Patuakhali Located in the south of , Patuakhali lies under division and has an area of 3,220 square kilometres. Kuakata – the famous beach located at Patuakhali, is also called the “Sagorkonnya” (the daughter of sea). It is the only beach in Bangladesh where both the sunset and sunrise can be seen. The Photo credit: BRAC/Shehzad Noorani Photo credit: two major rivers here are Sitting on a colourful jute matres she participated to paint, a girl child writes in her the Laukathi and Lohalia, textbook in a BRAC primary school in a rural village. which are directly connected with the Bay of . As disaster management and this city is adjacent to the climate change (DMCC) At a glance programme is also operating in Bay of Bengal, agriculture the area since it is affected by (as of December, 2019) and fishing are the most natural disasters like cyclones, floods and tornadoes each year. Microfinance common professions for the Branches 24 Village organisations 3,728 people of Patuakhali. Members 72,689 Borrowers 50,509 BRAC operates the majority of Progoti Small enterprise clients 8,715 its components at Patuakhali, General information such as microfinance, health, Education nutrition and population (HNPP), Population 1,557,137 education (BEP), community Community libraries 40 Sub-districts 8 empowerment (CEP), human Unions 72 rights and legal aid services Human rights and (HRLS), water, sanitation and Villages 882 legal aid services hygiene (WASH), ultra poor Children (0-15) 416,689 Primary schools 1,101 Human rights legal graduation (UPG) programmes. education (HRLE) shebikas 336 Literacy rate 65% Among them, microfinance is the Legal aid clinics 6 largest programmes, offers three Hospitals 8 HRLE graduates 40,130 types of loans - dabi (microloan), NGOs 126 Cases filed 374 progoti (enterprise loan) and Banks 75 Complaints resolved 3,488 tenant farmers’ development Bazaars 202 loan (agriculture loan). BRAC’s

www.brac.net Ultra-poor graduation Group - 1 members 97 Group - 2 members 1,804 Water, sanitation Asset and training received 1,901 and hygiene Healthcare availed 856 Committee members 9,152 Group - 3 members 2,044 Sanitation coverage 55% Asset and training received 2,044 Loans for sanitary latrines 2,200 Healthcare availed 865 Deep tubewells installed 612 Sanitary latrine installed Health, nutrition in schools 68 and population Health volunteers (shasthya shebika) 510 Health workers (shasthya kormi) 51 Community empowerment Community-based organisation (polli shomaj) 156 Union-based organisation (union shomaj) 33 Popular theatre teams 5

Although every effort has been made to include and verify the accuracy of relevant information in this fact sheet, users are urged to check independently on matters of specific interest. Report any discrepancies/suggestions to [email protected]. This document was last updated on 31 December 2019, is revised yearly and made available on www.brac.net/visitors.