Satkhira District সাতক্ষীরা জেলা
District of Bangladesh
Clockwise from top: Jamindar Bari mosque, Fields at Bagbah village, Chaygharia Shiva temple, Sundarbans, Tetulia Jamia Masjid
Motto:  The attraction of Satkhira is the Sundarbans by road.
Location of Satkhira District in Bangladesh
Expandable map of Satkhira District
Coordinates: 22°21′N 89°05′E / 22.35°N 89.08°E / 22.35; 89.08
Country	Bangladesh
Division	Khulna Division
Sub District Established	1852 (1852)
Established as District	1 March 1984 (1984-03-01)
Seat	Satkhira
Government
• Deputy Commissioner	Mohammad Humayun Kabir
Area
• Total	3,817.29 km2 (1,473.86 sq mi)
Population  (2022 census)[1]
• Total	2,196,581
• Density	580/km2 (1,500/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+06:00 (BST)
Postal code	9400
HDI (2019)	0.649[2] medium · 4th of 20

The Satkhira District (Bengali: সাতক্ষীরা জেলা, pron: Satkhira, lit.Seven cucumbers) is a district in southwestern Bangladesh and is part of Khulna Division. It lies along the border with West Bengal, India. It is on the bank of the Arpangachhia River. The largest city and headquarter of this district is Satkhira.

Administration

The district consists of two municipalities, seven upazilas, 79 union porishods, 8 thana (police station) and 1436 villages.

The upazilas are:^[3]

• Satkhira Sadar Upazila
• Assasuni Upazila
• Debhata Upazila
• Tala Upazila
• Kalaroa Upazila
• Kaliganj Upazila
• Shyamnagar Upazila

The two municipalities are Satkhira and Kalaroa.

• Chairman of Zila Porishod: Nazrul Islam^[4]
• Deputy Commissioner (DC): Mohammad Humayun Kabir^[5]

Geography

Satkhira District has an area of about 3,817 square kilometres (1,474 sq mi). It is bordered to the north by Jessore District, on the south by the Bay of Bengal, to the east by Khulna District, and to the west by North 24 Parganas and South 24 Parganas districts of West Bengal, India.

The annual average maximum temperature reaches 35.5 °C (95.9 °F); minimum temperature is 12.5 °C (54.5 °F). The annual rainfall is 1710 mm (67 in).

The main rivers are the Kopotakhi river across Dorgapur union of Assasuni Upazila, Morichap River, Kholpetua River, Betna River, Raimangal River, Hariabhanga river, Ichamati River, Betrabati River and Kalindi-Jamuna River.^[6]

Demographics

According to the 2022 Census of Bangladesh, Satkhira District had 566,752 households and a population of 1,033,115, 19.7% of whom lived in urban areas. The population density was 574 people per km². The literacy rate (age 7 and over) was 75.2%, compared to the national average of 74.7%.^[1]

Religion in present-day Satkhira district^{[lower-alpha 1]}

Religion	Population (1941)[10]: 86–87	Percentage (1941)	Population (2011)[9]	Percentage (2011)
Islam	364,068	52.47%	1,625,782	81.86%
Hinduism	327,458	47.20%	351,551	17.70%
Others [lower-alpha 2]	2,310	0.33%	8,626	0.44%
Total Population	693,836	100%	1,985,959	100%

Muslims formed 81.86% of the population, Hindus 17.70% and others 0.44%. The Muslim population has increased continuously while the Hindu population has remained relatively constant and sometimes fallen.^[9] Indications from the 2022 census show the Hindu and Christian populations in the district have fallen dramatically.

Economy

Shrimp hatchery

Most of the peoples of the southern part of Satkhira depend on pisciculture, locally called gher. Main fruits are aam (mango), jaam (blackberry), kathal (jackfruit), kola (banana), pepe (papaya), lichoo (litchi), naarikel (coconut) and peyara (guava). Farms are 86 dairies, 322 poultry farms, 3046 fisheries, 3650 shrimp farms, 66 hatcheries and one cattle breeding centre. The main exports are shrimp, paddy, jute, wheat, betel leaf, leather and jute goods.

Points of interest

Tetulia Jame Mosque (1858-59)

Sundarbans is the largest single block of tidal halophytic mangrove forest in the world, is a World Heritage Site, and covers an area of 5,747 square kilometres (2,219 sq mi).

The region is home to many ancient buildings and temples such as Sultanpur Shahi Mosque (500 years old) and Pir-e-Kamel Kari Hafez Sah-Sufi Jonab Hazrat Maolana Azizur Rahman (Rh) was a Muslim Sufi Saint and local ruler Kalimakhali, assasuni upozila in satkhira (now in Bangladesh). Attractions also include the mangrove forest at Kaligonj Upazila. This forest, named Basjharia Joarar Ban, is popularly known as the forest of BADHA. The Joarar Ban is the cause of friction between the Bangladesh and Indian border.

Infrastructure

Land ports

Bhomra land Port

India-Bangladesh (Bhomra land port): 200 yards distant BGP camp from the main port. The Bhomra land port is the second largest land port in Bangladesh. The Bhomra land customs station was inaugurated in 1996.

Education

Recently established one medical college, 79 colleges, one primary teacher's training institute, 421 high schools, 41 junior high schools, 259 madrassas, and 822 government primary schools. Some of the notable educational institutions-

• Satkhira University of Science Technology (proposed)

• Satkhira Government College

• Satkhira City College

• Satkhira Medical College

• Satkhira Government Girls’ High School

• Satkhira Government High School

• Satkhira Government Mahila College

• Kaliganj Govt. College

• Satkhira Day-Night College

• Kalaroa government college

• Jhaudanga high school

Digital Satkhira

In 1994 few young people started a computer training center as a business and prepared some talents who later started other computer businesses and ultimately created the idea of digital Satkhira. Slowly the computer replaced manual type machines in the office, banks, and other institutions. Schools and colleges started recruiting computer teachers. Many more young people started computer businesses. Manual (letter) printing presses switched to offset printing using the computer.

The first local daily newspaper published name was "Doinik Satkhira Chitra".

First Computer Sales & Service Centre was "Mitul Computer Services"

First Computer Training Centre was "Cosmos Computer"

First Offset Printing Press was the "Zahan Offset Printing Press"

In 1999 the Computer Association of Satkhira was established with 30 members. The first president was Mitul Md. Moniruzzaman and General Secretary was Nityananda Sarkar with Vice President Faruque ul-Islam and Sayed Iqbal Babu. Computer Association of Satkhira regularly organizes computer fairs in various locations for ICT awareness. Some of the computer fairs were supported by Bangladesh Computer Samity with the presence of Mustafa Jabbar, the current ICT minister.

Notable people

• A. F. M. Entaz Ali
• Habibul Islam Habib - ex-Member of Parliament-105, Satkhira-1, Bangladesh National Parliament, Publicity and Publication Affairs Secretary Bangladesh Nationalist Party^[11]
• Khan Bahadur Ahsanullah
• AFM Ruhal Haque
• Soumya Sarkar
• Mustafizur Rahman
• Nilufar Yasmin
• Sabina Yasmin
• Amin Khan (actor)
• Moushumi
• Moushumi Hamid
• Falguni Hamid
• Tariq Anam Khan
• Afzal Hossain
• Rani Sarker
• Muhammad Wajed Ali
• Sikandar Abu Jafar^[12]
• S.M Alauddin
• M.R. Khan

Satkhira Government Hospital/Medical College

Private Hospital/Clinic

Private Diagnostic Centre

See also

• Districts of Bangladesh

Notes

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Satkhira District.

rice planting near village Bhagbah