Divisions of Bangladesh facts for kids
Bangladesh is divided into several large areas called divisions. Think of them like big regions or states within the country. Each division is named after its main city, which is also its capital. Bangladesh currently has eight divisions:
These divisions help manage the country. Each division is then split into smaller areas called districts. Districts are further divided into even smaller areas known as Upazilas.
Contents
How Divisions Started
When Bangladesh became an independent country in 1971, it started with four main divisions. These were inherited from what was previously called East Pakistan. The first four divisions were:
- Chittagong
- Dacca
- Khulna
- Rajshahi
In 1983, the spelling of "Dacca" was changed to Dhaka. This change made the English name match the local Bangla pronunciation more closely.
New Divisions Formed
Over the years, new divisions were created to help manage the country better.
Barisal Division
In 1993, the Barisal Division was created. It was separated from the Khulna Division. Barisal is located in the south-central part of Bangladesh. It covers an area of about 13,645 square kilometers (5,268 square miles). In 2011, about 8.3 million people lived there. The division is famous for its many rivers and canals. This is why it's sometimes called 'Dhan-Nodi-Khal, Ei tine Borishal', meaning 'rice, river, and canal built Barisal'.
Sylhet Division
The Sylhet Division is in the northeastern part of Bangladesh. It is named after its main city, Sylhet. This division shares its borders with three Indian states: Meghalaya, Assam, and Tripura. It also borders other Bangladeshi divisions like Chittagong, Dhaka, and Mymensingh.
Rangpur Division
Rangpur Division became Bangladesh's seventh division on January 25, 2010. Before this, it was part of the Rajshahi Division. Rangpur is the northernmost division of Bangladesh. It includes eight districts: Rangpur, Dinajpur, Kurigram, Gaibandha, Nilphamari, Panchagarh, Thakurgaon, and Lalmonirhat. In 2011, about 15.6 million people lived in the Rangpur Division.
Mymensingh Division
On January 12, 2015, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina announced the creation of a new Mymensingh Division. The idea was to take six districts from the Dhaka Division to form this new one. However, two districts, Tangail and Kishorgonj, wanted to stay with Dhaka. So, on September 14, 2015, Mymensingh was officially formed with four districts. It covers an area of 10,485 square kilometers (4,048 square miles). In 2011, it had a population of about 11.3 million people.
See also
In Spanish: Divisiones de Bangladés para niños
