Sonagazi Upazila

Sonagazi (Bengali: সোনাগাজী) is an upazila (sub-district) of Feni District in Chittagong Division, Bangladesh, located on the coast of the Bay of Bengal.

Upon assuming this role, Shuja swiftly took action to safeguard the coastal areas from Arakanese naval attacks by constructing a fort in Sonagazi among various strategic initiatives.

[5]: 111–112 When the Mughal era-established thanas (police jurisdictions) of Jugidiya and Amirgaon in the then Bhulua region of Noakhali near the coast of the Bay of Bengal were submerged by the Feni River, a new thana named Sonagazi was established in 1886 to reinstate law enforcement measures in the southern region of Feni.

[4]: 147  Around this period, the governor of Feni mahakuma, Nabinchandra Sen, undertook the construction and improvement of the Feni–Sonagazi road to accommodate bullock carts.

[5]: 25  During the conflict, guerrilla warfare-trained freedom fighters were dispatched to various areas of Sonagazi, where they carried out numerous operations targeting the residences of collaborators of the invading forces and local razakar militias in locations such as Nababpur, Ahammadpur, Majlishpur, Bogadana, Char Darbesh, Char Chandia, and Motiganj.

On 15 August, approximately 50 Pakistani soldiers were killed when mines planted by the freedom fighters exploded near the Satbaria Bridge.

In retaliation, agitated Pakistani soldiers killed five innocent individuals from Boks Ali and Sujapur Dasgram villages.

[6] Following the war, mass graves were uncovered in areas like the Kazir Haat sluice gate, indicating the burial of hundreds of individuals who had been subjected to torture,[5]: 91  and memorial monuments were erected at eight locations within the upazila.

[5]: 34 Extensive alluvial lands, known locally as "char," have formed due to the erosion caused by the Feni and Muhuri rivers, resulting in the displacement of numerous settlements.

However, their daily lives are often disrupted by raids and attacks by pirates, posing risks to fishermen and livestock keepers alike.

These artisans produce a variety of baskets in different sizes and shapes, suitable for carrying items ranging from fish and crops to laundry.

Constructed in the late 1980s, this infrastructure serves the purpose of regulating the water flow of the Feni River and irrigating nearby farmland.

[21][22] Additionally, there are proposals for the constructions of several more wind and combined-cycle power stations to meet the rising energy demand of the nearby Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Shilpa Nagar economic zone.

[19][23] In 2018, a highly anticipated 478-metre-long (1,568 ft) bridge spanning the Little Feni River was inaugurated with the aim of improving connectivity with Noakhali and Lakshmipur districts.

The project features a closure dam located in Sonagazi Upazila tasked with regulating the combined flow of the Feni, Muhuri, and Kalidas-Pahalia rivers.

The dam is surrounded by an artificial water body enclosed by embankments, afforestation, bird-watching spots, and fish sanctuaries.

Sonagazi Muhuri Irrigation Project, Feni