Bandarban District

Bandarban বান্দরবান
District
Clockwise from top-left: Nilachol, Jadipai waterfall, Keokradong, Buddha Dhatu Zadi, Boga lake
Location of Bandarban in Bangladesh
Expandable map of Bandarban District
Coordinates: 21°48′N 92°24′E / 21.800°N 92.400°E / 21.800; 92.400
Country	Bangladesh
Division	Chittagong Division
As a District	18 April 1981
Government
• MP	Vacant
• 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

Bandarban (Bengali: বান্দরবান) 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.

According to the 2022 Census of Bangladesh, Bandarban District had 106,065 households and a population of 481,106, 40.41% of whom lived in urban areas. 110,625 (22.99%) of the population 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.^[4][3]

As per the 2022 census, there were 283,123 (58.85%) Bengalis and 197,983 (41.15%) indigenous people in the district.^[9][3] There are more than fifteen ethnic minorities living in the district besides the Bengalis, including: Marma, who are Arakanese descendants or Rakhine and are also known as Magh, Mru (also known as Mro or Murong), Bawm, Khyang, Tripura (also known as Tipra or Tipperah), Lushei (also known as Lushai), Khumi, Chak, Kuki, Chakma and Tanchangya (also spelt as Tenchungya).

The Mru, also known as Murong, who are famous for their music and dance. The Mru in major numbers have converted to the youngest religion in Bangladesh – Khrama (or Crama) – a religion that prohibits much of their old ways. They are proposed as the original inhabitants of Bandarban.

According to 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%).

According to 2022 census, Marmas are Second largest ethnic group in Bandarban District (17.49%).

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

According to 2022 census, Mru (Murong) are mainly found 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%).

According to 2022 cencus, Tripuras are fourth largest ethnic group in Bandarban District (4.69%).

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

They are the second largest ethnic group in Rowangchhari Upazila (14.39%).

According to 2022 cencus, 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%).

According to 2022 cencus , there are 3,713 Chakma in Bandarban district.

They form 1.67% in Thanchi Upazila , 1.49% in Bandarban Sadar Upazila and <1% in neighboring Upazila's.

According to 2022 cencus, there are 3,287 khumis in Bandarban district.

They form 6.14% in Thanchi Upazila, 2.74% in Ruma Upazila, 1.57% in Rowangchhari Upazila and <1% in neighboring Upazila's.

According to 2022 cencus, There are 2,662 in Bandarban district.

They are mainly concentrated in Naikhongchhari Upazila, constituting 3.05%(2,329) of Upazila's population.

According to 2022 cencus, there are 1,670 khyang in Bandarban district .

They form 2.35% in Rowangchhari Upazila, 1.21% in Thanchi Upazila, 1.18% in Bandarban Sadar Upazila and <1% in neighboring Upazila's.

Religion in present-day Bandarban District^[a]

Religion	Population (1941)[19]: 104–105	Percentage (1941)	Population (2022)[20]	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.^[21] Religious institutions is Mosque 2,070, Buddhist 1500 (256 temples, 644 pagodas), Hindu temple 194 and Church 2.^[22]

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

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

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

According to 2022 cencus, Hinduism is third largest religion in Khagrachhari district(16.76%), Rangamati district(5.11%) and fourth largest in Bandarban district(3.43%). Hinduism is the second largest religion in all other districts of Bangladesh except CHT.

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

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.^[27]

• Saching Prue Jerry

• Bandarban travel guide from Wikivoyage
• Bandarban District mapped on OpenStreetMap, retrieved 29 December 2021.
• Chittagong Hill Tracts mapped on OpenStreetMap, retrieved 29 December 2021. (inset are its three districts: Khagrachari, Rangamaai, and Bandarban)
• Indigenous People of Bangladesh (archived 2008)
• Parbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti (archived 2006)