As stated on the About > CDSP IV page, the focus of the activities is on five chars, with a total area of about 30,000 ha and a population of around 155,000 in 28,000 households. Three chars are located next to each other and form a part of the mainland: Char Nangulia, Noler Char and Caring Char. Urir Char is still an island, while the fifth char, Char Ziauddin, is located on the mainland, surrounded by earlier developed CDSP areas. Find underneath a summary of char sizes and populations.
The table shows a considerable difference between the findings as reported in the feasibility studies of 2006 and those of the Project Design Mission (Appraisal Mission) of 2009. The findings of 2009 have been used as baseline information for the project.
CDSP IV also continues maintenance in the CDSP I, II and III areas. The main subject of this attention is Operation and Maintenance (O&M) of infrastructure involving WMGs. For the CDSP III area (Boyer Char), considerable efforts have been directed to the completion of the land settlement program.
Char Nangulia, Noler Char, Caring Char
The area consists of the following three main chars:
– Char Nangulia, with an area of about 8,990 ha (22,200 acres) and an estimated population of 67,000 in 12,000 households;
– Noler Char of about 2,690 ha (6,650 acres) and a population of approximately 33,000 in 6,000 households;
– Caring Char of about 6,850 ha (16,920 acres), with around 33,000 people in roughly 6000 households; these households are concentrated on the higher part of Caring Char of around 3,800 ha.
The total area amounts to 18,530 ha (45,770 acres) with a current population of about 133,000 in 24,000 households.
Nangulia and Noler Chars appeared around the 1970’s. Present land levels for Char Nangulia are between 2.75 and 4.75 m PWD and for Noler Char between 2.25 and 3.75 m PWD. Caring Char appeared later and is less developed and inhabited (land levels between 2.00 m and 4.00 m PWD). Nangulia and Noler chars are next to each other, only separated by the Mamur Khal. To the south of these two chars is Caring Char, only separated from them by the Caring – and Mamur Khals. Nangulia Char is further bordered by polders 59/3B and Char Majid (in the north and west) and by a developing, yet to be named, char. Noler Char is further bordered by the Hatiya river in the west (with on the other side Boyer Char), the Meghna River in the southwest and by Caring Khal in the south and southeast, at the other side of which is Caring Char. Caring Char is for a greater part still an emerging char in the Meghna River, by which it is bordered in the south and east sides. All three chars are located within Noakhali District. The whole area is part of two Upazilas (Subarnachar and Hatiya) and of three Unions (Char Clerk of Subarnachar Upazila, and Chanandi and Mohammadpur of Hatiya Upazila).
Urir Char
In the Meghna Estuary, erosion and accretion along the boundaries of the chars or islands are very common morphological processes. Urir Char is a perfect example. Since its emergence in the early 1970s, Urir Char has shown a very dynamic character and developed through erosion, accretion and shifting of several kilometres. During the last 35 years the landmass of Urir Char increased from 12 km2 to 100 km2. At the same time the char shifted about 8 kilometres towards the north. The land levels in Urir Char vary from 3.67 m to 4.78 m PWD in the north to south direction and from 3.85 m to 4.03 m PWD in the east to west direction. Average land level can be taken as 4.08 m PWD. The total land area of Urir Char including fallow and muddy land is about 13,824 ha (around 33,000 acres) of which about 36.8 % has been brought under cultivation. About 48.7 % of the area is fallow and muddy land. At present the fallow lands are partially used for grazing. Mangrove forestland has been developed and is occupying 7.8% of the total area. The estimated total population is 11,000, distributed over 2,000 households. There are two parts of the area broadly known as “Urir Char”. One part falls under Urir Char Union of Sandwip Upazila of Chittagong District, comprising an area of approximately 21,694 acres (mouzas: Char Lakshmi, Piadogi, Shamaserabad and Char Badu). Another part of 10,760 acres is located in Char Elahi Union of Companiganj Upazila under Noakhali District (mouzas: Char Umed, Char Rahman, Char Balua and Char Gazi Mijan).
Char Ziauddin
Char Ziauddin accretion began in 1970 and people started living there in 2001. It is named after a district magistrate. The char is under the jurisdiction of Char Jubilee Union. The char is located west of Char Mora Dona near Boyer Char, in the southwest corner of Subarnachar Upazila under Noakhali District. Boyer Char lies to the south, CBD-1 to the north and the Baggardona River to the west. The area is on an average about 5 km in length and 3 km wide approximately. Present land levels vary from 3.20 m to 3.71 m PWD. Settlers of Char Ziauddin mainly came from Ramgati (50%), South Hatiya (25%) and the mainland (25%). The estimated total population is 11,000 and the number of households 2,000. However, some new squatters (around 200 hhs) have moved in and are occupying the Matua and Elahi‟s fish project in this char. According to the survey and information from Department of Forest, the size of the area is 1,943 hectares (4,799 acres). The settlers occupied 2,114 acres land without official title. Six big fishery projects occupy approximately 1,000 acres. Of these six, the two biggest projects each occupy 300 acres.
