Cox's Bazar District

For other uses, see Cox's Bazar (disambiguation).

Cox's Bazar District (Bengali: কক্সবাজার জেলা) is a district in the Chittagong Division of Bangladesh.^[3] It is named after Cox's Bazar town. It is located 150 kilometres (93 mi) south of Chittagong. Cox's Bazar is also known by the names Panowa ("yellow flower") and Palongkee. The modern Cox's Bazar derives its name from Captain Hiram Cox (died 1799), an army officer who served in British India. It is one of the fishing ports of Bangladesh, and contains one of the world's longest natural sea beaches (120 kilometres (75 mi) long including mud flats).

Cox's Bazar District কক্সবাজার জেলা
District of Bangladesh
Clockwise from top-left: Cox’s Bazar sea beach, Railway station, Marine drive road, Teknaf Beach, Cox’s Bazar Airport and Hotel-Motel zone
Location of Cox's Bazar District within Bangladesh
Expandable map of Cox's Bazar District
Coordinates: 21.25°N 92.10°E / 21.25; 92.10
Country	Bangladesh
Division	Chittagong Division
Area
• Total	2,491.85 km2 (962.11 sq mi)
Population  (2022)[1]
• Total	2,823,268
• Density	1,100/km2 (2,900/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+06:00 (BST)
Postal code	4700
Area code	0341
ISO 3166 code	BD-11
HDI (2019)	0.574[2] medium · 19th of 20
Website	www.coxsbazar.gov.bd

In 1984 during the Ershad regime, Cox's Bazar district was established by dividing Chittagong District. Today, Cox's Bazar is a major tourist destination within Bangladesh.^{[citation needed]}

Geography

Cox's Bazar District has an area of 2,491.86 km² (962.11 sq mi). It is bounded by Chittagong District on the north, Bay of Bengal in the south, Bandarban District on the east, and the Bay of Bengal on the west. Major rivers include Matamuhuri, Bakkhali, Reju Khal, Naf River, Maheshkhali channel and Kutubdia channel. The area of the city of Cox's Bazar is 6.85 km² (2.64 sq mi).

History

The known history of Cox's Bazar begins in the Mughal period. On his way to Arakan, when the Mughal Prince Shah Shuja (1616–1660) passed through the hilly terrain of the present day Cox's Bazar, he was attracted to the scenic nature of the region. He commanded his forces to camp there. A place named Dulahazara, meaning "one thousand palanquins", still exists in the area.

Cox's Bazar is named after Captain Hiram Cox, an officer of the East India Company, who was assigned with the charges of the current day Cox's Bazar and its adjacent areas.^[4][5] The town of Cox's Bazar was established in 1799 as a market town to honour Captain Cox. In 1854, Cox's Bazar was made a Sub Divisional headquarter in Chittagong district under the Bengal Presidency of British India.

After the end of British rule in 1947, Cox's Bazar remained a part of East Pakistan under Pakistan till 1971. Captain Advocate Fazlul Karim was the first chairman after independence from the British of Cox's Bazar municipality. He established the Tamarisk Forest along the beach to draw tourism to the town and to protect the beach from the tide. He donated many of his father-in-law's and his own lands to establish a public library and town hall. In 1971, the wharf was used as a naval port by the Pakistan Navy's gunboats. This and the nearby airstrip of the Pakistan Air Force were the scene of intense shelling by the Indian Navy during the Bangladesh War of Independence in 1971.

In the year 1984, Cox's Bazar was upgraded into a District from a Sub Division under the Chittagong Division.

Starting in 2017, a "mass human exodus" of the Rohingya Muslim minority group from neighboring Myanmar's Rakhine State has led to Cox's Bazar housing the "world's largest refugee settlement" over the following years. In the first year, the UNHCR estimated that 725,000 refugees had sought safety in Bangladesh.^[6]

Upazila (Subdivisions)

Inani Beach

There are nine upazilas under this district, namely:

1. Kutubdia Upazila
2. Pekua Upazila
3. Maheshkhali Upazila
4. Chakaria Upazila
5. Cox's Bazar Sadar Upazila
6. Eidgaon Upazila^[7]
7. Ramu Upazila
8. Ukhia Upazila
9. Teknaf Upazila

Education

• Cox's Bazar Medical College
• Cox's Bazar International University
• Cox's Bazar Polytechnic Institute
• Cox's Bazar Govt. College
• Cox's Bazar Govt. Women College
• Cox's Bazar Government High School
• Cox's Bazar Government Girls High School
• Cox's Bazar City College
• Cox's Bazar International University
• Cox's Bazar Commerce College
• Cox's Bazar Harvard College
• Chakaria College
• Dulahazara Degree College
• Ramu College

Climate

The annual average temperature in Cox's Bazar is 32.8 °C (91.0 °F) and a minimum of 16.1 °C (61.0 °F). The climate remains hot and humid with some seasons of temperate weather. The average amount of rainfall is 4,285 mm (168.7 in).

Demographics

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
1974	809,310	—
1981	1,026,172	+3.45%
1991	1,419,260	+3.30%
2001	1,773,709	+2.25%
2011	2,289,990	+2.59%
2022	2,823,268	+1.92%
Sources:[8][9]

According to the 2022 Census of Bangladesh, Cox's Bazar District had 587,114 households and a population of 2,823,268 with an average 4.75 people per household. Among the population, 671,286 (23.78%) inhabitants were under 10 years of age. The population density was 1,133 people per km². Cox's Bazar District had a literacy rate (age 7 and over) of 71.58%, compared to the national average of 74.80%, and a sex ratio of 103.32 males per 100 females. Approximately, 43.62% (1,231,639) of the population lived in urban areas. The ethnic population was 14,881 (0.64%), mainly Rakhine with some Chakma and Tanchangya.^[8]

Religions in Cox's Bazar District (2022)[10]
Religion			Percent
Islam			94.57%
Hinduism			3.83%
Buddhism			1.50%
Other or not stated			0.10%

Religion	1941[11]: 104–105		1981[9]		1991[9]		2001[9]		2011[9]		2022[10]
	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%
Islam	342,378	86.22%	941,630	91.76%	1307467	92.13%	1,648,211	92.92%	2151958	93.97%	2,669,977	94.57%
Hinduism	26,907	6.78%	58,974	5.75%	79,499	5.60%	87,123	4.91%	97,648	4.26%	108,166	3.83%
Buddhism	—	—	24,011	2.34%	30,853	2.17%	35,737	2.01%	37,822	1.65%	42,305	1.50%
Others [a]	27,828	7.00%	1,557	0.15%	1,441	0.10%	2,638	0.16%	2,562	0.12%	2,820	0.10%
Total Population	397,113	100%	1,026,172	100%	1,419,260	100%	1,773,709	100%	2,289,990	100%	2,823,268	100%

Muslims are the largest religious community. Prior to Partition, the southern upazilas of Ukhiya and Teknaf had a large ethnic Buddhist Rakhine population, but most have moved to the Rakhine state in Myanmar over the years. The local dialect is Chittagonian as well as presence of many Rohingya speakers due to the massive refugee camps.

Economy

The most significant livelihood of Cox's Bazar district is tourism. Millions of foreign and Bangladeshi natives visit this coastal city every year. A number of hotels, guest houses, and motels have been built in the city and coastal region and the hospitality industry is a major employer in the area.

A number of people are involved in the fishing and collection of seafoods, sea products and salt-farming. Oysters, snails, pearls and jewelry made from shells are popular with the tourists in the seaside and city stores. A number of people are also employed by the transportation business for tourists. Additionally, many people of the district are farmers.

In 2002, a surfing club was initiated at Cox's Bazar by a local Bangladeshi. It has now extended to holding an annual competition including locals and foreign tourists. This is the first surfing initiative in Bangladesh's history.^[12]

Places of interest

Cox's Bazar (Kolatoli Sea Beach) after sunset

• Cox's Bazar Beach
• Inani Beach
• Teknaf Beach

St. Martin's Island

• St. Martin's Island, the only coral island in Bangladesh, is situated at 9 km (5.6 mi) south of Teknaf. It is a tourist spot.
• Chhera Island
• Sonadia Island
• Shapuree Island
• Dulhazra Safari Park, a safari park in Bangladesh which is situated at Chakaria Upazila. It has a range of exotic animals such as birds, snakes, and water beasts.

Himchori from top

• Himchori, located about 8 km (5 mi) south of Cox's Bazar, is a picnic spot with waterfalls and hill top from where views of the sea can be seen. Birds and terrestrial animals roam near the road.
• Medhakachhapia National Park
• Sheikh Jamal Inani National Park
• Fasiakhali Wildlife Sanctuary
• Teknaf Wildlife Sanctuary
• Adinath Temple, Maheshkhali
• Cox's Bazar–Teknaf Marine Drive
• Sheikh Kamal International Stadium, Cox's Bazar
• Cox's Bazar International Airport
• Cox's Bazar railway station

Notable people

1. Abdur Rahman Bodi
2. Abdul Gani (Cox's Bazar politician)
3. A. H. M. Hamidur Rahman Azad
4. A. H. Salahuddin Mahmud
5. A. T. M. Nurul Bashar Chowdhury
6. AHA Gafur Chowdhury
7. AMM Nasir Uddin
8. ATM Zafar Alam
9. Anisur Rahman Zico
10. Alamgir Mohammad Mahfuzullah Farid
11. Asheq Ullah Rafiq
12. Aye Thein Rakhaine
13. Badiul Alam
14. Didarul Alam Chowdhury
15. Enamul Haq Manju
16. Farid Ahmad
17. Fazlul Karim (lawyer)
18. Hamidul Haque
19. Hasan Murad
20. Hasan Murad Tipu
21. Helal Uddin Ahmed
22. Ilias Kobra
23. Jafar Alam
24. Jahirul Islam
25. Jalaluddin Ahmad
26. Jinnat Ali
27. Kaniz Fatema Ahmed
28. Khorshed Ara Haque
29. Lutfur Rahman Kajal
30. Mahmudul Karim Chowdhury
31. Md. Ishak
32. Mominul Haque
33. Mongsen Ching Monsin
34. Mostaq Ahmad Chowdhury
35. Mohammad Ali (Bangladeshi politician)
36. Mohammad Ali (judge)
37. Mohammad Ibrahim (footballer, born 1997)
38. Mohammad Khalequzzaman
39. Mohammad Nurul Huda
40. Mohammad Shafiul Alam
41. Mohammad Sahiduzzaman
42. Mohammad Ziauddin
43. Mohammad Zoynal Abedin
44. Mohammed Ellias
45. Nurul Mustafa
46. Obaidullah Hamzah
47. Osman Sarwar Alam Chowdhury
48. Rashiduddin Ahmad
49. Rima Sultana Rimu
50. Salahuddin Ahmed (Cox's Bazar politician)
51. Salimullah Khan
52. Shamsuddin Ahmad Chowdhury
53. Satya Priya Mahathero
54. Shahin Akhtar
55. Shaimum Sarwar Kamal
56. Shahid Saber
57. Shahjahan Chowdhury
58. Shireen Akhter
59. Sushanto Tripura
60. Shyamal Kanti Biswas
61. Sultan Zauq Nadvi
62. Sunil Krishna Dey Chowdhury
63. Tawhidul Alam Sabuz
64. Wasim Akram

Notes

1. Including Jainism, Christianity, Buddhism, Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Ad-Dharmis, or not stated