Moulvibazar District

Moulvibazar (Bengali: Moulbibazar Zila), also called Maulvibazar, [1] Moulavibazar, [2] and Maulavibazar, [3] is a district of Sylhet Division in North-Eastern Bangladesh.

Moulvibazar is named after Hazrat Syed Shah Mustafa 'Sher-E-Sowar' Chabukmar Baghdadi, an Islamic preacher active during the advent of Islam in the region. 'Moulvi' is the typical honorific given to Islamic clerics in South Asia, and 'bazar' is the Persian/Hindi word for market or township, whereas 'hat' would be the native Bengali word.

The Welcome Square of Moulvibazar District beside Dhaka-Sylhet highway

Moulvibazar is in Sylhet, a district to the North-East of Bangladesh. It is 2, 707 km² in area, and has a population of 1. 38 million. It is situated between 24. 10 degree 24. 35 degree north latitude and between 90. 35 degree and 91. 20-degree east longitude. It is surrounded by Sylhet District in the north, Habiganj District in the west and Indian States of Assam and Tripura in the east and south respectively. [citation needed]

The main rivers of the district are the Manu, the Dholoi and the Juri which flow from India. Every year during the rainy season, when there is excessive rainfall in India, the surplus water flows through these rivers and causes floods in low-lying parts of Moulvibazar (for example, the villages of Balikhandi and Shampashi on the northern side of the river Manu). [citation needed] Unless the rivers are properly dredged the floods can be devastating. [citation needed]

In the last few years Moulvibazar has had a muti-million dollar flood defence system built, which is the only one like it in the whole country. [citation needed]

Upazila (subdivisions)

Moulvibazar is made up of 7 subdivisions or upazilas. They are: Moulvibazar Sadar, Barlekha, Juri, Kamalganj, Kulaura, Rajnagar, and Sreemangal.

There are 67 Unions, 2, 064 Villages and 5 Pourashavas namely Kamalganj, Kulaura, Sreemongal, Barlekha and Moulvibazar. Almost 50, 000 of the clan population belong to Manipuri, Khasia and Tripura clans. They tend to live in the areas of Kamalganj, Sreemongal and Kulaura Upazila of this district. There are 92 tea gardens in this district that has made it one of the most beautiful places in Bangladesh.

History

Islam was introduced to the region by the revered preacher Hazrat Shah Jalal. Moulvibazar is named after Hazrat Syed Shah Mustafa 'Sher-E-Sowar' Chabukmar Baghdadi, a companion of Hazrat Shah Jalal who was active in the region. The shrine of Hazrat Shah Mustafa is located in Moulvibazar town.

In 1882, the present-day Moulvibazar was first demarcated as a sub-division (administrative unit) as 'South Sylhet' by the British imperial government. The name reverted to 'Moulvibazar' during the Pakistan era. On 6 December 1971, the occupying Pakistan military administration surrendered Moulvibazar to the joint forces of the Mukti Bahini (Freedom Forces) and the Indian Army. Bangladesh freedom fighter (or rebel combatant, depending on perspective) Rana Choudhury was present on behalf of the Mukti Bahini.

In 1984, the then President H. M. Ershad upgraded the status of Moulvibazar in administrative hierarchy from 'sub-division' to a 'district'.

Economy

Madhabpur lake

A tea estate in Sreemangal

The main exports of Moulvibazar are bamboo, tea, pineapple, cane, jackfruit, oranges, agar, rubber, mangoes and lemons. Ninety-one of Bangladesh's 153 tea gardens are located in Moulvibazar. The area is also home to the three largest tea gardens (size and production wise) in the world. Pineapples from the Sreemangal area are famous for their flavour and natural sweetness. Sreemongal is known as the 'tea capital of Bangladesh' due to the high frequency of tea plantations found there.

Religion

The district of Moulvibazar consists 2967 mosques, 613 temples, 56 churches and 22 Buddhist temples. [citation needed]

Transport

Further information: Transport in Bangladesh

The main transport systems used in the city are Cycle rickshaws, auto rickshaws (mainly known as baby-taxis or CNGs), buses, mini-buses and cars. There are about 10, 000 rickshaws running each day. Bus service prices have increased as of 2008, up to 30% higher, prices ranges from Tk4 to 25. 95. [4] The Kulaura Railway Station, Sreemangal Railway Station is the main railway station providing trains on national routes operated by the state-run Bangladesh Railway. Also Bhanugach Railway Station, Tilagaon, Vatera, Rashidpur Station is used by local peoples.

Places of interest

A sculpture of a girl plucking tea leaves from tea garden. The sculpture is located at Moulvibazar District

The shrine of Shah Mustafa, a companion of Shah Jalal, the man who brought Islam into what was then India, is here. It is also home to many tea plantations. Moulvibazar town now has a shopping mall and several Indian, Chinese and American eateries. Madhabkunda waterfall at Barlekha and 'Ham Ham waterfall' at Kamalgonj are among the enchanting places of the district. Hakaluki Haor, 'Hail Haor' Madhobpur Lake', 'Bilashchhara Lake', 'Lawachara National Park' in Kamalganj upazilla are other places of interest in the district.

See also

Districts of Bangladesh

References

Shah Abdul Wadud (2012). "Maulvibazar District". In Sirajul Islam and Ahmed A. Jamal. Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh (Second ed. ). Asiatic Society of Bangladesh.

"List of Institutes in Moulavibazar District". Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh, Directorate General of Health Services. Retrieved 27 Aug 2013.

"Estimates of Aman Rice, 2012-2013" (PDF). Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics Agriculture Wing. Retrieved 27 Aug 2013.

Sylhet city bus services hike fares on whim New age Metro. 4 November 2008. Retrieved on 25 May 2009.