Laksam Upazila

Laksam (Bengali: লাকসাম) is an upazila of Comilla District in the Division of Chittagong, Bangladesh.^[1] Laksam is widely known as the birthplace of Nawab Faizunnesa Chowdhurani.^[2]

Laksam লাকসাম
Upazila
Zamindar Bari of Nawab Faizunnesa in Laksam
Coordinates: 23°14.8′N 91°7.7′E
Country	Bangladesh
Division	Chittagong
District	Comilla
Headquarters	Laksam
Area
• Total	141.74 km2 (54.73 sq mi)
Population  (2011)
• Total	275,646
• Density	1,900/km2 (5,000/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+6 (BST)
Website	laksam.comilla.gov.bd

History

Laksam was made into an upazila in 1983. On 6 April 1971 more than 200 people were killed by Pakistani army at Ajgara Bazar during the Bangladesh Liberation war. The Pakistan army was defeated on 12 December 1971 in the upazila.^[1] During the course of the war, 17 freedom fighters died along with numerous Pakistani soldiers.^[1] The upazila has experienced a water crisis due to arsenic in the groundwater.^[3]

Geography

Laksam Upazila has an area of 141.74 km² (54.73 sq mi).^[1] It is bounded by Comilla Sadar and Barura upazilas on the north, Chatkhil, Begumganj and Senbagh upazilas on the south, Nangalkot and Chauddagram upazilas on the east, Barura and Shahrasti upazilas on the west. The main rivers are Dakatia and Little Feni.

Rivers

• Dakatia^[1]
• Choto Feni^[1]
• Curzon Canal^[4]

Demographics

Religions in residual Laksam upazila (2011)[5]
Religion			Percent
Islam			94.51%
Hinduism			4.88%
Buddhism			0.58%
Other or not stated			0.03%

According to the 2011 Bangladesh census, the residual Laksam Upazila had 57,119 households and a population of 275,646. 71,047 (25.77%) were under 10 years of age. Laksam had a literacy rate (age 7 and over) of 81.18%, compared to the national average of 51.8%, and a sex ratio of 1092 females per 1000 males. 70,632 (25.62%) lived in urban areas.^[5]

In the residual Laksam Upazila, Muslims were 260,501, Hindus 13,448 and Buddhists 1,597.

Economy

Fruits and crops

Main fruits include jackfruit, litchi, mango, carambola. Main crops include paddy, wheat, potato, seasonal vegetables.^[1]

Places of interest

Kaliapur Pak Dharbar Sharif

Kaliapur Durbar Sharif

Paschimgaon Nawab bari

• Kaliapur Durbar Sharif
• 3 domed Kazir Mosque;^[1]
• 10 domed Nawab Bari Mosque;
• Paschimgaon Nawab Bari;
• 3 domed Afrannesa Mosque (1869);
• Atulchandra Zamidar Bari;
• Sree Sree Jagannath Bari Devalaya;
• Jagannath Dighi.
• Laksam Junction Lake

Laksham Moishan Bari

Sports

• 1st Division Football League^[6]
• Volleyball League is held every year
• Inter-union football competition and Inter-school various sports competitions

Administration

Laksham Upazila is divided into Laksham Municipality and seven union parishads: Azgora, Bakoi, Gobindapur, Laksam Purba, Kandirpar, MudafarGonj, and Uttarda. The union parishads are subdivided into 136 mauzas and 178 villages.^[7]

Laksham Municipality is subdivided into 9 wards and 31 mahallas.^[7]

Transport

Laksam Railway Junction, on the Akhaura-Laksam-Chittagong Line, Laksam-Noakhali Line and Laksam-Chandpur Line is one of the two biggest junctions of Bangladesh. From here people go to Chandpur District, Noakhali District.

Extinct mediums of transport

Motor launch, bullock drawn cart, palanquin, horse drawn carriage.^[1]

Education

• Daulatgong Gazimura Kamil Madrasha
• Al Amin Institute (High school at Dargah Road, Paschimgaon)^[8][9]
• Nawab Faizunnesa and Badrunnesa Joint High School (also known as NFBN^[10] high school, situated at Paschimgaon, Laksam-Pouroshova)^[11]
• Laksam Government Pilot High School (High school at New Road)
• Nawab Fayzunesa Govt. College Laksam (Government college at Paschimgaon)^[12][13]
• Laksam Pilot Girls High School^[14][15]

Media

Weekly Laksam, Weekly Laksam Barta, Weekly Alor Dishari, Weekly Somoyer Dorpon, Weekly Naxi Barta, Weekly Joy Kantha, Daily Torun Kantho.^[16]

Notable residents

• Nawab Faizunnesa Chowdhurani, philanthropist and social worker, was born at Paschimgaon village, Pourva Laksam, in 1834.^[17]
• Muhammad Shamsul Haque, former Foreign Minister of Bangladesh^{[citation needed]}
• Md. Tajul Islam, Minister of Local Government and Rural Development (2019–present), was elected from Laksham.^[18]
• Biplob Bhattacharjee, former goalkeeper and current goalkeeping coach of Bangladesh National Football Team^[19]

References

1. Muhammad Nur E Alam Siddiqi (2012). "Laksham Upazila". In Sirajul Islam and Ahmed A. Jamal (ed.). Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh (Second ed.). Asiatic Society of Bangladesh.
2. "Choudhurani, Nawab Faizunnesa". Banglapedia. Retrieved 2021-03-01.
3. "Comilla residents have to drink arsenic contaminated water". Dhaka Tribune. Retrieved 2016-11-16.
4. কার্জন খালে সেতু নেই, সাঁকো ভরসা. Kaler Kantho (in Bengali). 2018-07-30. Retrieved 2022-01-18.
5. "Community Tables: Comilla district" (PDF). bbs.gov.bd. Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics. 2011.
6. লাকসাম জয়ী [Laksam the Victorians]. Prothom Alo (in Bengali). Retrieved 2022-01-22.
7. "District Statistics 2011: Comilla" (PDF). Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 April 2015. Retrieved 14 July 2014.
8. "Al-Amin Institute(আল আমিন ইনস্টিটিউট)". al-amin-institute.business.site. Retrieved 2021-01-29.
9. "Al Amin Institute (Address, EIIN, Mobile Number)". amar-school.com. Retrieved 2021-01-29.
10. "Nabab Faizunnessa & Badrunnessa Amalgtd High School". nfbn.edu.bd. Retrieved 2021-02-01.
11. "Nawab Faizunnessa And Badrunnessa Amal High School - Sohopathi | সহপাঠী". 2 July 2017. Retrieved 2021-01-29.
12. "National University :: College Details". www.nubd.info. Retrieved 2021-01-29.
13. "Nawab Faizunnessa Govt. College". Nawab Faizunnessa Government College.
14. "Laksam Pilot Girls High School (Address, EIIN, Mobile Number)". amar-school.com. Retrieved 2021-01-31.
15. "Laksam Pilot Girls High School - Sohopathi | সহপাঠী". 2 July 2017. Retrieved 2021-01-31.
16. "Laksam local newspapers". laksam.comilla.gov.bd. Retrieved 2022-01-18.
17. Karim, Saydul. "Nawab Faizunnessa Chowdhurani History". Nawab Faizunnessa Government College. Archived from the original on 4 October 2013.
18. Haq, Kazi Enamul (11 January 2019). "Bangladesh will astonish the world in next five years: LGRD Minister Tajul". bdnews24.com.
19. "Biplob Bhattacharjee made national goalkeeping coach". The Independent. Dhaka. Retrieved 2021-02-16.