# Cox's Bazar District

Cox's Bazar District (Bengali: কক্সবাজার জেলা) is a district in the Chittagong Division of Bangladesh. It is named after Cox's Bazar town. It is located 150 kilometres (93 mi) south of Chittagong. Cox's Bazar is also known by the names Panowa ("yellow flower") and Palongkee. The modern Cox's Bazar derives its name from Captain Hiram Cox (died 1799), an army officer who served in British India. It is one of the fishing ports of Bangladesh, and contains one of the world's longest natural sea beaches (120 kilometres (75 mi) long including mud flats).
In 1984 during the rule of Ershad's government, Cox's Bazar district was established by dividing Chittagong district. Today, Cox's Bazar is a major tourist destination within Bangladesh.

## Geography

Cox's Bazar District has an area of 2,491.86 km$^2$ (962.11 sq mi). It is bounded by Chittagong District on the north, Bay of Bengal in the south, Bandarban District on the east, and the Bay of Bengal on the west. Major rivers include Matamuhuri, Bakkhali, Reju Khal, Naf River, Maheshkhali channel and Kutubdia channel. The area of the city of Cox's Bazar is 6.85 km$^2$ (2.64 sq mi).

## History

The known history of Cox's Bazar begins in the Mughal period. On his way to Arakan, when the Mughal Prince Shah Shuja (1616–1660) passed through the hilly terrain of the present day Cox's Bazar, he was attracted to the scenic nature of the region. He commanded his forces to camp there. A place named Dulahazara, meaning "one thousand palanquins", still exists in the area.
Cox's Bazar is named after Captain Hiram Cox, an officer of the East India Company, who was assigned with the charges of the current day Cox's Bazar and its adjacent areas. The town of Cox's Bazar was established in 1799 as a market town to honour Captain Cox. In 1854, Cox's Bazar was made a Sub Divisional headquarter in Chittagong district under the Bengal Presidency of British India.
After the end of British rule in 1947, Cox's Bazar remained a part of East Pakistan under Pakistan till 1971. Captain Advocate Fazlul Karim was the first chairman after independence from the British of Cox's Bazar municipality. He established the Tamarisk Forest along the beach to draw tourism to the town and to protect the beach from the tide. He donated many of his father-in-law's and his own lands to establish a public library and town hall. In 1971, the wharf was used as a naval port by the Pakistan Navy's gunboats. This and the nearby airstrip of the Pakistan Air Force were the scene of intense shelling by the Indian Navy during the Bangladesh War of Independence in 1971.
In the year 1984, Cox's Bazar was upgraded into a District from a Sub Division under the Chittagong Division.
Starting in 2017, a "mass human exodus" of the Rohingya Muslim minority group from neighboring Myanmar's Rakhine State has led to Cox's Bazar housing the "world's largest refugee settlement" over the following years. In the first year, the UNHCR estimated that 725,000 refugees had sought safety in Bangladesh.

## Upazila (Subdivisions)

There are nine upazilas under this district, namely:
* Kutubdia Upazila
* Pekua Upazila
* Maheshkhali Upazila
* Chakaria Upazila
* Cox's Bazar Sadar Upazila
* Eidgaon Upazila
* Ramu Upazila
* Ukhia Upazila
* Teknaf Upazila

## Education

* Cox's Bazar Medical College
* Cox's Bazar International University
* Cox's Bazar Polytechnic Institute
* Cox's Bazar Govt. College
* Cox's Bazar Govt. Women College
* Cox's Bazar Government High School
* Cox's Bazar Government Girls High School
* Cox's Bazar City College
* Cox's Bazar International University
* Cox's Bazar Commerce College
* Cox's Bazar Harvard College

## Climate

The annual average temperature in Cox's Bazar is 32.8 °C (91.0 °F) and a minimum of 16.1 °C (61.0 °F). The climate remains hot and humid with some seasons of temperate weather. The average amount of rainfall is 4,285 mm (168.7 in).

## Demographics

According to the 2022 Census of Bangladesh, Cox's Bazar District had 587,114 households and a population of 2,823,268 with an average 4.75 people per household. Among the population, 671,286 (23.78%) inhabitants were under 10 years of age. The population density was 1,133 people per km$^2$. Cox's Bazar District had a literacy rate (age 7 and over) of 71.58%, compared to the national average of 74.80%, and a sex ratio of 103.32 males per 100 females. Approximately, 43.62% (1,231,639) of the population lived in urban areas. The ethnic population was 14,881 (0.64%), mainly Rakhine with some Chakma and Tanchangya.
Religions in Cox's Bazar District (2022) :
| Religion | Religion | Percent | Percent |
| Islam | Islam | 94.57% | 94.57% |
| Hinduism | Hinduism | 3.83% | 3.83% |
| Buddhism | Buddhism | 1.50% | 1.50% |
| Other or not stated | Other or not stated | 0.10% | 0.10% |
| Religion | 1941$^{:104–105}$ | 1941$^{:104–105}$ | 1981 | 1981 | 1991 | 1991 | 2001 | 2001 | 2011 | 2011 | 2022 | 2022 |
| Religion | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % |
| Islam | 342,378 | 86.22% | 941,630 | 91.76% | 1307467 | 92.13% | 1,648,211 | 92.92% | 2151958 | 93.97% | 2,669,977 | 94.57% |
| Hinduism | 26,907 | 6.78% | 58,974 | 5.75% | 79,499 | 5.60% | 87,123 | 4.91% | 97,648 | 4.26% | 108,166 | 3.83% |
| Buddhism | — | — | 24,011 | 2.34% | 30,853 | 2.17% | 35,737 | 2.01% | 37,822 | 1.65% | 42,305 | 1.50% |
| Others | 27,828 | 7.00% | 1,557 | 0.15% | 1,441 | 0.10% | 2,638 | 0.16% | 2,562 | 0.12% | 2,820 | 0.10% |
| Total Population | 397,113 | 100% | 1,026,172 | 100% | 1,419,260 | 100% | 1,773,709 | 100% | 2,289,990 | 100% | 2,823,268 | 100% |
Muslims are the largest religious community. Prior to Partition, the southern upazilas of Ukhiya and Teknaf had a large ethnic Buddhist Rakhine population, but most have moved to the Rakhine state in Myanmar over the years. The local dialect is Chittagonian as well as presence of many Rohingya speakers due to the massive refugee camps.

## Economy

The most significant livelihood of Cox's Bazar district is tourism. Millions of foreign and Bangladeshi natives visit this coastal city every year. A number of hotels, guest houses, and motels have been built in the city and coastal region and the hospitality industry is a major employer in the area.
A number of people are involved in the fishing and collection of seafoods, sea products and salt-farming. Oysters, snails, pearls and jewelry made from shells are popular with the tourists in the seaside and city stores. A number of people are also employed by the transportation business for tourists. Additionally, many people of the district are farmers.
In 2002, a surfing club was initiated at Cox's Bazar by a local Bangladeshi. It has now extended to holding an annual competition including locals and foreign tourists. This is the first surfing initiative in Bangladesh's history.

## Places of interest

* Cox's Bazar Beach
* Inani Beach
* Teknaf Beach
* St. Martin's Island, the only coral island in Bangladesh, is situated at 9 km (5.6 mi) south of Teknaf. It is a tourist spot.
* Chhera Island
* Sonadia Island
* Shapuree Island
* Dulhazra Safari Park, a safari park in Bangladesh which is situated at Chakaria Upazila. It has a range of exotic animals such as birds, snakes, and water beasts.
* Himchori, located about 8 km (5 mi) south of Cox's Bazar, is a picnic spot with waterfalls and hill top from where views of the sea can be seen. Birds and terrestrial animals roam near the road.
* Medhakachhapia National Park
* Sheikh Jamal Inani National Park
* Fasiakhali Wildlife Sanctuary
* Teknaf Wildlife Sanctuary
* Adinath Temple, Maheshkhali
* Cox's Bazar–Teknaf Marine Drive
* Sheikh Kamal International Stadium, Cox's Bazar
* Cox's Bazar Airport
* Cox's Bazar railway station

## Notable people

* Abdur Rahman Bodi
* Abdul Gani (Cox's Bazar politician)
* A. H. M. Hamidur Rahman Azad
* A. H. Salahuddin Mahmud
* A. T. M. Nurul Bashar Chowdhury
* AHA Gafur Chowdhury
* AMM Nasir Uddin
* ATM Zafar Alam
* Anisur Rahman Zico
* Alamgir Mohammad Mahfuzullah Farid
* Asheq Ullah Rafiq
* Aye Thein Rakhaine
* Badiul Alam
* Didarul Alam Chowdhury
* Enamul Haq Manju
* Farid Ahmad
* Fazlul Karim (lawyer)
* Hamidul Haque
* Hasan Murad
* Hasan Murad Tipu
* Helal Uddin Ahmed
* Ilias Kobra
* Jafar Alam
* Jahirul Islam
* Jalaluddin Ahmad
* Jinnat Ali
* Kaniz Fatema Ahmed
* Khorshed Ara Haque
* Lutfur Rahman Kajal
* Mahmudul Karim Chowdhury
* Md. Ishak
* Mominul Haque
* Mongsen Ching Monsin
* Mostaq Ahmad Chowdhury
* Mohammad Ali (Bangladeshi politician)
* Mohammad Ali (judge)
* Mohammad Ibrahim (footballer, born 1997)
* Mohammad Khalequzzaman
* Mohammad Nurul Huda
* Mohammad Shafiul Alam
* Mohammad Sahiduzzaman
* Mohammad Ziauddin
* Mohammad Zoynal Abedin
* Mohammed Ellias
* Nurul Mustafa
* Obaidullah Hamzah
* Osman Sarwar Alam Chowdhury
* Rashiduddin Ahmad
* Rima Sultana Rimu
* Salahuddin Ahmed (Cox's Bazar politician)
* Salimullah Khan
* Shamsuddin Ahmad Chowdhury
* Satya Priya Mahathero
* Shahin Akhtar
* Shaimum Sarwar Kamal
* Shahid Saber
* Shahjahan Chowdhury
* Shireen Akhter
* Sushanto Tripura
* Shyamal Kanti Biswas
* Sultan Zauq Nadvi
* Sunil Krishna Dey Chowdhury
* Tawhidul Alam Sabuz