Background, Geographic Area and Location: Brahmanbaria zila was formerly a sub-division of comilla zila. It was upgraded to a zila on the fifteenth February, 1984. It is believed that in the long past kazi Mohammad Khandkar, an influential man, rehabilitated some Brahman families in the present headquarters of the zila in consequence of which the area was named Brahmanbaria . The zila bounded on the north by Kishoreganj and Habiganj zilas, on the east by India, on the south by Comilla zila and on the west by Narsingdi, Narayanganj and Kishoreganj zilas. It lies between 23° 39' and 24° 16' north latitudes and between 90° 44' and 91° 51' east longitudes. The total area of the zila is 1,881.20 sq. km (726.00 sq. miles)
Temperature and Rainfall: Annual average temperature- maximum 34.3°C, lowest 12.7°C and rainfall 2551 mm.
Main Rivers: Meghna and TITAS, Buri and Haora; Mehedi and Akashi haors are notable.
Brahmanbaria town began to grow from the nineteenth century. The town was turned into a municipality in 1869. The tomb of Hazrat Syed Kazi Mahmud Shah (R) is located at Kazipara of the town. During the invasion of Munipur by the British in 1824, Brahmanbaria town was their military headquarters. The main business centres of the town are Ananda Bazar and Tanbazar. Other notable areas of the town are Jagatbazar, Mahabedab Patti, Kalaishreepara, Madhyapara, Kazipara and Kandhipara.
Brahmanbaria town has a rich tradition of the cultivation of art, education and culture. It is often figuralily called the cultural capital of Bangladesh. To the field of literature the contributions of Adyta Mallavarman, Jotirindra Nandi, Abdul Kadir and Al Mahmud are remarkable. The Town also represents a rich tradition of the cultivation of music. Ustad Ayet Ali Khan established the Alauddin Music College in 1957 and Shilpacharya Joinul Abedin established the Alauddin Sangitayan in 1975. Those who contributed to the development of music in Brahmanbaria town mention may be made of Ustad Fakir (Tapas) Aftab Uddin Khan, Ustad Alauddin Khan, Ustad Ayet Ali Khan, Ustad Ali Akbor Khan, Ustad Bahadur Hussain Khan, Ustad Abed Hussain Khan, Ustad Khadem Hussain Khan, Ustad Raja Hussain Khan, Amar Paul, Ustad Khurshid Khan, Ustad Subal Das and Ustad Afjalur Rahman.
Administration: Brahmanbaria zila, which was included in Comilla zila (formerly Tipera zila), was established in 1984. Before 1830 the Sarail Pargana was a part of Mymensingh zila. The zila consists of 9 upazilas, 100 unions, 900 mauzas, 1323 villages, 4 paurashavas, 39 wards and 109 mahallas. The upazilas are BANCHHARAMPUR, KASBA, NABINAGAR, NASIRNAGAR, BRAHMANBARIA SADAR, SARAIL , AKHAURA, ASHUGANJ and BIJOYNAGAR.
Archaeological Heritage and Relics: Arphail Sagardighi Mosque and Twin Graves (sixteenth century, Sarail), Arphannesa Mosque (1662, Sarail), Bhadurghar Shahi Mosque (1084 AH), Ulchapara Mosque (sixteenth century), tomb of Kalla Shahid (R, Akhaura), Kalbhairab Mandir (Brahmanbaria), Sree Sree Anandamoye Ashram (seventeenth century) at Kasba, Satidaha Mandir (Biddakut), Shiva Mandir (Natghar), Sarvadharma Samanya Mandir (Kalikachha), Jagannath Mandir (Nasirnagar), Bishnu Statue (Baghaura), BUDDHIST VIHARAs (Devgram), Kailaghar Jangal (Kasba), Hatir Pool (elephant bridge) at Baraiura, Zamindar Bari of Haripur, Basudeva Statue (Kalikachha), Nabinagar Math, Haraspur Zamindar Bari, Brahmanbaria Archives and Museum, Anderson Memorial (Kautali).
Historical Events: Brahmanbaria was a part of SAMATATA Janapada of the ancient Bengal. The first and temporary capital of ISA KHAN was at Sarail 10 km on the north of Brahmanbaria Town. When the SWADESHI MOVEMENT began in the wake of the partition of Bengal (1905), revolutionary Ullaskar Datta (Aviram) was convicted for throwing bomb explosion and was deported to the Andamans. On 14 December 1931 Suniti Chowdhury, Shanti Ghosh and Gopal Deb killed the then Zila magistrate CCB Stevens at his residence by gun shot. During the PEASANT MOVEMENT in 1930 Congress leader Abdul Hakim asked the peasant to stop payment of taxes. During the no-rent movement four civilians were killed when the British soldiers indiscriminately fired on civilians. During the War of Liberation Bir Srestha MOHAMMAD MOSTAFA KAMAL was killed in an encounter at Daruin of Akhaura.
Marks of the War of Liberation: Mass graves and slaughter places: Places adjacent to Pairtala Railway Bridge, west side of Judge Court, Kautali WAPDA Office, west side of Asuganj Silo, west bank of Gangasagar Dighi (Akhaura), Asuganj IGMN Steamer Ghat, Lalpur Bazar, Shahbajpur Titas Bridge, Lakshmipur (Kasba), Kella Pathar (Kasba); memorial monuments: Shahid Smriti Shaudha (Faruki Park), Shaudha Hiranmaya (Kautali), Shahid Samadi Complex, Bijoy Statue (Asuganj), playground of Sarail Degree College; grave yard of Bir Shreshta Mustafa Kamal (Mogra).
Main Crops: Paddy, jute, wheat, mustard seed, potato, onion, garlic, chilli, pulses, brinjal, kakrol and patal. Kakrol produced in Mukundopur of this zila deserves special mention. Extinct or nearly extinct crops Linseed, sesame, tobacco, Chaplaish and Kataktara varieties of paddy, arahar and kaun.
Main Fruits: Mango, jackfruit, black berry, papaya, coconut, guava, olive, lemon, litchi, bilimbi and banana.
Traditional Transport: Palanquin, horse carriage and bullock cart. These means of transport are either extinct or nearly extinct.
Mineral Resources: Natural gas; gas field 3 (Titas Gas, Meghna Gas Field and Saldandi Gas Field).
Main Exports: Jute, paddy, mustard seed, vegetables, cotton fabrics, handicrafts, natural gas and leather.
