Raipur is an upazila in Lakshmipur District, Chittagong Division, Bangladesh. It is surrounded by the upazilas of Faridganj, Ramganj, Lakshmipur Sadar, Mehendiganj and Haimchar, and on the west by the Meghna River. Raipur has 40,618 households, and covers an area of 201.32 km2.

Demographics

According to the 2011 Census of Bangladesh, Raipur Upazila had 60,090 households and a population of 275,160. 66,484 (24.16%) were under 10 years of age. Raipur had a literacy rate (age 7 and over) of 51.1%, compared to the national average of 51.8%, and a sex ratio of 1188 females per 1000 males. 59,352 (21.57%) lived in urban areas. In the 2001 Bangladesh census, Raipur had a population of 236,965. Males were 51 percent of the population and females 49 percent. The population aged 18 and older was 100,491. Raipur had an average literacy rate of 22.5 percent (ages seven and older), compared to the national average of 32.4 percent. The Muslim population was 228,361; there were 8,566 Hindus, 23 Christians and 15 others.

Administration

Raipur Upazila is divided into Raipur Municipality and ten union parishads: Bamni, Char Mohana, Keroa, North Char Ababil, North Char Bangshi, Raipur, Sonapur, South Char Ababil, and South Char Bangshi. The union parishads are subdivided into 49 mauzas and 83 villages. Raipur Municipality is subdivided into 9 wards and 15 mahallas.

Economy

Raipur has one of the largest textile factories in Bangladesh, which is closed. Its small factories are in need of modernization. Raipur is 11 km from the river port of Haidergonj and 160 km from the seaport of Chittagong. Other industries include fishing, dairy farming and beef production for Eid al-Adha.

Transport

The town of Raipur is the road transport hub of the upazila. To the north it is connected by regional highway R140 to river port Chandpur, about 29 km away. R140 also runs south 16 km to Lakshmipur.

Education

There are five colleges in the upazila. They include Raipur Government Degree College, founded in 1970, and Raipur Rustam Ali Degree College. According to Banglapedia, Char Ababil Rachim Uddin High School, founded in 1914, Char Ababil SC High School (1910), and Raipur L. M. Pilot High School (1911) are notable secondary schools. The madrasa education system includes two fazil and one kamil madrasa.