health & family planning centre 22, satellite clinic 7.