Lakhai Upazila

Following the 1303 Conquest of Sylhet, Bayazid Shah, a companion of Shah Jalal, took refuge in Bulla and propagated Islam there. Bayazid remains buried in a mazar (mausoleum) in Bulla bazaar.[2]

Lakhai was previously under the sub-registry of Charabhanga in modern-day Madhabpur Upazila. On 10 January 1922, the Lakhai thana was established as per Assam Province's gazette notification 176GK.

During the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971, a massacre was conducted in the village of Krishnapur on 18 September. The Pakistani Army also attacked the villages of Murakari and Bhabanipur. In the village of Madna, the army set fire to the house of Dewan Ali. On 29 October, the Pakistani forces took shelter in the houses of some brokers at night in Muriyauk. Early in the morning, they wanted to go to the house of Shahjahan Chishti, a freedom fighter in Muriyauk. Unable to find Chishti at his house, the forces captured his sixty-year-old father, Abdul Jabbar, and set the house on fire. In the same village, the forces also captured 65-year old Idris Ali, father of Bengali freedom fighter Ilias Kamal. They then proceeded to kidnap the two old men to Lakhai Union. According to some sources, the next day the forces took a speed boat to Bhairab and the old men were shot dead on the way and were never found.[3]

In 1983, Lakhai was promoted to a designated police station through the efforts of many people. On 15 April 1983, the foundation was laid for a police station at Kalauk in Bhadikara Mouza, Bamai Union. In 1984, there was a circle officer development outpost in modern-day Swajangram in Lakhai Union.[4]

Lakhai is located at 24.2889°N 91.2167°E / 24.2889; 91.2167. It has 19,465 households and total area of 196.56 km². Lakhai is the connecting point of 3 administrative divisions Sylhet, Dhaka & Chittagong of Bangladesh. It is surrounded by Habiganj Sadar Upazila, Baniachang Upazila, Madhabpur Upazila of Habiganj, Nasirnagar Upazila of Brahmanbaria and Austagram Upazila of Kishoreganj where Lakhai Upazila is the centre Point. Main rivers are: Meghna, Sutang, Monikhai, Balabhadra rivers

At the 1991 Bangladesh census, Lakhai had a population of 110,319, of whom 53,164 were aged 18 or older. Males constituted 49.24% of the population, and females 50.76%. Lakhai had an average literacy rate of 21.6% (7+ years), against the national average of 32.4%.[5]

Lakhai consists of both plain lands and Haor areas, not only self-sufficient in food and fish but also exports, is famous for paddy, jute & winter corps.

Kalauk, Bhadikara,Bamai, Katihara, Lakhai, Amanullahpur (Borbari) Morakori, Muriauk, Karab, Bulla, Madna, Sinhagram, Begunai, Teghoria,Shibpur, Krishnapur, Dharmapur, Moshadia, Fulbaria, Satauk, Sajangram, Begunai, Rarishal, Marugach, Noagaon, Sontoshpur, Zirunda Manpur, Kamrapur, Montoil, Shuneswar, Moubari, Gonipoor,kataia,foridpur,bali,chondipur,morshidpur .[6]

Lakhai Upazila is divided into six union parishads: Bamai, Bulla, Karab, Lakhai, Murakari, and Muriauk. The union parishads are subdivided into 70 mauzas and 65 villages.[7]

Lakhai is connected through Habiganj, Ashuganj, Fandauk, Chatiain by road; Bhairab by launch and Shayestaganj, Shahjibazar, Nayapara by rail communications. Regional highway runs through Sarail, Nasirnagar, Lakhai, Habiganj route is important for road communications in this region. Lakhai–Dhaka and Lakhai–Sylhet direct bus services are available.

Lakhai was river based upazila in the past. But nowadays it has developed immediately.

At the 2001 census the average literacy rate of Lakhai Upazila was 28.7% (7+ years),[8] where national average is 46.2%.

Lakhai is famous for pithas and hospitality, rich with cross cultures of greater Sylhet, Dhaka & Chittagong's flavour and foreign connections, it is unique of Bangladesh.

There is a non-governmental orphanage in Battala called Nurul Huda Orphanage. Notable eidgahs are Mashadiya and Kataiya Eidgah and well known mosques are Teghoriya Mosque, Singhgram Masjid and Bhadikara Mosque.

Important educational institutes are-

• Fulbaria mujibia islamia hafizia Madrasah
• Karab Nuria Islamia Madrasah
• Lakhai Muktijoddha Degree College
• Kalauk High School, (upazila Sadar)
• Zirunda Manpur Tofailia Senior Madrasah
• Muriauk High School
• Dharmapur baage modina gausia Dakhil madrasha
• Bamai Model High School (founded 1961)
• Rarhishal Korab High School
• Amanullahpur Shafikia Hafizia Madrasah, (Borbari)
• Lakhai Darul Hoda madrasah & Yeateem Khana
• Bhabanipur High School
• Kataia darussalam islamia madrasha
• Katihara Hafizia Madrasah
• Teghoria darul ulom Madrasah
• Morakori High School (founded 1962)
• Bulla Singhgram Girls High School
• Teghoria SEDF Model High School
• Krishnapur High School
• Korab Rahmania Dakhil Madrasah
• Fulbaria Ebtedaee Madrasa

• Mukhlesur Rahman Chowdhury, senior journalist, editor, researcher, former minister and advisor to the President of Bangladesh, attended Lakhai A.C.R.C. Pilot High School.[9][10][11][12]

• Upazilas of Bangladesh
• Districts of Bangladesh
• Divisions of Bangladesh