Districts of Bangladesh

Rangpur division was split from Rajshahi by taking eight districts. I have changed the HASC codes of those districts to show which division they now belong to.
When ISO 3166-2 first came out in 1998, it listed five divisions, 21 regions, and 64 districts in Bangladesh, specifying which region each district belonged to and which division each region belonged to. The second update to the standard (Newsletter Number I-2) was published on 2002-05-21. It listed only the divisions (now six in number) and the districts. It also changed the spelling of Kishorganj to Kishoreganj. This seems to be correct, so I have made the same change in the table below.
When the FIPS standard first came out in 1970, Bangladesh was listed with no subdivisions. By 1984, it was shown divided into 20 regions. In 1991, the listing changed to show 64 districts - the same districts that are listed in ISO 3166-2. Most recently, Change Notice 1 to FIPS 10-4, dated 1998-12-01, shows nothing but the four divisions (which were already outdated).

At the date of its independence in 1971, Bangladesh was divided into four bibhag (divisions), which were subdivided into zila (districts), and then into thana or upazila (subdistricts). In about 1985, the status of the zila was changed to anchal (regions). The regions were subdivided into 64 new, smaller districts, each of which was formed of a set of thana. The regions and districts were listed in "Administrative Subdivisions of Countries". I have now acquired populations and areas for the 64 districts.
The regions seem to be diminishing in importance. Therefore, I am presenting the districts as the secondary subdivisions of Bangladesh.

District	HASC	ISO	FIPS	Reg	Population	Area(km.²)
Bagerhat	BD.KH.BH	05	BG22	4L	1,515,815	3,959
Bandarban	BD.CG.BD	01	BG04	2A	292,900	4,479
Barguna	BD.BA.BG	02	BG25	1Q	837,955	1,832
Barisal	BD.BA.BS	06	BG01	1B	2,330,960	2,791
Bhola	BD.BA.BL	07	BG23	1B	1,676,600	3,403
Bogra	BD.RS.BO	03	BG24	5C	2,988,567	2,920
Brahmanbaria	BD.CG.BB	04	BG26	2F	2,365,880	1,927
Chandpur	BD.CG.CP	09	BG27	2F	2,210,162	1,704
Chittagong	BD.CG.CT	10	BG29	2D	6,545,078	5,283
Chuadanga	BD.KH.CD	12	BG30	4M	987,382	1,158
Comilla	BD.CG.CM	08	BG05	2F	4,586,879	3,085
Cox's Bazar	BD.CG.CB	11	BG31	2D	1,757,321	2,492
Dhaka	BD.DA.DH	13	BG32	3G	8,575,533	1,464
Dinajpur	BD.RP.DJ	14	BG33	5H	2,617,942	3,438
Faridpur	BD.DA.FR	15	BG34	3I	1,719,496	2,073
Feni	BD.CG.FN	16	BG35	2O	1,196,219	928
Gaibandha	BD.RP.GB	19	BG36	5S	2,117,959	2,179
Gazipur	BD.DA.GZ	18	BG37	3G	2,026,244	1,741
Gopalganj	BD.DA.GG	17	BG38	3I	1,132,046	1,490
Habiganj	BD.SY.HA	20	BG39	6T	1,757,331	2,637
Jaipurhat	BD.RS.JP	24	BG40	5C	844,814	965
Jamalpur	BD.DA.JM	21	BG41	3J	2,089,366	2,032
Jessore	BD.KH.JS	22	BG42	4K	2,440,693	2,567
Jhalakati	BD.BA.JK	25	BG43	1B	696,055	758
Jhenaidah	BD.KH.JN	23	BG44	4K	1,554,514	1,961
Khagrachari	BD.CG.KG	29	BG45	2E	524,961	2,700
Khulna	BD.KH.KL	27	BG46	4L	2,334,285	4,395
Kishoreganj	BD.DA.KS	26	BG47	3N	2,525,221	2,689
Kurigram	BD.RP.KR	28	BG48	5S	1,782,277	2,296
Kushtia	BD.KH.KU	30	BG49	4M	1,713,224	1,621
Lakshmipur	BD.CG.LK	31	BG50	2O	1,479,371	1,456
Lalmonirhat	BD.RP.LL	32	BG51	5S	1,088,918	1,242
Madaripur	BD.DA.MD	36	BG52	3I	1,137,008	1,145
Magura	BD.KH.MG	37	BG53	4K	811,160	1,049
Manikganj	BD.DA.MK	33	BG54	3G	1,274,829	1,379
Meherpur	BD.KH.ME	39	BG55	4M	579,531	716
Moulvibazar	BD.SY.MB	38	BG56	6T	1,604,028	2,799
Munshiganj	BD.DA.MU	35	BG57	3G	1,293,536	955
Mymensingh	BD.DA.MM	34	BG12	3N	4,439,017	4,363
Naogaon	BD.RS.NA	48	BG58	5R	2,377,314	3,436
Narail	BD.KH.NR	43	BG59	4K	689,021	990
Narayanganj	BD.DA.NY	40	BG60	3G	2,138,492	759
Narsingdi	BD.DA.NS	42	BG61	3G	1,891,281	1,141
Natore	BD.RS.NT	44	BG62	5R	1,521,359	1,896
Nawabganj	BD.RS.NW	45	BG28	5R	1,419,536	1,702
Netrakona	BD.DA.NK	41	BG63	3N	1,937,794	2,810
Nilphamari	BD.RP.NP	46	BG64	5S	1,550,686	1,641
Noakhali	BD.CG.NO	47	BG13	2O	2,533,394	2,601
Pabna	BD.RS.PB	49	BG65	5P	2,153,921	2,371
Panchagarh	BD.RP.PN	52	BG66	5H	829,374	1,405
Parbattya Chattagram	BD.CG.PC	56	BG67	2E	507,180	6,116
Patuakhali	BD.BA.PT	51	BG15	1Q	1,444,340	3,205
Pirojpur	BD.BA.PR	50	BG68	1B	1,126,525	1,308
Rajbari	BD.DA.RB	53	BG69	3I	940,360	1,119
Rajshahi	BD.RS.RS	54	BG70	5R	2,262,483	2,407
Rangpur	BD.RP.RP	55	BG71	5S	2,534,365	2,306
Satkhira	BD.KH.ST	58	BG72	4L	1,843,194	3,858
Shariatpur	BD.DA.SA	62	BG73	3I	1,057,181	1,181
Sherpur	BD.DA.SP	57	BG74	3J	1,246,511	1,364
Sirajganj	BD.RS.SR	59	BG75	5P	2,707,011	2,498
Sunamganj	BD.SY.SN	61	BG76	6T	1,968,669	3,670
Sylhet	BD.SY.SL	60	BG77	6T	2,569,788	3,490
Tangail	BD.DA.TA	63	BG78	3U	3,253,961	3,414
Thakurgaon	BD.RP.TH	64	BG79	5H	1,196,429	1,809
HASC: Hierarchical administrative subdivision codes. The middle two letters identify the division. For key, see Divisions of Bangladesh page. ISO: Codes from ISO 3166-2. For full identification in a global context, prefix "BD-" to the code (ex: BD-57 represents Sherpur). FIPS: Codes from FIPS PUB 10-4. Reg: ISO code for region to which the district belongs (for key to codes, see table below). Population: 2001-01-23 census provisional data. Source: Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics . Capitals: Capitals have the same name as their districts.

Postal codes:

Bangladesh uses a four-digit postal code. The first two digits are the same as the ISO code for the district.

Further subdivisions:

The regions of Bangladesh are listed in the following table. Khagrachari is included in Chittagong Hill Tracts, because that's the way the standards treated it. For a breakout of those two regions, simply use the district figures for Khagrachari and Parbattya Chattagram, respectively.

Region	ISO	FIPS	Population	Area(km.²)
Bandarban	2A	BG04	271,000	4,501
Barisal	1B	BG01	6,135,000	7,299
Bogra	5C	BG02	3,981,000	3,888
Chittagong	2D	BG03	7,860,000	7,457
Chittagong Hill Tracts	2E	BG21	857,000	8,679
Comilla	2F	BG05	9,537,000	6,599
Dhaka	3G	BG06	15,704,000	7,470
Dinajpur	5H	BG07	4,553,000	6,566
Faridpur	3I	BG08	6,126,000	6,882
Jamalpur	3J		3,442,000	3,349
Jessore	4K	BG09	5,521,000	6,573
Khulna	4L	BG10	5,799,000	12,168
Kushtia	4M	BG11	3,201,000	3,440
Mymensingh	3N	BG12	9,070,000	9,668
Noakhali	2O	BG13	5,369,000	5,460
Pabna	5P	BG14	4,803,000	4,732
Patuakhali	1Q	BG15	2,308,000	4,095
Rajshahi	5R	BG16	7,606,000	9,456
Rangpur	5S	BG17	9,182,000	9,593
Sylhet	2T	BG18	7,819,000	12,718
Tangail	3U	BG19	3,425,000	3,403
ISO: Codes from ISO 3166-2 (obsolete). FIPS: When FIPS PUB 10-3 came out, Jamalpur was part of Mymensingh. Population: 1998 provisional data. Source: Bangladesh National Data Bank . The figures given here contain cumulative rounding errors and may be off by 1,000 or more. Capitals: All capitals have the same name as their region, except that Rangamati is the capital of Chittagong Hill Tracts.

The first version of ISO 3166-2 had region codes as shown above. Every region code except Sylhet's started with the digit representing the division to which the region belonged. Sylhet's code should have been 6T to conform with the pattern. ISO never changed it, and in 2002 the list of regions and their codes was dropped from the standard entirely. Since then, Rangpur region has split from Rajshahi, further altering the pattern of adherence.

Change history:

1. ~1946: Patuakhali district split from Bakerganj (now Barisal). Tangail district split from Mymensingh.
2. ~1959: Bandarban district split from Chittagong Hill Tracts.
3. ~1959: Jamalpur district split from Mymensingh. Jamalpur consisted of the western part of the former district of Nasirabad, not including the city of Mymensingh itself.
4. ~1972: Nasirabad and Quaidabad districts merged to form Mymensingh.
5. 1981: Khagrachhari district split from Chittagong Hill Tracts.
6. 1983: Name of Dacca district changed to Dhaka.
7. ~1985: Status of districts changed to regions.
8. ~1993: Barisal division formed by taking Barisal and Patuakhali regions from Khulna.
9. ~1998: Sylhet division formed by taking Sylhet region from Chittagong.
10. 2010-01-25: Rangpur division formed by taking Dinajpur and Rangpur regions from Rajshahi.

Other names of subdivisions:

1. Bandarban: Bandarbon (variant)
2. Barguna: Borgona (variant)
3. Barisal: Bakerganj (obsolete)
4. Chittagong: Chattagram (Bengali); Chitagongue (Portuguese-variant)
5. Chittagong Hill Tracts: Parbattya Chattagram (Bengali); Rangamati (variant)
6. Chuadanga: Chaudanga, Choua Danga (variant)
7. Cox's Bazar: Cox Bazar (variant)
8. Dhaka: Daca (Portuguese); Dacca (obsolete)
9. Gaibandha: Gaibanda (variant)
10. Gopalganj: Gopalgonj (variant)
11. Habiganj: Hobiganj, Hobigonj (variant)
12. Jaipurhat: Joypurhat (variant)
13. Jhalakati: Jhalakhati, Jhalkathi (variant)
14. Jhenaidah: Jhinaidah, Jhinaidha (variant)
15. Khagrachari: Khagrachhari, Ramgarh (variant)
16. Kishorganj: Kishoreganj, Kishorgonj (variant)
17. Kushtia: Kustia (variant)
18. Lakshmipur: Laksmipur, Laxmipur (variant)
19. Manikganj: Manikgonj (variant)
20. Meherpur: Maherpur (variant)
21. Moulvibazar: Maulvi Bazar, Moulabi Bazar, Moulavi Bazar, Moulovibazar (variant)
22. Munshiganj: Munshigonj (variant)
23. Mymensingh: Nasirabad (obsolete)
24. Naogaon: Noagaon (variant)
25. Narail: Narial (variant)
26. Narayanganj: Naray Angonj (variant)
27. Narsingdi: Narshingdi (variant)
28. Natore: Nador (Portuguese-variant); Nator (variant)
29. Nawabganj: Chapai Nababgonj, Chapai Nawabganj, Chapai Nowab Ganj (variant)
30. Netrakona: Netrokona (variant)
31. Nilphamari: Nilphamary (variant)
32. Pabna: Pabhna (variant)
33. Panchagarh: Panchagar, Panchagor, Panchgarh (variant)
34. Parbattya Chattagram: Chittagong Hill Tracts (English); Rangamati (variant)
35. Rangpur: Rongpur (variant)
36. Satkhira: Shatkhira (variant)
37. Shariatpur: Sariatpur, Shariyatpur (variant)
38. Sirajganj: Sirajgonj (variant)
39. Sunamganj: Sun Amgonj (variant)
40. Thakurgaon: Thakoregaon (variant)

Population history:

Region	1901	1911	1921	1931	1941	1951-03-01	1961-02-01	1974-03-01	1981-03-06	1991-03-11	2001-01-23
Bandarban								116,000	171,000	231,000	292,900
Barisal	2,484,878	2,612,806	2,843,914	3,194,455	3,810,974	2,635,797	3,068,121	3,928,000	4,667,000	5,413,000	5,830,140
Bogra	884,079	1,016,782	1,082,750	1,121,954	1,260,463	1,278,185	1,574,105	2,231,000	2,728,000	3,434,000	3,833,381
Chittagong	1,468,377	1,628,085	1,740,306	1,936,389	2,331,481	2,511,785	2,982,931	4,315,000	5,491,000	6,715,000	8,302,399
Comilla	2,138,664	2,454,744	2,695,702	3,056,300	3,860,139	3,792,200	4,388,906	5,819,000	6,881,000	8,207,000	9,162,921
Dhaka	2,617,340	2,929,389	3,171,524	3,449,293	4,223,532	4,072,781	5,095,745	7,612,000	10,014,000	13,232,000	17,199,915
Dinajpur	1,125,597	1,167,706	1,219,613	1,234,224	1,335,588	1,354,432	1,709,917	2,571,000	3,200,000	3,983,000	4,643,745
Faridpur	1,809,542	1,956,444	2,058,783	2,192,015	2,682,701	2,774,345	3,178,945	4,060,000	4,764,000	5,424,000	5,986,091
Jamalpur								2,059,000	2,452,000	3,013,000	3,335,877
Jessore	1,618,630	1,568,790	1,557,463	1,522,868	1,662,646	1,638,387	2,190,151	3,327,000	4,020,000	4,848,000	5,495,388
Khagrachari										343,000	524,961
Khulna	1,267,720	1,379,818	1,471,860	1,629,430	1,944,418	2,075,506	2,448,720	3,557,000	4,329,000	5,039,000	5,693,294
Kushtia	885,079	841,860	782,992	807,725	919,543	884,157	1,166,262	1,884,000	2,292,000	2,801,000	3,280,137
Mymensingh	3,922,247	4,530,881	4,842,467	5,135,264	6,029,533	4,557,939	5,532,318	5,508,000	6,568,000	7,994,000	8,902,032
Noakhali	1,027,785	1,183,789	1,347,902	1,567,368	2,039,217	2,071,144	2,383,145	3,234,000	3,816,000	4,626,000	5,208,984
Pabna	1,417,839	1,425,124	1,385,321	1,437,998	1,696,149	1,584,303	1,959,060	2,815,000	3,424,000	4,184,000	4,860,932
Patuakhali						1,006,388	1,193,648	1,499,000	1,843,000	2,050,000	2,282,295
Rajshahi	1,902,317	2,000,161	2,027,591	1,993,280	2,198,081	2,205,057	2,810,964	4,288,000	5,270,000	6,594,000	7,580,692
Rangamati	124,762	153,830	173,243	212,922	247,053	287,274	385,079	392,000	580,000	401,000	507,180
Rangpur	2,202,018	2,434,009	2,554,945	2,646,285	2,923,879	2,916,476	3,796,043	5,447,000	6,510,000	8,015,000	9,074,205
Sylhet	2,030,912	2,240,838	2,297,720	2,466,410	2,831,900	3,059,367	3,489,589	4,759,000	5,656,000	6,765,000	7,899,816
Tangail						1,226,806	1,486,588	2,078,000	2,444,000	3,003,000	3,253,961
Totals	28,927,786	31,555,056	33,254,096	35,604,170	41,997,297	41,932,329	50,840,325	71,479,000	87,120,000	106,315,000	123,151,246
Column headings are census dates, except 1998, which has provisional population data for 1998. Where cells are empty, the change history (above) should explain why. Before 1974, data for Nasirabad and Quaidabad are combined and listed under Mymensingh. Sources: Data for 1901-1961 are from Statistical Abstract of Bangladesh, SOCOM Research Bureau, Society & Commerce Publications Private Ltd., Calcutta, March, 1975.I'm not sure that the same regions existed throughout the period 1901-1941; those populations might have been calculated by agglomerating the populations of smaller units, to cover the same areas as the regions. Data for 1974-2001 are from the Preliminary Report  on the 2001 census from the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics. **** also visit: www.travelmughal.com

Sixty Dome Mosque in Bagerhat

Among the many surviving monuments of the Khan Jahan Ali style, undoubtedly the most magnificent and largest brick mosque in Bangladesh is the Shait Gombuj. It is situated in Bagerhat district. For outstanding architectural value. the World Heritage Committee of UNESCO inscribed Bagerhat in the World Heritage list and it got the status of the second World Heritage site in Bangladesh after Paharpur. As there were a great number of mosques, the Historian, a French monthly termed it a city of mosques. The earliest torchbearer of Islam in the south, Khan Jahan Ali came from Delhi to settle a Muslim colony in this swampland in the early-15th century AD. The natural beauty of the region had such an effect upon him that he spent the rest of his life there. History says that he constructed about 360 mosques and as many freshwater tanks, as well as palaces, mausoleums and other public buildings in a very short space of time.

Out of today's surviving mosques, the Shait Gombuj Mosque is the most magnificent and certainly the largest brick mosque surviving in Bangladesh. Its name, meaning '60 domes', is misleading as in reality, it is roofed over with 77 small domes supported by a forest of slender columns covering a large prayer hall and giving it the appearance of a medieval church crypt. At sunrise when the rays of the sun penetrate the eastern entrances, the interior comes to life. There is little adornment to this building other than the carved stone decoration to the central mihrab at the western end of the prayer hall. The exterior facades, with slightly 'battered' walls, have discernible curving cornices a concession to the local style.

Transport

Bagerhat is the terminus of a branch railway on the broad gauge system of Bangladesh Railways. The best way to go to Bagerhat from Dhaka is to take a bus which takes seven to eight hours. By air you have to go to Jessore airport then take a bus to the city. The total is 370.91 km, waterways 205 km and railway 24 km. There are 5 railway stations.


****also visit: www.travelmughal.com

Sixty Dome Mosque in Bagerhat

Among the many surviving monuments of the Khan Jahan Ali style, undoubtedly the most magnificent and largest brick mosque in Bangladesh is the Shait Gombuj. It is situated in Bagerhat district. For outstanding architectural value. the World Heritage Committee of UNESCO inscribed Bagerhat in the World Heritage list and it got the status of the second World Heritage site in Bangladesh after Paharpur. As there were a great number of mosques, the Historian, a French monthly termed it a city of mosques. The earliest torchbearer of Islam in the south, Khan Jahan Ali came from Delhi to settle a Muslim colony in this swampland in the early-15th century AD. The natural beauty of the region had such an effect upon him that he spent the rest of his life there. History says that he constructed about 360 mosques and as many freshwater tanks, as well as palaces, mausoleums and other public buildings in a very short space of time.

Out of today's surviving mosques, the Shait Gombuj Mosque is the most magnificent and certainly the largest brick mosque surviving in Bangladesh. Its name, meaning '60 domes', is misleading as in reality, it is roofed over with 77 small domes supported by a forest of slender columns covering a large prayer hall and giving it the appearance of a medieval church crypt. At sunrise when the rays of the sun penetrate the eastern entrances, the interior comes to life. There is little adornment to this building other than the carved stone decoration to the central mihrab at the western end of the prayer hall. The exterior facades, with slightly 'battered' walls, have discernible curving cornices a concession to the local style.

Transport

Bagerhat is the terminus of a branch railway on the broad gauge system of Bangladesh Railways. The best way to go to Bagerhat from Dhaka is to take a bus which takes seven to eight hours. By air you have to go to Jessore airport then take a bus to the city. The total is 370.91 km, waterways 205 km and railway 24 km. There are 5 railway stations.

Bangladesh National Monument at Savar

National Martyrs' Memorial (Jatiyo Smriti Soudho)at Savar, about 35 km north-west of Dhaka built in memory of the martyrs who sacrificed their lives in the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971, which brought the independence of Bangladesh from Pakistani rule. The Monument tower designed by Arch Syed Mainul Hussain is composed of seven isosceles triangular planes, each varying in size in its height and base. The planes are folded at the middle and placed one after another. The highest point of the structure reaches 150 feet. Several mass-graves and a pool of water body are placed in front of the monument.

Monument complex is spread over an area of 34 hectares (84 acres) wrapped around by a green belt of 10 hectares (24.7 acre). Concrete is used for the monument tower while red bricks is used for other structures and pavements. Water pool and the platform for laying wreath are placed in front of the monument while mass-graves are on both sides. From the main gate one can see the monument axially, but to reach there one has to walk through different levels of red pavements and cross a lake - all these representing the struggle for independence.

The Public Works Department of the Government of Bangladesh undertook its construction in three phases from 1972 and completed in late ‘80’s. It was my fortune to be associated with this scheme as Supdt. Engineer for construction of the monument tower in 1982 which was completed in record time of 3 months by M/S Concord, using local technology of bamboo scaffolds. The site is a popular tourist spot and large number of locals and foreigners visit every day.

*** also visit: www.travelmughal.com