Barisal City; a Famous City in Bangladesh

Some snaps of Barisal City

Barisal City (Bengali: বরিশাল Bariśāl)) (Urdu and Punjabi: باریسال) is an old port on the Kirtankhola, former Ariel Khan on the northern shore of the Bay of Bengal in southern Bangladesh and it is 142 km (373 km by road) far from capital city Dhaka. 

It is now the headquarters of both the Barisal Division and the Barisal District. 

The city consists of 30 wards and 50 mahallas. The area of the town is 19.99 km². Barisal municipality was established in 1957 and was turned into a City Corporation in 2000. 

Barisal City has one police academy. 

History: 

In Mughal period because of heavy fighting between them and Hindu chiefs. In course of time, it fell under Bengal Nawabs and British India, later passed to Bangladesh. 

Barisal, Bangladesh

Following the partition of India in 1947, the area of Bangladesh became a province of Pakistan, initially known as East Bengal, and then, from 1955, as East Pakistan. The people of East Pakistan Province declared their independence as the nation of Bangladesh on March 26, 1971, while fighting a savage war against the central Pakistani government. The separation from Pakistan took place, with extensive aid from India, on December 16, 1971 as a result of the third Indo-Pakistan War. Bangladesh was soon recognized by most other nations, although Pakistan withheld diplomatic recognition until 1974 and China did not recognize the nation until 1976. Bangladesh was admitted to the United Nations in 1974. 

The central city of this region is the city of Barisal. It is one of the biggest river ports in Bangladesh. It is a city with nearly 0.38 million people and a divisional headquarter, medical college, cadet college, some pharmaceutical industries, textile industries and the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority's head office. Barisal is fast growing city of the country stands on the Kirtankhola River. Country's first short landing and take off airport has been completed in Barisal and a private Airlines named Air Bengal has begun its regular air flight between Dhaka Tejgaon Airport and Barisal. 

The city is sometimes called the "Venice of the East" or the "Venice of Bengal" 

Barisal in Bangladeshi Map

Geography: 

Barisal District with an area of 2790.51 km2 is bounded by Madaripur, Shariatpur, Chandpur and Lakshmipur districts on the north, Patuakhali, Barguna and Jhalokati districts on the south, Bhola and Lakshmipur districts on the east, Jhalokati, Pirojpur and Gopalganj districts on the west. Whereas the area of the town is 16.37 km2. 

Climate:

Barisal has a tropical monsoon-type climate, with a hot and rainy summer and a dry winter. January is the coolest month with temperatures averaging near 26 deg C (78 d F) and April the warmest with temperatures from 33 to 36 deg C (91 to 96 deg F). The climate is one of the wettest in the world. Most places receive more than 1,525 mm of rain a year, and areas near the hills receive 5,080 mm ). Most rains occur during the monsoon (June–September) and little in winter (November–February). Bangladesh is subject to devastating cyclones, originating over the Bay of Bengal, in the periods of April to May and September to November. Often accompanied by surging waves, these storms can cause great damage and loss of life. The cyclone of November 1970, in which about 500,000 lives were lost in Bangladesh, was one of the worst natural disasters of the country in the 20th century. Bangladesh has warm temperatures throughout the year, with relatively little variation from month to month. January tends to be the coolest month and May the warmest. In Dhaka the average January temperature is about 19°C (about 66°F), and the average May temperature is about 29°C (about 84°F). 

Required clothing: 

Lightweight cottons and linens throughout the year. Warmer clothes are needed in the evenings during the cool season. Waterproofs are necessary during the monsoon season. 

Town Hall of Barisal, Bangladesh

Demography: 

According to an estimate of 2008 Barisal has a population of 210,374; male 53.28%, female 46.72%. Literacy rate among the town people is 85%. Main occupations are Agriculture 35.28%, agricultural labourer 18.76%, wage labourer 4.16%, commerce 13.89%, service 10.64%, fishing 3.45%, construction 1.25%, transport 1.72% and others 10.85%.Here population growth rate is 1.41%. 

Religion: 

The majority of the people of Barisal (90.64 per cent) identify themselves as Muslims.This is followed by those of Hindus (8.38 per cent) and Christians (0.98 per cent).There are about 3,941 Mosques, 805 temples, 44 churches and 5 tombs. 

Sher-e-Bangla Medical College, Barisal, Bangladesh

Education:

Higher education:

Barisal is a major center for higher education in Bangladesh. Few of city’s education institutions are:

• University of Barisal 

• Sher-E-Bangla Medical college 

• Brojomohun College (known as BM College) 

• Barisal Polytechnic Institute 

• Barisal Cadet College 

• Government Syed Hatem Ali College 

There are also a Physical education college, a Nursing institute and two Teacher's training colleges.

Barisal Cadet College, Barisal, Bangla Desh

Primary and secondary education: 

The primary and secondary schools/colleges of Barisal are controlled by the Boards of Intermediate and Secondary Education,Barisal, most of them are public though there are also a number of private one. 

Numbers of primary and secondary schools/college are shown below: 

• Cadet college: 1 

• Government college: 7 

• Non-government college: 7 

• Government high school: 2 

• Non-government high school: 55 

• Junior school: 7 

• Government primary school: 175 

• Non-government primary school: 133 

• B M school largest secondary school in Barisal 

Among them Barisal Govt. Girls High School, Barisal Zilla School, Udayan High School, Barisal Cadet College are renowned.

Daily Shahnama, Barisal, Bangladesh

Culture: 

Media: 

Barisal is a center for the newspaper, periodical and book publishers. Some locally published newspapers and periodicals are: 

Newspapers 

• Shahnama 

• The Daily Barisal Protidin 

• Probashi 

• Gram Samachar 

• Ajker Barta 

• Rupantar Sathi 

• Saikot Barta 

• Darpan 

• Dipanchal 

• Ajker Kantha 

• Ajker poribartan

Web Page of Barisal News Online from Barisal

periodicals:

• weekly Lokabani 

• Bakerganj Parikrama 

• Chirantan Bangla 

• Upakul, periodicals Paira 

• the River 

• Etibriti 

• Khadem 

• Chirantan Bangla 

• Upakul 

• Samachar 

• Gournadi Parikrama 

Online Newspaper: 

• Barisal News 

• Amader Barisal

Durgasagar, Barisal, Bangladesh

Tourist attractions:

Durgasagar: 

with an area of about 2,500 hectare, is the largest pond or dighi of southern Bangladesh. It is located at Madhabpasa village of babuganj upazila, about 11 km away from barisal town. Locally it is known as Madhabpasha Dighi. According to a desire of Rani Durgavati, mother of Raja Joynarayan, the dighi was dug in 1780 (1187 BS). There are coconut trees around the dighi which together with the dighi are bounded by brick-walls. In the middle of the dighi, there is an island with bushes. Migratory birds usually come here during winter. The surrounding areas of the dighi has now been turned into a picnic spot.

A Plane in Barisal Airport

Transportation:

Air:

Barisal airport is not an international airport. Only Bangladesh Biman and Air Parabat use this port. Active routes are Barisal-Dhaka and Barisal-Chittagong.

Buses: 

Many Bus company connect Barisal to other districts. Some of them are:

• Eagle Paribahan 

• Sakura Paribahan 

• Druti Paribahan 

• Hanif Enterprise 

• Ilish Paribahan 

• Tuhin Paribahan Rajshahi-Barisal (twice)daily

Barisal River, Barisal Bangladesh

River Port:

River is also a popular transport system with other district.The luxurious launch journey connects between the south and Dhaka city. It is one of the most enjoyable night journey ever you could get in your life. The launches are really royal, majestic and with pomp and pleasure. Some royal launches are: 

• Sundarban 7 

• Sundarban 8 

• Surovi 6 

• Surovi 7 

• Surovi 8 

• Dipraj 

• Parabat 7 

• Parabat 9 

• Parabat 11 

• Kirtonkhola 1 

• Kalam Khan 

• KIRTONKHOLA 2 Coming soon by Fin Dhaka Bank Ltd.

Barisal City Corporation, Barisal, Bangladesh

Economy:

Barisal is a rice producing center of Bangladesh. Balam (a kind of baasmati) is the most popular rice in Barisal. It is also famous for Betel Leaf, a typical south Asian chewing item. As Barisal is surrounded by river so fish is plenty in there.It is said.. "Dhan (paddy) nadi (river) Khal (canal) ai tine Barisal." Means, paddy, river and canal these three things make Barisal. Coconut is very common in there as it is a coastal area. Hog Plum in Barisal is very famous. 

Exports:

Fish, medicine,Empty Gelatine Capsules by Global Capsules Ltd. bidi (local tobacco) by Amrita Bidi as Karokor Bidi Factory, AMRITA Food Branded all Spices, Sunflower oil, Atta, Maida,Bhutta powder-Suzi and handicrafts.

Oxford Church in Barisal

Architecture: 

Barisal's buildings are too diverse to be characterised by any particular architectural style, and have been built over a long period of time. 

Archaeological Heritage: 

Some well known heritage are as follows: 

• Rammohan Samadhi Mandir 

• Sujabad Kella 

• Sangram Kella 

• Sharkal Fort 

• Girja Mahalla 

• Bell's Park 

• Ebadullah Mosque 

• Kasai Mosque 

• Oxford Church 

• Shankar Math 

• Kali Bari of Mukunda Das 

• Joint Mosque at Bhatikhana 

• Aswini kumar town hall 

• Charkella 

• Durgasagar Dighi 

• one domed Mosque (Kasba)

abul-kashem-fazlul-huq (A. K. Fazlul Huq

Noted Barisailese: 

• Abdul Gaffar Choudhury, Bangladeshi author and rpo-Awami league columnist, perhaps best known for his lyric Amar Bhaier Rokte Rangano—which has become the main song commemorating the Language Movement, the touchy music having been composed by Shaheed Altaf Mahmud. 

• Abala Bose, social reformer and wife of Jagadish Chandra Bose 

• A.K. Fazlul Huq, (Mayor of kolkata (1935, first Muslim mayor of kolkata), Prime Minister of undivided Bengal (1937–1943) and of East Bengal (1954), Home Minister of Pakistan (1955) and Governor of East Pakistan (1956–1958) 

• Alhaj Syeda Jamila Saleh - Unsung Heroine, Philanthropist, Social Reformer, Founder of Women's School/College/Mosque/Madrasa 

• Altaf Mahmud noted Bengali film song composer and one of the martyred intelligentsia in 1971. 

• Amal Kumar Raychaudhuri, physicist 

• Anil Biswas (composer) noted Hindi and Bengali film song composer

Jibanananda Das

• Aroj Ali Matubbar, noted Astronomer and Philosopher. 

• Aswini Kumar Dutta, social reformer and philanthropist 

• Abul Hasnat Abdullah - Pioneer of Peace Treaty 

• Jibanananda Das, famous Bengali poet. 

• Kamini Roy, famous poetess and first woman graduate with honours in the subcontinent. 

• Kadambini Ganguly, first female graduate and first female physician in the entire British empire 

• Kusumkumari Das, poetess and mother of Jibanananda Das 

• Mithun Chakraborty, famous actor. 

• Mohiuddin Jahangir (Bir Shreshto) was a Captain in the Bangladesh Army during the 1971 Liberation War. The main gate of Dhaka Cantonment- "Shaheed Jahangir Gate" is named in his honour. 

• Pannalal Ghosh renowned musician and flutist 

• Partha Dasgupta, eminent economist. 

• Parul Ghosh, Hindi and Bengali film singer 

• Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi, Minister of parliamentary affairs and information, India. 

• Santanu Roy (Engineer & Scientist), Founder of Power Supply Solution 

• Salman Khan, Founder of Khan Academy 

• ShantiSudha Bose  

• Kanak Dutta freedom fighter and vocal artist 

• Sufia Kamal, poetess 

• Sushmita Sen, famous actress. 

• Shaheed Abdur Rob Serniabat - Great politician 

• Surendra Nath Dutta - noted freedom fighter 

• Swadesh Ranjan Dutta - poet and pioneer to small stories in Bengali literature 

• Tapan Raychaudhuri, noted historian. 

• Tofazzal Hossain Manik Miah Founder Editor of The Daily Ittefaq. 

• Utpal Dutt (29 March 1929 – 19 August 1993), was an Indian actor, director and writer-playwright 

• Rabi Ghosh - Famous noted actor.