Comilla Division

Comilla Division (Bengali: কুমিল্লা বিভাগ) is a proposed administrative division within Bangladesh for the northern parts of the existing Chittagong Division,[1] comprising Brahmanbaria, Comilla, Chandpur, Noakhali, Feni, and Lakshmipur Districts of Chittagong Division.[2][3][4][5] It covers the south-easternmost areas of the country, with a total area of 12,848.53 km² (4,960.85 sq mi)[6] and a population at the 2011 census of 16,708,000. [7][8]

Comilla Division কুমিল্লা বিভাগ সমতট (Samatata) Roshnabad
Proposed Division
Comilla Division in Bangladesh
Coordinates: 23°27′N 91°12′E
Country	Bangladesh
Capital and Largest City	Comilla
Area
• Total	12,848.53 km^2 (4,960.85 sq mi)
Population  (2011 census)
• Total	16,708,000
• Density	1,300/km^2 (3,400/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+6 (BST)
ISO 3166 code	BD-B
Main Language(s)	Bengali
Other languages	English
Notable sport teams	Comilla Victorians
Districts	6
upazilas	59

Terminology and naming dispute

Various terms are used to describe the different (and sometimes overlapping) geographical and political areas of the proposed Comilla division. In brief, the main terms and their simple explanations are as follows:

• Geographical terms:
• Samatata (or Samatat) (Bengali: সমতট); was an ancient kingdom. Greater Comilla region and greater Nokhali region were within The Kingdom of Samatata.Geographically, the proposed Division is made up of two distinct cultural regions – Greater Comilla and Greater Noakhali
  • Greater Comilla, (Bengali: বৃহত্তর কুমিল্লা)- Established as the Tippera or Tipperah district of Bengal by the British in 1790[9] and later renamed as Comilla in 1960.[10] It included the Sub-divisions of Brahmanbaria and Chandpur which eventually became separate districts in 1984.
  • Greater Noakhali (Bengali: নোয়াখালী);- The ancient name of Noakhali is Bhulua. The Noakhali district was created by the British Indian Government in 1787. It included the Sub-divisions of Lakshmipur and Feni which eventually became separate districts in 1984.
• Roshnabad (or Rowshanabad) (Bengali: রোসনাবাদ): (roughly equating to the proposed Comilla Division, excluding Rangamati Hill District). It was a district level administrative unit (Chakla) in Bengal Subah during Mudhal period.

History

The present Greater Cumilla was once under ancient Kingdom of Samatata and was joined with Tripuri Kingdom. Lalmai Mainamati was ruled by Deva dynasty (eighth century AD), and (during tenth and mid-eleventh century AD). In 1732, it became the center of the Bengal-backed domain of Jagat Manikya.[11]

The Peasants Movement against the king of Tripura in 1764, which originally formed under the leadership of Shamsher Gazi is a notable historical event in Comilla.[12] It came under the rule of East India Company in 1765 and was established as Tippera district (also known as Chakla (administrative division) Roshnabad) in 1790. Later, it was reorganized in three phases into six districts.

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Administrative districts

The Division will be subdivided into six districts (zilas) and thence into 59 sub-districts (upazilas). The six districts listed below comprise the north-western portion (37.6%) of the present Chittagong Division, while the remaining five districts (zilas) comprise the south-eastern portion (62.4%) being separated by the lower (or Bangladeshi) stretch of the Feni River.

Name	Capital	Area (km²)	Population 1991 Census	Population 2001 Census	Population 2011 Census (preliminary results)
Brahmanbaria District	Brahmanbaria	1,927.11	2,141,745	2,398,254	2,808,000
Comilla District	Comilla	3,085.17	4,032,666	4,595,539	5,304,000
Chandpur District	Chandpur	1,704.06	2,032,449	2,271,229	2,393,000
Lakshmipur District	Laxmipur	1,440.39	1,312,337	1,489,901	1,729,188
Noakhali District	Noakhali	4,202.87	2,217,134	2,577,244	3,108,083
Feni District	Feni	990.36	1,096,745	1,240,384	1,437,371
Total Division	Comilla	13,349.96	12,833,076	14,572,551	16,708,000

See also

• Sylhet Division

References

1. কুমিল্লা বিভাগ দ্রুত বাস্তবায়নের দাবি [Comilla Division demanded quick implementation]. Prothom Alo (in Bengali). Retrieved 16 February 2015.
2. http://bangla.bdnews24.com/bangladesh/article1288479.bdnews
3. ময়মনসিংহ বিভাগ গঠনে কাজ শুরুর নির্দেশ প্রধানমন্ত্রীর [Mymensingh Division worked on the instruction of the Prime Minister]. Prothom Alo (in Bengali). Retrieved 26 January 2015.
4. "Mymensingh to become new division". The Daily Star. 26 January 2015. Retrieved 26 January 2015.
5. "3 new divisions to be formed". The Independent. Dhaka. Archived from the original on 15 February 2015. Retrieved 15 February 2015.
6. Miah, Sajahan (2012). "Chittagong Division". In Islam, Sirajul; Jamal, Ahmed A. (eds.). Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh (Second ed.). Asiatic Society of Bangladesh.
7. http://www.observerbd.com/2015/10/30/118019.php
8. http://www.prothom-alo.com/bangladesh/article/1105396/%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%AD%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%97-%E0%A6%95%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%A6%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%A4%E0%A7%87-%E0%A6%A8%E0%A7%8B%E0%A7%9F%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%96%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B2%E0%A7%80-%E0%A6%B6%E0%A6%B9%E0%A6%B0%E0%A7%87-%E0%A6%AE%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A8%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%A8%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%A7%E0%A6%A8-%E0%A6%86%E0%A6%9C
9. Bengal District Gazetteer, Tipperah District – 1933
10. Siddiqi, Mamun (2012). "Comilla District". In Islam, Sirajul; Jamal, Ahmed A. (eds.). Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh (Second ed.). Asiatic Society of Bangladesh.
11. Bidhas Kanti Kilikhar. Tripura of the 18th Century with Samsher Gazi Against Feudalism: A Historical Study. (Chapa Kathi, Agartula: Tripura State Tribal Cultural Research Institute and Museum, 1995) p. 55
12. Nawaz, Ali (2012). "Shamsher Gazi". In Islam, Sirajul; Jamal, Ahmed A. (eds.). Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh (Second ed.). Asiatic Society of Bangladesh.