Noakhali

NOAKHALI

Noakhali is a district in SoutheasternBangladesh. It is located in theChittagong Division. Noakhali district, whose earlier name was Bhulua, was established in 1821. It was named Noakhali in 1868. Noakhali District is bordered by Comilla district to the north, the Meghna estuary and the Bay of Bengal to the south, Feni and Chittagong districts to the east and Lakshmipur and Bhola district to the west. The District represents an extensive flat, coastal and delta land, located on the tidal floodplain of the Meghna River delta, characterized by flat land and low relief.The area is influenced by diurnal tidal cycles and the tidal fluctuations vary depending on seasons, being pronounced during the monsoon season. Around Noakhali on three sides is an alluvial plain that is annually inundated and fertilized by silt deposits from the Meghna estuary. The Coordi nates:  22.70°N 91.10°E district of Noakhali has actually gained more than 28 square miles (73 km2) of land in the past 50 years.

Area: 4, 202. 70  km 2 (1, 622. 67  sq mi)

Upazilas:   Noakhali Sadar, Begumganj, Chatkhil, Companiganj, Senbagh, Hatiya, Kabirhat, Sonaimuri, Suborno Char.

Places:

Nijhum Dweep: 

Nijhum Dweep is a small island under Hatiya upazila of Noakhali. A cluster of islands (mainly, Ballar Char, Kamlar char,Char Osman and Char Muri) emerged in the early 1950s as an alluvium in the shallow estuary of the Bay of Bengal On the south of Noakhali. These new sandbanks first drew the notice of a group of fishermen, who named it Baular Char. In 1974 the Forest Department took an aforestation program for a duration of twenty years in the north side of the island. Covering an area of nine thousand acres, it has now developed into a deep forest with a variety of plant species. Among the trees Keora is much seen. Besides this Gewa, Kankra, Bain, Babul, Karamja, Pashur and many other species are seen. It was renamed ' Nijhum Dweep'  by former Minister Amirul Islam Kalam in 1979 observing its isolation and mild nature. During winter, thousands of migratory birds flock in to island. The fishermen use the airy and sunny land as an ideal place for drying their catches from the sea. Sometimes many of them also construct straw huts on the island as seasonal residences. On 8 th April, 2001 the government declared the 40390 acres of forest of Jahajmara range including 9550 acres of forest land on Nijhum Dweep as a National Park for the protection and development of the biodiversity of the forest. But in practice, there a very lazy appearance of that declaration.

Bazra Shahi Mosque: 

Bazra Shahi Mosque is one of the major archaeological works in undivided Bengal.It is situated 8 miles from district headquarter Maijdee Court. Amir Sanaullah, the owner of Bazra Jaigir started the construction of ‘Bazra’Shahi Mosque’ in the pattern of Tajmahal in the Hizri year 1134. The construction was completed in the Hizri year 1154. The ‘Bazra Shahi Mosque’ is a wonderful embodiment of Moghal architecture. In the year 1922, late Ali Ahmed, the Jaminder of Bazra, plastered the whole exterior of the mosque with piece of China clay, which greatly enhanced the beauty of the mosque.

Queen Lurther's Catholic Church: 

This is one of the oldest Catholic Church in the country. The Church was established in 1959, named after the Queen Lurther' s at Sonapur of Noakhali Sadar upazila. Quiet, bland shadowed environment made the Church glamorous. Christian cemetery containing numerous cross, a giant statue of Jesus Christ, flower garden, spectacular ponds, mission school, Charitable Health Center, Crafts Center are also seen beside the Church. Around the Church there is a large Christian colony.

Gandhi Ashram Trust|Gandhi Ashram: 

The establishment of Gandhi Ashram trust is rooted with the ' Peace Mission'  of Mahatma Gandhi immediately after the communal riots in 1946 at Noakhali. Gandhi stayed for about four months in the riot stricken areas. He started moving around the villages and motivated the people towards his peaceful coexistence and nonviolence philosophy. When Gandhiji came to Jayag on 29 January 1947 all sections of the local community extended him whole-hearten support. At that time, Barrister Hemanta Kumar Ghosh of the village donated all his resources to Mahatma for the development and peace of the area and Ambika Kaliganga Charitable Trust was formed. The office of the Gandhi Peace Mission, formerly known as Gandhi Camp, was shifted to the present campus of Jayag, Sonaimuri.