Lesson 2/35 min
Islands
What is an island
- Island: land surrounded by water on all sides; a group of nearby islands is an archipelago
- The only coral island is St Martin's; the only hilly island is Maheshkhali
- The largest island and the only island district: Bhola
- Southernmost place: Chhera Dwip; southernmost union: St Martin's
St Martin's Island
| Item | Fact |
|---|---|
| Location | Cox's Bazar; at the Naf river mouth; 9 km south of Teknaf |
| Other name | Narikel Jinjira |
| Special | The only coral island; olive turtles are found; tourism, fishing, limestone |
| Gateway | Teknaf; the ship Keari Sindbad (Khandokar) |
| Southern end | Chhera Dwip or Cheradia (the southernmost place); cut off at high tide, reachable on foot at low tide |
| Protection | St Martin's and its surroundings are a ‘Marine Protected Area’ (45th BCS) |
Other islands
| Island | Location | Fact |
|---|---|---|
| Maheshkhali | Cox's Bazar | The only hilly island; Adinath temple; about 362 sq km (Khandokar) |
| Kutubdia | Cox's Bazar | Famous for its lighthouse, set up under British rule in 1846 |
| Sonadia | Cox's Bazar | 9 sq km; proposed for the deep sea port; fishing and migratory birds; red crabs and mangroves |
| Sandwip | Chattogram | 762 sq km; ships were built here in ancient times |
| Bhola | Bhola | At the Meghna mouth; the largest island; the only island district; branded ‘Queen Island of Bangladesh’; formerly Shahbazpur |
| Monpura | Bhola | Portuguese people used to live here |
| Tazumuddin | Bhola | — |
| Nijhum Dwip | Hatiya, Noakhali | At the Meghna mouth; named after the 1970 cyclone; former name Baular Char; migratory birds and coastal green belt |
| Hatiya | Noakhali | — |
| Swarnadwip | Hatiya, Noakhali | Handed over in 2013 for army training and settlement (Khandokar) |
| Bangabandhu Island (Putuni) | Mongla, Bagerhat | 10 km south of Dublar Char; 2 m above sea level; red crabs are the attraction (Khandokar) |
| Bihongo Island | Patharghata, Barguna | — |
| Patni Island | Mouth of the Arpangachhia-Malancha river | — |
| Jaliar Island | Teknaf | Naf Tourism Park |
South Talpatti
| Item | Fact |
|---|---|
| District | Satkhira |
| River | At the Hariabhanga river mouth in the Bay of Bengal |
| Other names | Purbasha; India called it New Moore |
| Dispute | Both India and Bangladesh claimed it |
| Fate | Sank into the sea in March 2010 |
Watch out: Areas: St Martin's 8 sq km and Nijhum Dwip 91 sq km are printed in both books and in BCS answers (27th and 28th BCS), but other sources differ (St Martin's 3 to 8), so they are not in the quiz. Sandwip is 762 in Khandokar and 662 in Zubair; the web gives 762.42, so 762. Maheshkhali is 388.5 in Zubair; another source supports 362. Kutubdia's area (3 in Khandokar) and South Talpatti's area could not be verified and are left out.
Check yourself
Which are the only coral island and the only hilly island?
At a glance
- 1
St Martin's: the only coral island, Cox's Bazar, Narikel Jinjira, olive turtle; MPA (45th BCS).
- 2
Chhera Dwip = southernmost place (south end of St Martin's); the southernmost union is St Martin's.
- 3
Maheshkhali is the only hilly island; Kutubdia has the lighthouse (1846).
- 4
Bhola is the largest island and the only island district; Nijhum Dwip is in Hatiya (Noakhali).
- 5
South Talpatti (Purbasha/New Moore) at the Hariabhanga mouth, Satkhira; sank in March 2010.