Bandarban District

Bandarban District (Bengali: বান্দরবান জেলা), officially Bandarban Hill District, is a district in South-Eastern Bangladesh, and a part of the Chittagong Division.^[6] It is one of the three hill districts of Bangladesh and a part of the Chittagong Hill Tracts, the others being Rangamati District and Khagrachhari District. Bandarban district (4,479 km²) is not only the most remote district of the country, but also the least populous (population 388,000).^[7] There is an army contingent at Bandarban Cantonment.

Bandarban Hill District বান্দরবান পার্বত্য জেলা
District of Bangladesh
Clockwise from top-left: Thanchi Upazila, Boga Lake, Amiakhum Falls, Keokradong
Location of Bandarban in Bangladesh
Expandable map of Bandarban District
Coordinates: 21°48′N 92°24′E
Country	Bangladesh
Division	Chittagong Division
As a District	18 April 1981
Capital	Bandarban
Government
• Type	District Council
• Body	Bandarban Hill District Council
• Deputy Commissioner	Yasmin Parvin Tibriji[1]
• Chief Executive Officer	A. T. M. Kawser Hossain[2]
Area [3]
• Total	4,479.03 km2 (1,729.36 sq mi)
Population  (2022)[4]
• Total	481,106
• Density	110/km2 (280/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+06:00 (BST)
Postal code	4600
Area code	0361
ISO 3166 code	BD-01
HDI (2019)	0.574[5] medium · 19th of 20
Website	bandarban.gov.bd

Demographics

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
1974	116,426	—
1981	171,478	+5.69%
1991	230,569	+3.01%
2001	298,120	+2.60%
2011	388,335	+2.68%
2022	481,106	+1.97%
Sources:[4][8][3]

According to the 2022 Census of Bangladesh, Bandarban District had 106,065 households and a population of 481,106 with an average 4.41 people per household. Among the population, 110,625 (22.99%) inhabitants were under 10 years of age. The population density was 107 people per km². The literacy rate (age 7 and over) was 63.74%, compared to the national average of 74.80%. The sex ratio of the district was at 105 males for 100 females. Approximately, 40.41% of the population lived in urban areas.^[9][4]

Tribal children

As per the 2022 census, there were 283,123 (58.85%) Bengalis and 197,983 (41.15%) minorities (called Upojati) people in the district.^[10][3] The population of major ethnic minorities living in the district besides the Bengalis, are: Marma: 84,170, Mro/Murong 51,448, Tripura 22,572, Tanchangya 14,889, Bom 11,854, Chakma 3,712, Khumi 3,287, Chak 2,662, Khyang 2,502.

Ethnicity in Bandarban District (2022)^[9]

1. Bengali (58.9%)
2. Marma (17.5%)
3. Mro (10.7%)
4. Tripura (4.69%)
5. Tanchangya (3.09%)
6. Bom (2.46%)
7. Chakma (0.77%)
8. Khumi (0.68%)
9. Chak (0.55%)
10. Khyang (0.52%)
11. Others (0.21%)

Bengalis

According to the 2022 census, Bengalis are the largest ethnic group in Bandarban District (58.85%).

They are largest ethnic group in Naikhongchhari Upazila (83.48%), Lama Upazila (76.22%), Alikadam Upazila (60.64%) and Bandarban Sadar Upazila (56.97%).^[9]

Upazila	Population	Percentage of Bengalis[9]
Naikhongchhari Upazila	63,841	83.48%
Lama Upazila	106,468	76.22%
Alikadam Upazila	38,687	60.64%
Bandarban Sadar Upazila	63,292	56.97%
Ruma Upazila	4,235	13.02%
Thanchi Upazila	3,687	12.38%
Rowangchhari Upazila	2,913	10.51%

Marmas

According to the 2022 census, Marmas are the second largest ethnic group in Bandarban District (17.50%).

They are the largest ethnic group in Rowangchhari Upazila (49.48%), Thanchi Upazila (31.37%) and Ruma Upazila (31.04%).^[9]

Upazila	Population	Percentage of Marmas[9]
Rowangchhari Upazila	13,716	49.48%
Thanchi Upazila	9,345	31.37%
Ruma Upazila	10,097	31.04%
Bandarban Sadar Upazila	26,628	23.97%
Lama Upazila	15,819	11.32%
Naikhongchhari Upazila	4,708	6.16%
Alikadam Upazila	3,857	6.05%

Mrus

According to the 2022 census, Mru (Murong) are the third largest ethnic group in Bandarban District (10.69%).

They are the second largest ethnic group in Alikadam Upazila (23.77%), Thanchi Upazila(23.57%) and Ruma Upazila (22%).^[9]

Tribal Mro people holding traditional pipes in their hands, Bandarban (1950)

Upazila	Population	Percentage of Mrus[9]
Alikadam Upazila	15,168	23.77%
Thanchi Upazila	7,021	23.57%
Ruma Upazila	7,157	22.00%
Lama Upazila	10,781	7.72%
Bandarban Sadar Upazila	7,280	6.55%
Rowangchhari Upazila	1,685	6.08%
Naikhongchhari Upazila	2,356	3.08%

Tripura

According to the 2022 census, Tripuras are fourth largest ethnic group in Bandarban District (4.69%).^[9]

Upazila	Population	Percentage of Tripuras[9]
Thanchi Upazila	6,336	21.27%
Ruma Upazila	2,913	8.95%
Rowangchhari Upazila	2,143	7.73%
Alikadam Upazila	3,452	5.41%
Lama Upazila	5,755	4.12%
Bandarban Sadar Upazila	1,771	1.59%
Naikhongchhari Upazila	202	0.26%

Tanchangyas

According to the 2022 census, Tanchangyas are the fifth largest ethnic group in Bandarban District (3.09%).

They are the second largest ethnic group in Rowangchhari Upazila(14.39%).^[9]

Upazila	Population	Percentage of Tanchangyas[9]
Rowangchhari Upazila	3,990	14.39%
Bandarban Sadar Upazila	5,605	5.05%
Naikhongchhari Upazila	2,881	3.77%
Alikadam Upazila	1,977	3.10%
Ruma Upazila	241	0.74%
Lama Upazila	183	0.13%
Thanchi Upazila	12	0.04%

Boms

According to the 2022 census, there are 12,311 Bom in CHT. Among them, 11854 (96.29%) Boms live in Bandarban District, constituting 2.46% of district's population.

They are third largest ethnic groups in Ruma Upazila (19.89%).^[9]

Upazila	Population	Percentage of Boms[9]
Ruma Upazila	6,470	19.89%
Rowangchhari Upazila	1,882	6.79%
Bandarban Sadar Upazila	2,748	2.47%
Thanchi Upazila	685	2.30%
Others	<100	<1%

Chakmas

According to the 2022 census, there are 3,713 Chakma in Bandarban district.^[9]

Upazila	Population	Percentage of Chakmas[9]
Bandarban Sadar Upazila	1,664	1.50%
Alikadam Upazila	574	0.90%
Thanchi Upazila	488	1.64%
Lama Upazila	355	0.25%
Ruma Upazila	305	0.94%
Rowangchhari Upazila	191	0.69%
Naikhongchhari Upazila	135	0.18%

Khumi

According to the 2022 census, there are 3,287 Khumis in Bandarban district.^[9]

Upazila	Population	Percentage of Khumis[9]
Thanchi Upazila	1,829	6.14%
Ruma Upazila	890	2.74%
Rowangchhari Upazila	436	1.57%
Others	<100

Chaks

According to the 2022 census, there are 2,662 Chaks in Bandarban district.

They are mainly concentrated in Naikhongchhari Upazila, constituting 3.05% of the upazila's population.^[9]

Khyangs

According to the 2022 census, there are 1,670 Khyangs in Bandarban district.^[9]

Upazila	Population	Percentage of Khyangs[9]
Bandarban Sadar Upazila	1,310	1.18%
Rowangchhari Upazila	652	2.35%
Thanchi Upazila	359	1.20%
Ruma Upazila	158	0.49%
Others	<100

Religion

Religion in the Bandarban District (2022)^[3][10]

1. Islam (52.7%)
2. Buddhism (29.5%)
3. Christianity (9.78%)
4. Hinduism (3.43%)
5. Other (4.52%)

Religion in present-day Bandarban District^[a]

Religion	Population (1941)[11]: 104–105	Percentage (1941)	Population (2022)[10]	Percentage (2022)
Tribal[b]	57,793	94.50%	N/A	N/A
Islam	2,595	4.24%	253,756	52.74%
Buddhism	---	---	142,057	29.53%
Hinduism	369	0.60%	16,501	3.43%
Christianity	0	0.00%	47,054	9.78%
Others [c]	399	0.65%	21,738	4.52%
Total Population	61,156	100%	481,106	100%

The religious composition of the population in 2022 was 52.74% Muslim, 29.53% Buddhist, 9.78% Christian, 3.43% Hindu and 4.52% others.^[10] Religious institutions is Mosque 2,070, Buddhist 1500 (256 temples, 644 pagodas), Hindu temple 194 and Church 2.^[12]

Islam

According to 2022 census, Islam is the largest religion in Bandarban District(52.74%).

Upazila	Population	Percentage of Islam[3]
Naikhongchhari Upazila	60,709	79.38%
Lama Upazila	100,088	71.65%
Alikadam Upazila	34,908	54.71%
Bandarban Sadar Upazila	50,847	45.77%
Thanchi Upazila	2,622	8.80%
Rowangchhari Upazila	2,181	7.87%
Ruma Upazila	2,401	7.38%

Buddhism

According to 2022 census, Buddhism is the second largest in Bandarban District(29.53%).

Upazila	Population	Percentage of Buddhism[3]
Rowangchhari Upazila	18,734	67.58%
Thanchi Upazila	12,614	42.34%
Ruma Upazila	11,971	36.80%
Bandarban Sadar Upazila	40,536	36.49%
Alikadam Upazila	19,485	30.54%
Naikhongchhari Upazila	14,841	19.41%
Lama Upazila	23,876	17.09%

Christianity

According to 2022 census, Christianity is third largest religion in Bandarban district(9.78%).

Upazila	Population	Percentage of Christianity[3]
Ruma Upazila	12,142	37.32%
Thanchi Upazila	10,256	34.43%
Rowangchhari Upazila	4,942	17.83%
Alikadam Upazila	4,153	6.51%
Lama Upazila	8,715	6.24%
Bandarban Sadar Upazila	6,473	5.83%
Naikhongchhari Upazila	373	0.49%

Hinduism

According to 2022 census, Hinduism is the fourth largest in Bandarban district(3.43%).

Upazila	Population	Percentage of Hinduism [3]
Bandarban Sadar Upazila	8,721	7.85%
Alikadam Upazila	1,934	3.03%
Lama Upazila	4,078	2.92%
Ruma Upazila	556	1.71%
Thanchi Upazila	463	1.55%
Rowangchhari Upazila	210	0.76%
Naikhongchhari Upazila	539	0.70%

Subdistricts

• Alikadam Upazila
• Bandarban Sadar Upazila
• Lama Upazila
• Naikhongchhari Upazila
• Rowangchhari Upazila
• Ruma Upazila
• Thanchi Upazila

Tourism

The India – Myanmar Sabroom – Cox's Bazar railway link has been proposed to connect Sabroom – Khargachari – Rangamati – Bandarban – Satkania – Cox's Bazar and another rail link connecting Bandarban to Tuipang, India.

Bandarban lies, by bus, eight hours away from Dhaka, two hours from Chittagong and three hours from Cox's Bazar. It is also possible to get there by a six-hour bus ride from Rangamati. The Buddha Dhatu Jadi, the Buddhist temple in Bangladesh, located in Balaghata, 4 km from the town. This place attracts many tourists every year. This Theravada Buddhist temple is made completely in the style of South-East Asia and houses the second largest statue of the Buddha in Bangladesh. The waterfall named Shoilo Propat at Milanchari is another place tourists like to visit. The numerous Buddhist temples, known as kyang in local tongue, and bhihars in the town include the highly notable the Rajvihar (royal vihar) at Jadipara and the Ujanipara Bhihar. Bawm villages around Chimbuk, and Mru villages a little further off, are also lie within a day's journey from the town. Prantik Lake, Jibannagar and Kyachlong Lake are some more places of interest. Boat ride on the river Shangu is one of the main attractions here for tourists.

Starting on January 7, 2015 the Home Ministry has enforced the provision of "no free passes" for foreigners visiting the three Chittagong Hill Tracts districts – Rangamati, Khagrachhari and Bandarban. As a result, foreigners need to submit an application to the Home Ministry a month ahead for their scheduled visit.^[13]

Notable persons

• Jafar Iqbal
• Bir Bahadur Ushwaye Sing
• UK Ching
• Nathan Bom
• Maung Shwe Prue Chowdhury
• Aung Shwe Prue Chowdhury
• Saching Prue Jerry
• Ma Mya Ching
• Mong Prue Sain

Notes

1. Bandarban, Ruma, Lama and Nakhyngchari thanas of Chittagong Hill Tracts district
2. 'Tribal' was used as a blanket term for religious traditions of all tribes, and many of these tribes followed a more mainstream religion.
3. Including Jainism, Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Ad-Dharmis, or not stated