Mongla Upazila

Mongla Upazila (bagerhat district) with an area of 1461.22 sq km, is bounded by rampal upazila on the north, the bay of bengal on the south, morrelganj and sarankhola upazilas on the east, dacope upazila on the west. Main rivers are pasur and Mongla.

Mongla (Town) stands on the river Pashur. It is the second biggest sea-port of the country. It consists of 9 wards and 13 mahallas. Mongla municipality was established in 1991. The area of the town is 17.79 sq km. The town has a population of 60561; male 57.27%, female 42.73%. The density of population is 2943 per sq km. The literacy rate among the town people is 53.6%. The town has one dakbungalow.

Administration Mongla thana was established in 1976 and was turned into an upazila in 1983. It consists of 1 municipality 7 union parishads, 37 mouzas and 77 village.

Population 137947; male 54.73%, female 45.27%; Muslim 71.31%, Hindu 24.95% and others 3.74%.

Religious institutions Mosque 84, temple 29, tomb 2 and church 11.

Literacy and educational institutions Average literacy 42.80%; male 49.6%, female 34.2%. Educational institutions: college 3, high school 20, junior school 1, government primary school 32, non-government primary school 29, satellite school 5 and madrasa 18, most noted of which is St Pauls High School.

Newspapers and periodicals Daily Sundarban and weekly Mongla.

Cultural organisations Public library 1, cinema hall 2, auditorium 1, cultural organisation 2, rural club 11, playground 7 and rural theatre group 1.

Main occupations Agriculture 21.41%, fishing 6.23%, agricultural labourer 12.41%, wage labourer 13.39%, commerce 15.09%, transport 1.94%, service 16.27%, others 13.26%.

Land use Cultivable land 12565.76 hectares, fallow land 611.79 hectares; single crop 99.03%, double crop 0.86% and treble crop land 0.11%.

Value of land Market value of first grade of land is Tk 2000 per 0.01 hectare.

Main crop Paddy.

Extinct and nearly extinct crops Coconut, betel nut and sugarcane.

Main fruits Mango, black berry, lemon, palm and papaya.

Fisheries, dairies and poultries Fishery (shrimp) 760, poultry 60 and frozen fish processing 1.

Communication facilities Roads: pucca 17.50 km, semi pucca 23.50 km and mud road 211 km; waterways 70 nautical mile.

Traditional transport Palanquin (extinct), horse carriage and bullock cart (nearly extinct), country boat.

Manufactories Cement factories 2 and LP gas 1,

Cottage industries Ice factory 10, rice mill 6, blacksmith 15 and wood work 100.

Hats, bazars and fairs Hats and bazars are 17, fair 1, most noted of which are Khan Jahan Ali Hat, Midhakhali Hat and Chandpai Mela.

Main exports Fish.

NGO activities brac, asa, caritas and World Vision.

Well come to Mongla port Jeety

·  GEOGRAPHICAL POSITION OF MONGLA PORT jeety
Mongla Port is situated at the East Bank of Pussur River near the confluence of Pussur River and Mongla Nulla at a distance of 65 Nautical miles from the Fairway Bouy situated (Lat. 21026.9'N Long. 89034.4'E) in the Bay of Bengal. The geographical position of the port Jetties is in position lat. 22026.9'N Long. 89035.57'E.

PORT LIMIT
To the North		A line drawn due East-West from a point in position Lat. 22020'E. to a point in position Lat. 22038'N. Long. 89040'E.
To the South		A line drawn due East-west from a point in position Lat. 21027'N. Long. 89020'E. to a point in position Lat. 21027'N. Long. 89040'E.
To the East		A line joining the point in position Lat. 22038'N long. 89040'E. to a point position Lat. 21027'N. Long. 89040'E.
To the West		A line joining the point in position Lat. 22038.00'N long. 89040'E. to a point position Lat. 21027'N. Long. 89020'E.

·  ARRIVAL ADVICE
Incoming ships must be present themselves at Mongla Fairway Bouy at least 3 hours before H.W. at Hiron point, to enter on a particular day.

The master should send the following information to Port Control via Khulna Radio call sign S3E and Hiron point pilot station call sign S3K 24 hrs. prior to arrival at Mongla Fairway bouy.
1. ETA Mongla Fairway Bouy.
2. Fresh water draft.
3. Speed available.
4. Length of vessel.
5. Gross tonnage of vessel.
6. Flag of vessel.
7. Fresh water requirments.
8. Local Agent.

Newspaper Article - 2005
  The country's second seaport Mongla has been subject to negligence by the authorities concerned with its top post lying vacant for the last four months and many other important positions handled by non-professionals.   After the contractual job of MK Alam, chairman of the Mongla Port Authority (MPA), ended on July 19 this year, Mosharraf Hossain, member (finance) of MPA, was made chairman in-charge of the port authority.

On October 21, Mosharraf went on leave preparatory to retirement (LPR) and the charge of acting chairman was then given to Nepal Chandra Sarker, a joint secretary of the Ministry of Shipping stationed in Dhaka.   But Sarker left for Sweden on October 30 to participate in a month-long training programme leaving the key position vacant.   Member (Engineering) of MPA, Ruhul Amin, is now chairman in charge.

Sources said the shipping ministry had recommended extension of the job of MK Alam for another two years but the Ministry of Establishment did neither respond to the suggestion nor appoint a permanent chairman.   Shipping Secretary Ismail Zabihullah, however, told The Daily Star that he had requested the establishment secretary to appoint a new chairman for the port authority. He hopes the appointment will be made soon.   After the retirement of Member (Finance) Mosharraf Hossain, the charge was given to Capt Azizul Hasan, member (operations), but he was transferred to Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation as its director (technical).

Now only Member (Engineering) Ruhul Amin is working while the other two positions of MPA members remain vacant. Abu Tayeb, chief engineer of the mechanical department, is now acting as member (finance).   Sources said there is no suitable person to take charge of the finance and audit department or the harbour and conservancy department of the MPA.

The post of vice-chairman of Mongla Dock Labour Board has also been lying vacant for more than a year.   Daud Ali, chief of planning department, is now looking after the work in addition to his regular duties.

Mongla Port, which has been plagued with various problems including high goods handling charges and frequent labour unrest, saw a drastic decline in berthing of oceangoing ships in the last few years. On average 300-350 ships anchor at the port annually, less than half the number of vessels anchoring at the port during 1980s and early 90s. Now the port jetty often lazes for weeks together without any ships. Moreover, labour unrest sometimes keeps the vessels unloaded for several days.   The port labourers and stevedores have been protesting various steps taken by the government to reduce loading and unloading charges of goods at the port and improve its efficiency in management and operations.

The shipping secretary said the government is trying to persuade businessmen to use the port facilities and increase the berthing of vessels.

Mongla Export Processing Zone

Location : Mongla port area, Bagerhat. 105 kms from Jessore Airport and 397 kms from Dhaka and 664 kms from Chittagong port.

Profile Of Zone : Zone area : 186.21 hectares ( 460 acres Proposed ) Number of industrial plots : 124 ( first phase ) Size of each plot: 2000 sqm. Tariff : US $ 1.00 / sqm / year. Space of Standard Factory Building : 15000 sqm. Tariff : US $ 1.25 / sqm / month. Utility Services : Water Supply : Sweet water from Public Health Engineering Department and own supply network. Tariff : Tk. 20.00 / cu-m. Gas Supply : From Shahbajpur Gas Field ( proposed ) Tariff : Tk. 5.76 / cu-m. Power Supply : 11 kv, 3 phase, 50 cycles/sec. Tariff : Tk. 4.18 / kwh. (Utilities will be charged at the current rate of US $)

Mongla Cement Factory

Sena Kalyan Sangstha(SKS) is a governement recognize
autonomous organization. Originated as Post War Services
Reconstruction (PWSR) Fund at the end of the World War II,
renamed as the Fauji Foundation in 1953,
and Sena Kalyan Sangstha in 1972. Constituted
as Charitable Trust incorporated under the Charitable
Endowmwnts Act 1890 devoted exclusively to the welfare
of ex-servicemen of the Armed Forces of Bangladesh and
their dependants.

Mongla Cement Factory is the largest industrial Unit of
Sena Kalyan Sangstha. It stands on the river POSUR covering
an area of 10.66 acres of land. The factory has two Mills with
a capacity of 65 and 35 M Tons per hour of
Cement (OPC) and has started production in the year
1994 and 2002 respectively.

It is one of the oldest cement clinker grinding factories
in the country with PLC and modern technology of packing
and delivery system ***** computerized system including a
well equipped laboratory.

Process of Making Cement. MCF at present has got two mills
with two separate packing sections. The production procedure
is same in both the mills. The process of production cement
is divided into three stages.

The Proud of Mongla

A Bangali Poet Rudra Mohammad Shahidullah was a Bangladeshi poet born in 16 October 1956. Shahidullah has broght a revolutionary romantic poetry style in Bangla Poetry. He was also a popular song writer. Rudra Mohammad Shahidullah married writer Taslima Nasrin.But they divorced in 1988. Manusher Manchitra is his well known poetry book. He died in 21 June 1991 as a result of drug abuse.

In mid-15th century, a Muslim colony was founded in the inhospitable mangrove forest of the Sundarbans near the seacoast in the Bagerhat district by an obscure saint-General, named Ulugh Khan Jahan. He was the earliest torch bearer of Islam in the South who laid the nucleus of an affluent city during the reign of Sultan Nasiruddin Mahmud Shah (1442-59), then known as 'Khalifalabad' (present Bagerhat). Khan Jahan aborned his city with numerous mosques, tanks, roads and other public buildings, the spectacular ruins of which are focused around the most imposing and largest multidomed mosques in Bangladesh, known as the Shait-Gumbad Masjid (160'X108'). The stately fabric of the monument, serene and imposing, stands on the eastern bank of an unusually vast sweet-water tank, clustered around by the heavy foliage of a low-laying countryside, characteristic of a sea-coast landscape. So in the year 1459 the great Azam Ulugh Khan Jahan established this mosque, which called Shat Gambuj Mosjid. In Bengali Shat means the number 60. Though it is called Shat Gambuj Mosjid, actually the numbers of Gamboj in the mosque are 81. The mosque roofed over with 77 squat domes, including 7 chauchala or four-sided pitched Bengali domes in the middle row. The vast prayer hall, although provided with 11 arched doorways on east and 7 each on north and south for ventilation and light, presents a dark and somber appearance inside. It is divided into 7 longitudinal aisles and 11 deep bays by a forest of slender stone columns, from which springs rows of endless arches, supporting the domes. Six feet thick, slightly tapering walls and hollow and round, almost detached corner towers, resembling the bastions of fortress, each capped by small rounded cupolas, recall the Tughlaq architecture of Delhi.

[Shat Gombuj Mosque ]

The general appearance of this noble monument with its stark simplicity but massive character reflects the strength and simplicity of the builder. This mosque is 160 ft long and 108 ft. in its width. This is one of the most beautiful archeological and historical Mosque in Bangladesh made by red burn mud.

The archeological beauty of this Mosque enchants the tourist till now. Besides this Mosque an archeological museum is there where you can find that times archeological and historical materials.

An inscription says that he died on 25th October, 1459. There is a small mosque nearby. A close associate of Hazrat Khan Jahan Ali was buried outside the tomb. On the night of the full moon of the month of Chaitra a big fair is held beside the Mazar. Many people attend the fair. There is a tank in front of the Mazar. The lolocal people call it the Dighi of Hazrat Khan Jahan Ali . There are some crocodiles in this big tank. They come near when the Fakirs call them and give them something to eat.

Historical Importance: Hazrat Pir Khan Jahan Ali who dedicated his life for the Islam. He came here from bagdad with many disciples. He set up his camp and with the help of his disciple he started teaching about Islam. There were many dead enemy of Islam and he fought against them and won the battle. A lot of non-muslims accepted Islam attracting to the divine virtu of Khan Jahan Ali. Bagerhat is really a place of historical importantce.

Second see port of Bangladesh
Mongla Port the second largest river port located 48 km south of Khulna town. The port was developed initially about 18 km up at Chalna, which was opened to foreign vessels as an anchorage on 11 December 1950. The anchorage was shifted to Mongla in 1954 as the place could accommodate sea-going vessels with greater draughts. The port of Mongla had long retained its name Chalna. Mongla is situated on the confluence of the rivers pasur and Mongla at mouza Selabunia of rampal upazila of bagerhat district. During the Pakistan period, the administration of the port was under a port director, whose main office was at Khulna.

Sea-going vessels up to a draught of 25 feet could berth vessels here and those with a draught up to 17 feet were allowed to anchor. Although fairly small, Mongla was a busy port in the past and at times, about two dozen sea going vessels were found anchored here. Later, especially since 1980, the port often remained closed because it lost proper depth required for the ocean-going ships and every time it was reopened after dredging. At present, about 400 ships berth at the port in a year and the port annually handles about 3 million MT of imports and exports. The port has 11 jetties, 7 shades for loading and unloading of goods and 8 warehouses. It uses 12 swinging moorings or floating berthing places in deeper sections in the river. The Mongla Port Authority that now administers the port constructed a rest house for the seamen at a place named Heron Point.

The port has trade links with almost all major ports of the world, although vessels arriving here are mostly from ports of Asia, the Middle East, Australia, Europe and North America and the ships rarely come to Mongla from the countries of Latin America or Africa. In addition to promotion of imports and exports of the country, the port contributes to development of many industries and trading houses in surrounding places and along with this, of new infrastructures and job opportunities. Many local people are working in the port directly in loading and unloading vessels.

The Sundarbans are the largest littoral mangrove belt in the world, stretching 80km (50mi) into the Bangladeshi hinterland from the coast. The forests aren't just mangrove swamps though, they include some of the last remaining stands of the mighty jungles which once covered the Gangetic plain. The Sundarbans cover an area of 38,500 sq km, of which about one-third is covered in water. Since 1966 the Sundarbans have been a wildlife sanctuary, and it is estimated that there are now 400 Royal Bengal tigers and about 30,000 spotted deer in the area.

The park is also home to sea gypsy fishing families who catch fish using trained otters. To see this pristine environment, you need to get a permit from the Divisional Forest Office in Khulna. With permit in hand, it's possible to hire a boat from Mongla or Dhangmari to get you to Hiron Point. From Hiron Point you will have to hire a guide to take you into the park.

Sundarbans is home to many different species of birds, mammals, insects, reptiles and fishes. Over 120 species of fish and over 260 species of birds have been recorded in the Sundarbans. The Gangetic River Dolphin (Platanista gangeticus) is common in the rivers. No less than 50 species of reptiles and eight species of amphibians are known to occur. The Sundarbans now support the only population of the Estuarine, or Salt-Water Crocodile (Crocodylus parasus) in Bangladesh, and that population is estimated at less than two hundred individuals.