Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracks Affairs
Rangamati Hill Tracts
PREFACE
Rangamati Hill Tracts, a land of green hills and valleys with a heavenly view of lake and deep forest. This district was once called karpas mahal (1715-1860). After 1860, this region was turned into an administrative unit as Rangamati Hill Tracts. Subsequently, two sub-division of this district Bandarban and Khagrachari was upgraded as district in 1981 and 1983 respectively. This area has a distinct and different history, literature, culture and heritage. Tribal and non-tribal people are living together with their own life style and living pattern harmoniously.
This district is administered by the Chittagong Hill Tracts Manual 1900. Though this manual is not yet been repealed but massive changes and reconstruction in the administrative frame work has been done to meet the need of the time. Local Government Council was established by the Act of 19 in 1989, by which 22 Govt. departments were transferred to them.
For the special situation armed forces was deployed here from 1976. They are working here to maintain security in this region.
Govt. has given special attention in this area for developing its infra structure micro and macro economy. After signing the peace treaty and solving the prevailing problems, we can hope to see a rising tourist city and promising tourism industry.
1. Name of the District
: Rangamati Hill Tracts
2. Previous Name
: Karpas Mahal
3. Creation
: 20 th June, 1860
4. Head Quarter
: Rangamati
5. Border
: a) North - Tripura, India
b) South - Bandarban district and Myanmar
c) East - Mijoram, India
d) West - Khagrachari district and Chittagong district
6. Area
: 61116.13 Sq. Km.
7. Thana
: Total - 10
a) Rangamati Sadar, b) Kawkhali, c) Naniarchar, d) Langadu,
e) Baghaichari, f) Barkal, g) Jurachari, h) Belaichari,
i) Rajasthali, (j) Kaptai.
8. Municipalities
: 01
9. Union
: 47
10. Mauza
: 159
11. Headman (Head of Mauza)
: 155
12. Karbari
: 1030
13. Total Population
: 401388 (1991 census)
a) Tribal - 223292
b) Non Tribal - 178096
14. No. of tribal groups
: 12
Chakma, Marma, Tripura, Tanchanga, Murong, Lusai, Bom,
Pankhu, Chak, Khiang, Khumi, Rakhain.
15. Population per Sq. Km.
: 66
16. Administration
: According to Hill Tracts Manual, 1900
17. Educational Institution
: 1) University College
- 01 (Govt.)
2) College
- 04
3) Secondary School
- 39 (Govt-6)
4) Junior Secondary
- 27
5) Polytechnic Inst.
- 01
6) TTC
- 01
7) TCI
- 01
8) Tribal Hostel
- 03
9) Pali College
- 03
10) Pali Tole
- 18
11) Govt. Primary School
- 389
12) Non-Govt. Primary School - 118
13) Senior Madrasa
- 01
14) Dakhil Madrasa
- 03
18. Lake area
: 81920 acres
Created for Hydro Electric Project
19. Use of Land
: a) Land out of Cultivation -
26334 acres
b) Useless Cultivable Land - 85205
,,
c) Sallow land
- 26861 ,,
d) Cultivable land
- 86983 ,,
Single crop - 60542 (acres)
Double crop - 22470 ,,
Triple crop - 4271
,,
e) Fringe land
- 22460 ,,
f) Plain land
- 45000 ,,
g) Hilly land
- 405000 ,,
h) Total cropped land -
117695 ,,
i) Forest area
- 1241422 ,,
j) Registered land
- 248341 ,,
k) Khas land
- 479378 ,,
20. Crops produced
: a) Paddy, Potato, Mustard, Tobacco, Cotton, Jute, Bhutta, nuts etc.
b) Orange, Jackfruit, Papya, Nut, Pineapple, Banana, Mango, Lemon.
21. Health care
: a) Hospital
- 13
b) Clinic
- 49
c) Maternity Center
- 3
d) Family Planning Center - 39
e) Family Welfare Visitor - 45
f) Female Visitor
- 30
g) Village Doctor
- 155
22. Communication
: a) Total Road
- 190 km
b) Pakka Road
- 1428 km
c) Kacha Road
- 71 km
d) Walk way
- 910 km
e) Water way
- 440 km
23. Telephone exchange
: 10
24. Post Code
: 4500
25. Total Post Office
: 26
26. Total Bazar
: 41
a) Class one - 20
b) Class two - 08
c) Class three - 13
27. Tea Garden
: 01 (wagga, Kaptai)
28. Industry
: a) Paper
- 01
b) Rayon
- 01
c) Plywood
- 02
d) Food Processing - 01
e) Textile
- 01
29. Hydro-electric Project
: 01 (kaptai)
30. Radio Centre
: 01
31. Temporary television Centre
: 01
32. Highest Peak
: Thungnung (2409 ft, Barkal)
33. Satellite
: 01 (Betbunia)
34. About Kaptai Lake
: a) Created
- 1960
b) Area
- 897 Sq. Km.
c) Submerged area
- 350 Sq. mile
d) Submerged paddy land - 54000 acre
e) Affected mauza
- 125
f) Affected Family
- 18000
g) Affected Population - 200000
h) Affected reserved forest -
29
35. Local Govt. Council in Brief
: (1) Creation of LGC :
6th March, 1989 by the act of 19 of 1989.
1st election held in 25th June, 1989.
LGC Consists of :
a) Chairman : 1 (one) tribal
b) Councilor : 30 (thirty) tribal & non-tribal
1. Non-tribal (Bangali) : 10
2. Chakma
: 10
3. Marma
: 4
4. Tanchanga
: 2
5. Tripura
: 1
6. Punkhu
: 1
7. Lusai
: 1
8. Khyang
: 1
(2) Both the tribal and non-tribal members of the LGC are directly elected by the people of this district. The main objectives of the creation of LGC is to develop this area as well as to save the cultural heritage and to minimize the sense of deprivation among the tribal people. Among 22 different subjects/depts. which were to be transferred so far. The development programmes of different deputed departments are also supervised by this council. Development programmes taken by different Government department which are not transferred to this council are also coordinated by it.
The list of departments which are
transferred to LGC are as follows :
1) Agriculture,
2) Health,
3) Primary Education,
4) Family planning,
5) Bangladesh Small & Cottage
Industry Corporation,
6) Social Welfare,
7) Co-operative,
8) Fisheries,
9) Livestock,
10) Public Health,
11) Games,
12) Bazar Fund,
13) Shilpakala Academy,
14) Public Library,
15) Tribal Cultural Institute.
The fund of LGC mainly consists of contribution from government allocation and income from local revenues.
36. Shrines
: a) Mosque
- 224
b) Buddhist Temple - 238
c) Hindu Temple - 49
d) Church
- 18
37. Fishery & Livestock
: a) Mushroom project - 1
b) Hatchery
- 2
c) Poultry
- 26
d) Dairy
- 15
e) Pig farm
- 1
38. Miscellaneous
: a) Club
- 113
b) Co-operative
- 711
c) Cinema Hall
- 5
d) Bank
- 42
e) Telephone exchange
- 10
f) Post Office
- 26
g) Radio Broadcasting Station - 1
h) TV relay station
- 1
i) Land satellite station
- 1
j) Tea garden
- 1
k) Hydro-electric Project -
1
l) Paper Mill
- 1
m) Parjatan Complex
- 1
| Thana | Chakma | Marma | Tripura | Tan-
changa |
Pangkhu | Khiang | Khumi | Lusai | Mro | Tribal | Non-
Tribal |
| Rangamati | 33168 | 1001 | 906 | 1367 | 771 | 0 | 91 | 278 | 0 | 38012 | 38720 |
| Baghaichari | 38072 | 88 | 2282 | 0 | 608 | 44 | 0 | 137 | 0 | 41211 | 16149 |
| Barkal | 19260 | 649 | 0 | 0 | 528 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20437 | 8442 |
| Kawkhali | 11399 | 13902 | 91 | 260 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25698 | 16711 |
| Belaichari | 5088 | 1891 | 1368 | 4729 | 922 | 48 | 0 | 0 | 126 | 14738 | 3199 |
| Kaptai | 12811 | 12625 | 59 | 3709 | 0 | 241 | 0 | 21 | 38 | 18125 | 4206 |
| Juraichari | 10586 | 31 | 11 | 206 | 265 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11094 | 531 |
| Langdu | 12123 | 2 | 3 | 9 | 43 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12180 | 42315 |
| Naniarchar | 26404 | 2245 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28649 | 5912 |
| Rajasthali | 4 | 8434 | 1145 | 3357 | 0 | 192 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10132 | 4066 |
| Total | 157385 | 40868 | 5865 | 13718 | 3128 | 525 | 91 | 436 | 164 | 220276 | 178065 |
Various Profiles of Rangamati
A) About fruits/spices of Rangamati
Some statistical information of fruits and spices produced in Rangamati Hill Tracts are as :
| Fruits / Spices | Total land
(hectare) |
Production
(Metric Ton) |
Production
Per hectare (M.Ton) |
| 1. Zinger | 1,969 | 12,799 | 6.5 |
| 2. Turmeric | 2,211 | 19,899 | 9.0 |
| 3. Banana | 7,867 | 1,49,473 | 19 |
| 4. Jackfruit | 3,100 | 2,14,690 | 69 |
| 5. Pineapple | 1,520 | 24,410 | 16 |
| 6. Mango | 1,040 | 6,268 | 6 |
| 7. Papaya | 600 | 55024,410 | 0.91 |
| 8. Lemon | 1,200 | 13,800 | 11.5 |
| 9. Guava | 1,150 | 261 | 0.23 |
| 10. Watermelon | 205 | 3,690 | 18 |
| 11. Others | 1,840 | 19,445 | 10.5 |
The fruits/spices mentioned above are produced in all over this Rangamati Hill Tracts with few exceptions. Plenty of pineapples are grown in Naniarchar area. Similarly is case of zinger and turmeric it is seen that these are produced in a large extent in Rajasthali, Kaptai and Kawkhali than that of other areas.
Though fruits/spices growing well in Rangamati but the cultivators who buy their toils and sweats are producing those, are not getting proper price for their products. Why they are not well paid ?
The Problems are as follows :
1. Lack of fruit processing plant
2. Lack of transportation
3. Lack of quick communication
system
4. Lack of adequate member of cold
storage
5. Co-operative production and
marketing system is not exist.
Above all, the political problems and instability what prevails here are to be solute for over all development in this district.
B) About the Hydro-electric project
The only hydro power generating station of Bangladesh is instituted at this district. It was first contemplated in 1906 and after several surveys in 1923, 1946 and 1950 the work started at 1951 and ultimately started its journey in October, 1957, and started the power generation in 1962.
The objectives of this project are as follows :-
1) Electric power generation
2) Communication
3) Fish
breeding
4) Flood control
5) Irrigation
6) Developing tourism
7) Training
Some statistics of the project are as such :-
1) Catchments area - 4250 rg. miles
2) Average rainfall - 98 inches
3) Average annual flow - 520,000
million cft.
4) Reservoir max, level - 109 msl
5) Reservoir minimum level - 6
msl
6) Total Lake area - 350 rg. miles
Main Dam
1) Length - 2200 feet
2) Max. height - 150 above foundation
3) Total no. of generating unit
- 05
C) About the tourism of Rangamati
Rangamati Hill District is one of the most tourist places in Bangladesh. The green hills, vast Kaptai lake, springs as well as the unique life style of tribal people divert the mind of a tourist. Besides, there are many other fascinating things or places where the tourists visit such as, Rajbon Bihar, Tribal Cultural Museum, Bungalow of Deputy Commissioner, Bain Textile, Hanging Bridge adjacent of Tourism complex, Soubolng, Kaptai Hydro-Electric Project.
Most of the tourists are indigenous. Some foreigners also come for recreation. They are mostly from South Korea, U.K., France, New Zealand, Switzerland, U.S.A., Canada, Netherlands, Norway, Sri Lanka, Italy, Myanmar, Philippines, India, Pakistan, Indonesia, Russia, Australia, Belgium, Denmark, Germany and many others.
The following chart shows the number of tourists visited and yearly income of Tourism Corporation of Rangamati in 1995-96 and 1996-97 :-
| Financial
Year |
Number of Tourist | Income
(Taka) |
||
| Indigenous | Foreign | Total | ||
| 1995-96 | 74,212 | 242 | 74,454 | 33,82,950.00 |
| 1996-97 | 1,10,633 | 276 | 1,10,909 | 41,96,807.00 |
D) About the fishery sector of Rangamati
The last five year release of fingerlings in Kaptai lake are as follows
:
| Year | Released fingerlings (in lakes) |
| 1991-92
1992-93 1993-94 1994-95 1995-96 |
11.50
58.62 20.45 38.34 38.19 |
| Year | Tons |
| 1991-92
1992-93 1993-94 1994-95 1995-96 1996-97 |
4211.30
4142.48 4317.57 5206.80 5796.20 5092.00 |