{{Short description|Island in Bangladesh}} {{for|the writing system|Sawndip}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2015}} {{Infobox islands | name = Sandwip | native_name = সন্দ্বীপ | sobriquet = | image_alt = | map = Bangladesh | map_caption = | image_name = Nasa satellite image of Sandwip Uploaded by Rahat.jpg | image_size = 230px | image_caption = Satellite view of Sandwip | location = Bay of Bengal | coordinates = {{coord|22|29|N|91|29|E|type:isle_region:BD|display=inline,title}} | archipelago = | waterbody = Bay of Bengal | total_islands = 3 | major_islands = 1 | area_km2 = 762.42 | area_footnotes = | rank = | length_km = 50 | length_footnotes = | width_min_km = 5 | width_max_km = 15 | width_footnotes = | coastline_km = <!-- or coastline m --> | coastline_footnotes = | elevation_m = | elevation_footnotes = | highest_mount = <!--name--> | country = {{flag|Bangladesh}} | country_admin_divisions_title = Division | country_admin_divisions = Chittagong Division | country_admin_divisions_title_1 = District | country_admin_divisions_1 = Chittagong District | country_admin_divisions_title_2 = Upazila | country_admin_divisions_2 = Sandwip Upazila | demonym = Sandwipi | population = 292,773<ref name=autogenerated3>{{cite web|url=http://chittagong.com/sandwip-upazila/ |title=Sandwip Upazila (সন্দ্বীপ উপজেলা) |publisher=Chittagong |date=26 May 2021 |accessdate=7 November 2012}}</ref> | population_as_of = 2001 | density_km2 = 384 | density_footnotes = | ethnic_groups = | website = | additional_info = }} '''Sandwip''' ({{langx|bn|সন্দ্বীপ|Sôndbīp}}, {{IPA|bn|ʃondip|pron}}) is an island located in the southeastern coast of Bangladesh in the Chittagong District. Along with the island of Urir Char and Bhasan Char, this is part of Sandwip Upazila.
==Description== thumb|Small ship building yard in the coastal area of Sandwip Sandwip (সন্দ্বীপ) is located in the north-east of the Bay of Bengal, near the port city of Chittagong. It is close to the mouth of the Meghna River in the Bay of Bengal and is separated from the Chittagong coast by Sandwip Channel. It has a population of 292,773.<ref name="autogenerated1" /> There are fifteen wards, 62 ''mahallas'' and 34 villages on Sandwip Island. The island is {{convert|50|km}} long and {{convert|5|-|15|km|mi}} wide. The island is bounded by Companiganj on the north; the Bay of Bengal on the south; Sitakunda, Mirsharai, and Sandwip Channel on the east; and the Noakhali Sadar, Hatiya and Meghna estuaries; on the west.<ref name="autogenerated1">{{cite web |date= |title=Sandwip at a Glance |url=https://sandwip.chittagong.gov.bd/en/site/page/3dqa-%E0%A6%8F%E0%A6%95-%E0%A6%A8%E0%A6%9C%E0%A6%B0%E0%A7%87-%E0%A6%B8%E0%A6%A8%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%A6%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AC%E0%A7%80%E0%A6%AA |accessdate=10 August 2025 |website=Bangladesh National Portal |publisher=}}</ref>
== History == [[File:The delta of Ganges by J. Rennel.jpg|thumb|Sandwip on a map of the delta of Ganges by surveyor James Rennell created in 1778]] thumb|Guftasara Bridge, Sandwip thumb|The beaches of Sandwip
Some sources{{Which|date=August 2025}} claim Sandwip island is around 3000 years old,<ref>[http://dspace.wbpublibnet.gov.in:8080/jspui/handle/10689/10182 Noakhali District Gazetters]</ref> and was a part of Samatata. The sources state that Sandwip was originally connected to Chittagong by land and was disconnected by natural disasters.<ref name=webster>{{cite book|last1= Webster|first1=John Edward|title=Eastern Bengal and Assam District Gazetteers|volume=4. Noakhali|year=1911|publisher=The Pioneer Press|location=Allahabad|url=https://archive.org/details/noakhali00webs}}</ref> Sandwip is mentioned in scholarly sources such as Tansi's report ''Lower Gangas'' in 150, ''The Baros Map'' in 1560, Sanchan the Abevel's drawing map, and the Anvel Curt's drawing map in 1752. Arab merchants began trading in the area since very early on.<ref>{{cite Banglapedia|author=Muslehuddin, ATM|article=Arabic}}</ref> In the 14th century, a Sufi from Afghanistan called Sultan Balkhi visited the island and lived there for a few years.<ref name=bpedia>{{cite Banglapedia|article=Shah Sultan Mahisawar (R)|author=Abdul Karim}}</ref>
In the 16th century, the island became an important source of salt for Bengal.{{efn|"Sandwip is evidently a very old island, and seems to have been of more importance three hundred years ago than it is now [mid-1800s], because it was one of the chief sources from which Bengal was supplied with salt." "Du Jarric ... tells us that it is opposite Sripur, and that it supplies all Bengal with salt."<ref name=Beveridge1876 />{{Rp|35,36}}}} In the 1560s, a traveller from Venice called, Caesar Frederick, was the first European to write about Sandwip. Returning homeward from Pegu, he was caught in a typhoon whilst sailing from Chittagong to Cochin. After being tossed about for some days, his ship sighted an island and landed. He wrote: {{blockquote|We found it a place inhabited, and, to my judgment, the fertilest island in all the world; the which is divided into two parts by a channel which passeth between it. With great trouble we brought our ship into the same channel, which parteth the island at flowing water.<ref name="Beveridge1876">{{cite book |last1=Beveridge |first1=Henry |title=The district of Bákarganj; its history and statistics |date=1876 |publisher=Trübner & Co. |location=London |url=https://archive.org/details/districtofbkar00beve/}}</ref>{{Rp|35}}}} Frederick described the island as a densely populated, well-cultivated island inhabited by Moors. In 1923, Sri Rajkumar Chakrabarty mentioned in ''History of Sandwip'' the prevalence of 400- to 500-year olplants on the island.
===Early modern period=== The island of Sandwip was administered under the Sarkar of Fatehabad under the Mughal empire.<ref>{{cite book |date=1977 |editor-last=Khan |editor-first=Nurul Islam |title=Bangladesh District Gazetteers: Noakhali|publisher=Bangladesh Government Press |location=Dacca |pages=230–231 |oclc=85190093}}</ref> At the start of the 17th century, the island was under the rule of António de Sousa Godinho, a Portuguese pirate, though it had previously been ruled by Kedar Rai, a Bengali Hindu chieftain who controlled large parts of eastern Bengal. According to Pierre Du Jarric, Kedar Rai managed to reclaim the governance of Sandwip from Godinho with the help of another group of Portuguese pirates.<ref name=portu>{{cite Banglapedia|article=Portuguese, The|author=Ray, Aniruddha}}</ref> The Mughals and the Arakanese failed to annex the island from Kedar Rai.<ref name="RoyA">{{cite news|url=https://bn.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A6%AA%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A4%E0%A6%BE:%E0%A6%90%E0%A6%A4%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%B9%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B8%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%95_%E0%A6%9A%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%A4%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B0_(%E0%A6%A4%E0%A7%83%E0%A6%A4%E0%A7%80%E0%A6%AF%E0%A6%BC_%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%B0%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B7)_-_%E0%A6%A8%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%96%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%A8%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A5_%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%AF%E0%A6%BC.pdf/%E0%A7%A8%E0%A7%A8|script-title=bn:পাতা:ঐতিহাসিক চিত্র (তৃতীয় বর্ষ) - নিখিলনাথ রায়|website=|accessdate=5 March 2019}}</ref><ref name="bk">{{cite news|url=http://www.bangladesherkhabor.net/History-Heritage/11609|script-title=bn:কেদার রায়|website=Bangladesher Khabor |language=bn|accessdate=4 March 2019}}</ref><ref name="RoyB">{{cite news|url=https://bn.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A6%AA%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A4%E0%A6%BE:%E0%A6%AA%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%A4%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%AA%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A6%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%A4%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AF-%E0%A6%A8%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%96%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%B2_%E0%A6%A8%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A5_%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%AF%E0%A6%BC.djvu/%E0%A7%AD%E0%A7%A9|script-title=bn:পাতা:প্রতাপাদিত্য-নিখিল নাথ রায়|website=|accessdate=5 March 2019}}</ref> By 1602, a Portuguese settler from Montargil, in Kedar Rai's service, Domingos de Carvalho, managed to earn the governorship of Sandwip after assisting Rai in battles against the Arakan and the Mughals.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Mandal|first1=Asim Kumar|title=The Sundarbans of India : a development analysis|date=2003|publisher=Indus Publ. Co.|location=New Delhi|isbn=8173871434|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jbKGojVTWGcC|access-date=28 June 2015|page=44}}</ref> Manuel de Matos came from Chittagong to aid Carvalho in the Portuguese annexation, and they divided the island between themselves and a Portuguese pirate named Gonçalves. Filipe de Brito e Nicote also established a fort on the island. It is said that, each year, about 300 salt-loaded ships sailed from Sandwip for Liverpool. In addition to its salt industry, Sandwip also became known for ship-building at the time.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Sandwipees should respond to the call of Master Shahjahan for development of Sandwip|url=http://www.theguardianbd.com/sandwipees-should-respond-to-the-call-of-master-shahjahan-for-development-of-sandwip/|magazine=The Guardian|location=Bangladesh|type=Editorial|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150713054718/http://www.theguardianbd.com/sandwipees-should-respond-to-the-call-of-master-shahjahan-for-development-of-sandwip/|archive-date=13 July 2015|access-date=12 July 2015}}</ref> Eventually, the Portuguese held the island in-conjunction with the Arakanese and Muslim rulers. Even today, some of the architecture on the island reflects the island's history as a 17th-century pirate-stronghold. Philip III, the King of Portugal, ennobled Carvalho for his efforts.<ref name=portu/>
The loyalty of the Portuguese, however, was suspected by the Arakanese. The Arakanese King of Mrauk U, Min Razagyi would execute many of the Portuguese settlers in his kingdom. In November 1602, the Jesuits fled to Sandwip following the imprisonment and execution of their head priest, Fernandes, in Chittagong (which was under Arakanese rule). Carvalho fled to Jessore for safety, but the city's ruler, Pratapaditya—an ally of the Arakanese—had him executed and sent his severed head back to Arakan.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Beveridge |first1=Henry |title=The district of Bákarganj; its history and statistics |date=1876 |publisher=Trübner & Co. |location=London |pages=173–179 |url=https://archive.org/details/districtofbkar00beve/}}</ref> Other sources say that Carvalho was not killed by Pratapaditya, but rather wounded in battle against the Mughals, and that he fled to Hugli. Ultimately he was succeeded by Manuel de Matos, but the Portuguese were defeated in Sandwip during Matos' office and the island was taken by Fateh Khan.<ref name=portu/> Khan then developed a garrison of Muslim soldiers and a fleet of 40 sailboats on the island.<ref name=webster/>
===Tibao rule=== Sebastião Gonçalves Tibao, a salt-dealer who had come to Bengal in 1605, had escaped Arakanese punishment in Dianga with some other Portuguese captives and began a life of piracy consisting of robbing the Arakan port and keeping the stolen goods with their native allies in Bakla, or as some sources say, Bhatkal. In March 1609, Fateh Khan dispatched a fleet to suppress these pirates who had been located in nearby South Shahbazpur. In retaliation, Tibao led 400 Portuguese mercenaries with a plan to colonise Sandwip. Tibao negotiated a deal with the King of Bakla or Bhatkal, receiving support in the form of ships and 200 horses for the takeover in exchange for half of the island's future revenue. However, Tibao withheld the agreed payment and later warred with the King of Bakla.<ref name=Faria1666>Manuel de Faria y Sousa, ''Asia Portuguesa'', 1666. English translation 1695 by Captain John Stevens, quoted by Beveridge 1876, p. 37.</ref> A great battle took place in Sandwip, and it was only resolved after a Spanish ship of 50 men arrived at the island to help the Portuguese take over the Sandwip Fort. Fateh Khan, 3000 Muslim pirates and all of the island's male Muslim inhabitants were killed, allowing Tibao to become the ruler of Sandwip.<ref name=portu/>
Razagyi was furious with Tibao's colonisation of Sandwip, but he faced an even more urgent threat, that the Mughal governor of Bengal was planning an attack on nearby Bhulua, so he agreed to an alliance with Tibao and even married his daughter off to him.<ref name=sml-2-84-1>(Sandamala Linkara Vol. 2 1999: 84): Tuesday, 4th waxing of Natdaw 971 ME = 1 December 1609</ref> Razagyi despatched 700 elephants, 200 ships with 4,000 men, and 90,000 soldiers to join Tibao's military under his command. Tibao later broke the alliance and seized the entire naval fleet by "murdering its captains at a council" in 1611.<ref name="sml-2-84-1" /><ref name="Beveridge1876" /> The Mughals defeated Arakan, with Razagyi fleeing to Chittagong with only a few men. Wishing to take advantage of this development and avenge the 1609 Dianga captives, Tibao destroyed the forts of Arakan but was defeated by Razagyi at the capital and returned to Sandwip.
Tibao was described to have become the "absolute sovereign" of Sandwip, as he was even obeyed by the natives as an independent ruler. In the course of a short time, his territory extended to the up until the Lemro River. He had a house built for himself and heavily increased trade in the island, boosting its economy. Many merchants visited the island, and by their commerce contributed to his revenue.<ref name=Stewart>Stewart, ''History of Bengal'', quoted in Beveridge, 1876, p. 36.</ref> Tibao developed a military of 80 cannon ships, 200 horses, 2,000 native soldiers and 1,000 Portuguese soldiers. Tibao later colonised the islands of South Shahbazpur and Patelbanga from the Raja of Batecala (Bacola). In 1616, Tibao denounced himself as an independent sovereign, offering to become a dependent ruler under the Portuguese Empire and annually provide Portuguese Goa with large amounts of rice. The condition behind the deal was for the Portuguese Viceroy of Goa to assist Tibao in a battle against Arakan, which was now ruled by Razagyi's son, Min Khamaung. The Viceroy of Goa accepted the deal and dispatched a fleet led by Don Francisco. They joined Tibao's fifty ships, sailing towards Arakan. However, Khamaung and his Dutch allies defeated Tibao, who fled back to Sandwip. By 1617, Sandwip was seized by Mrauk U, reducing Tibao to his former miserable condition and killing many of its inhabitants. Many Portuguese pirates were also transported to Chittagong as sailors and gunners as Khamaung feared the growing power of the Muslims.<ref name=Faria1666 /><ref name=app-174-177>{{cite book |last=Phayre |first=Arthur Purves |author-link=Arthur Purves Phayre |year=1967 |orig-year=First published 1883 |title=History of Burma: Including Burma Proper, Pegu, Taungu, Tenasserim, and Arakan. From the Earliest Time to the End of the First War with British India |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=h24oAAAAYAAJ&pg=PG174 |location=London |publisher=Trübner & Company |pages=174–177}}</ref><ref name=geh-142-143>{{cite book |last=Harvey |first=G. E. |year=1925 |title=History of Burma: From the Earliest Times to 10 March 1824 |location=London |publisher=Frank Cass & Co |pages=142–143}}</ref>
===Mughal conquest of Sandwip=== In the 1620s, cleric Samuel Purchas described the inhabitants of Sandwip as majority Mohammedans and mentioned the presence of a 300-year old mosque in the island. Abdul Hakim was a prominent medieval Bengali poet from Sandwip who was active in this period. Delwar Khan, also known as Raja Dilal, was the final pirate ruler of Sandwip. A former Mughal officer, he and his private army governed the island independently for about 50 years. In November 1665, Shaista Khan, the Mughal governor of Bengal, appointed General Abul Hasan to lead the conquest of Sandwip with the support of the Dutch military. Dilwar was 80 years old by that time.<ref>{{cite Banglapedia|author=Abdul Karim|article=Shaista Khan}}</ref><ref name="sark">{{cite book |editor-last=Sarkar |editor-first=Jadunath |editor-link=Jadunath Sarkar|quote=It was Shāista Khan's task to put an end to this terror [the Arakan pirates] ... The Bengal flotilla (nawwāra) had been wofully depleted ... Shāista Khan's energy and persistence overcame every obstacle. A new navy was created, manned and equipped in a little over a year ... In a short time 300 vessels were ... ready in war-trim ... The island of Sondip ... [was] captured ... (November 1665.) A still more important gain was the seduction of the Feringis of Chātgāon from the side of the Arakanese ... A feud had just then broken out between the Magh ruler of Chātgāon and the local Portuguese ... Shāista Khan gave their chief captain a bounty ... and their other leaders were all enlisted in the Mughal service|year=1973 |orig-year=First published 1948 |title=The History of Bengal |volume=II |location=Patna |publisher=Academica Asiatica |page=379 |oclc=924890 }}</ref> Abul Hassan attacked Sandwip and fought with Dilawar, who after being hit by an arrow fled to the jungles. Meanwhile, the Arakanese fleet came up to Sandip to render assistance to Dilawar. Abul Hassan prepared to assault the Arakanese fleet, which withdrew, and Abul Hasan, not pursuing it, retired to Noakhali. Nawab Shaista Khan, on hearing of this, sent another fleet consisting of 1,500 gunners and 400 cavalry, commanded by Ibn-i-Husain, Superintendent of the Nawarah (Fleet), Jamal Khan, Serandaz Khan, Qaramal Khan, and Muhammad Beg to reinforce Abul Hassan; to co-operate with the latter and occupy Sandwip; and to extirpate Dilawar. Ibn-i-Husain with this reinforcement moved up to Noakhali, in front of Sandwip, and halted there with Muhammad Beg in order to blockade the passage of the Arakanese fleet. Abul Hassan, with others, then attacked Sandwip, wounded and captured Sharif, son of Dilawar, and also captured, after severe fighting, Dilawar and his followers, and sent them prisoners to Jahangirnagar (Dhaka).<ref>Alamgirnama, Mirza Muhammad Kazim (Pers.text P.943)</ref> Dilawar had many sons and two daughters; Musabibi and Maryam Bibi. Among his sons, only the name of Sharif Khan is known. As a means of compensation, Shaista Khan granted Dilawar's younger sons a jagir of 10-12 villages on the banks of the Dhaleshwari River in Patharghata-Mithapukur near Dhaka. These villages were destroyed due to fluvial erosion two hundred years later. The family then relocated to the village of Ganda in Savar.<ref>Prof Rajib Humayun, Sandiper Itihas, Somaj O Songskriti(1987)(সন্দ্বীপের ইতিহাস, সমাজ ও সংস্কৃতি) P.80,91</ref><ref>Chowdhury, ABM Siddiq (1988). শাশ্বত সন্দ্বীপ [Eternal Sandwip] (in Bengali).</ref>
The Arakanese also fell out with the Portuguese, which led to the Portuguese assisting the Mughals. By 26 January 1666, the Mughal conquest of Sandwip was successful and the chief captain of the European pirates was rewarded.<ref name=portu/>
===Mughal rule=== Abdul Karim Khan was subsequently appointed as the Mughal faujdar (military governor) of Sandwip. He had 100 cavalry and 400 infantry under his control. In order to facilitate the collection of revenue, a man named Muhammad Qasim was appointed as the Ahaddar (secretary) of Sandwip. The locals were outraged by Dilawar's defeat at the hands of the Mughals and the loss of Sandwip's independent status. The Mughal administration took some public welfare measures to bring the situation in their favour. One of them was to reducing the rate of rent imposed by Dilawar, in their first year. Another notable move was that Sandwip was given a lease arrangement to subdue the island's elite. When the lessees collected the rent and submitted it to Muhammad Qasim, he would arrange for it to be sent to the treasury. Under this system, the lessees enjoyed financial benefits and status.<ref>{{cite book|language=bn|script-title=bn:সন্দ্বীপ উত্তরন|author=Shahidullah, Muhammad}}</ref>
Dilal's son-in-law Chand Khan rose to prominence in the 1670s and the Mughal administration realised that collecting Sandwip's revenue would not be an easy task if Khan was not on their side. Sandwip's lease arrangement was given to Khan to facilitate revenue collection. After settling the lease, Khan realised that it would not be possible for him to collect the revenue of the vast Sandwip alone. He subcontracted various parts of the island to two relatives, Bakhtiyar Muhammad and Muhammad Hanif, as well as Madhusudan Chaudhuri of Bakla-Chandradwip, an employee of the Qanungo office. These lessees later became the Zamindars of Sandwip. Khan left more than half of the island to himself and then distributed five-eighths of the remainder to Bakhtiyar Muhammad and Muhammad Hanif and three eighths to Madhusudan Chowdhury. A portion of Sandwip, Sholo Anna was jointly owned to meet various expenses. Part of the sub-contracted lessees later became known as Dihi Musapur, Dihi Bakharpur and Dihi Rampur. Khan's headquarters was located west of the Musapur Dighi (lake) and continues to be known as Sadari Bhita although the building is no longer standing.
From around 1690 to the 1730s, the zamindars of Sandwip were Chand Khan's two sons, Junud Khan and Muqim Khan, Muhammad Hanif's son Muhammad Muqim, as well as Madhusudan Chaudhuri son Janardan Chaudhuri. Being the successors of Chand Khan, Junud Khan and Muqim Khan generally dominated rule over the island. In the next period, the prominent landowners of the island were Muhammad Raja (son of Junud Khan), Muhammad Husayn (son of Muqim Khan), Bakhar Muhammad and Zafar Muhammad (sons of Muhammad Muqim) and Ramchandra Chaudhuri (son of Janardan Chowdhury). Bakharpur was named after Bakhar Muhammad's zamindari. Muhammad Husayn died in 1743.
The next zamindars of Sandwip were Chowdhury Abu Torab Khan, Muhammad Murad, Muhammad Ibrahim, Muhammad Wasim, Muhammad Akbar and Surya Narayan Chowdhury. From 1750 to 1763, Abu Torab overpowered the other zamindars and dominated the island under a single authority. Ghoshal, the founder of Khidrpur's Ghoshal dynasty and the clerk of Harry Verelst, the first British governor of Chittagong, suggested that Verelst colonise Sandwip in 1763 and replace the Mughal wadadar Ozakur Mal with him. One of Verelst's employees Vishnucharan Basu took the role as the first Wadadar in British Sandwip. Ram Kishore Badujej was appointed as Basu's deputy. Abu Torab could not accept Ghoshal's authority and fought against it, but was ultimately defeated.
The volume of shipbuilding in Sandwip increased extensively during the Mughal period. In the 17th century, the shipyards of Sandwip were used to build warships for the Ottoman caliphs.<ref name="ships">{{cite Banglapedia|article=Shipbuilding Industry}}</ref><ref name="newagezakaria">{{cite news |url=http://newagebd.com/newspaper1/archive_details.php?date=2011-12-17&nid=43675 |title=Prospects of shipbuilding industry in Bangladesh |work=New Age (Bangladesh)|access-date=30 July 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131217222253/http://newagebd.com/newspaper1/archive_details.php?date=2011-12-17&nid=43675 |archive-date=2013-12-17 }}</ref>
In the late 18th century to early 19th century, Armenian merchants began to do business on the island. Khojah Kaworke, Khojah Michael and Agha Barshick owned several salt farms in Sandwip, and the existence of salt factories were noted by Italian traveller Niccolao Manucci.<ref>{{cite Banglapedia|author=Ray, Aniruddha|article=Manucci, Niccolao}}</ref><ref>{{cite Banglapedia|author=Ansar Ali, Sushil Chaudhury & Sirajul Islam|article=Armenians, The}}</ref>
===Modern period=== By the time the island came under British rule, it had a mixed population of Bengalis, both Muslim and Hindu, many of whom had arrived from Dhaka, as well as Buddhist Arakanese. The working population consisted of farmers, fishermen, pirates, and robbers. The British initially struggled in administrating the island as its inhabitants frequently made complaints. They eventually appointed a commissioner but he too would complain of the difficulties in managing the island with constant petitions from the Taluqdars. Abu Torab led Bengal's first anti-British peasant rebellion against Captain Nollekins in 1767. As a result of the tumultuous administration, the island was given direct attention to the District Collector in 1785. In 1822, the island joined the District of Noakhali.<ref name="grierson">{{cite book|author=George Abraham Grierson|title=Linguistic Survey of India|year=1903|volume=V Pt 1|pages=247–|chapter=Sandip, Noakhali District|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass |chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.76301/page/n253/mode/2up}}</ref> In 1912, many Muslim men from Sandwip travelled to the Balkan Peninsula to fight alongside the Ottoman Empire during the Balkan Wars. Keshab Ghosh, a President of the Indian National Congress, led the Violation of Law movement in Sandwip in 1930.<ref name=star/>
It is said that Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's 1966 Six Point movement began in Sandwip. During the 1970 Pakistani general election campaign, Mohammad Shah Bangali of Sandwip was the folk singer mascot for the Awami League.<ref name=star/> The area was heavily affected during the 1970 Bhola cyclone and as a response, the Government of Pakistan sent three gunboats and a hospital ship carrying medical personnel and supplies.<ref name="NYT-4">{{cite news|title=Thousands of Pakistanis Are Killed by Tidal Wave|work=The New York Times|date=14 November 1970}}</ref> The Government of Singapore sent a military medical mission to the country, which was then deployed to Sandwip where they treated nearly 27,000 people and carried out a smallpox vaccination effort.<ref name="MINDEF">{{cite web |url=http://www.mindef.gov.sg/imindef/about_us/history/birth_of_saf/v03n11_history.html |title=Medical Mission to East Pakistan |author=Choy Choi Kee |date=7 November 1999 |website=Ministry of Defence |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070626030809/http://www.mindef.gov.sg/imindef/about_us/history/birth_of_saf/v03n11_history.html |archive-date=26 June 2007 |access-date=15 April 2007}}</ref> During the Bangladesh War of 1971, Sandwip was included in Sector 1. On 10 May, many civilians were murdered including Jahedur Rahman, a lawyer in Sandwip town, who was killed on Kargil Bridge. On the same day, Jasim Uddin, a student at the Chittagong College, was arrested in Sandwip and taken to Chittagong to be imprisoned. He was later released but continued as a Bengali freedom fighter, leading to his execution on 10 December.<ref name=star>{{cite news|author=Abul Kalam Elias|date=16 December 2003|title=The contribution of Sandwip to the struggle for freedom|volume=4|url=http://archive.thedailystar.net/2003/12/16/d31216020527.htm|website=The Daily Star|archive-date=7 October 2022|access-date=18 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221007083327/http://archive.thedailystar.net/2003/12/16/d31216020527.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref>
A Bangladesh Navy fleet headquarters at Sandwip Channel with ship berthing facilities is being constructed as part of Forces Goal 2030.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://unb.com.bd/bangladesh-news/One-day-BD-Navy-to-become-builder-from-buyer-hopes-PM/59066 |title=One day BD Navy to become builder from buyer, hopes PM |work=United News of Bangladesh|date=24 December 2017 |access-date=24 December 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171225035005/http://unb.com.bd/bangladesh-news/One-day-BD-Navy-to-become-builder-from-buyer-hopes-PM/59066 |archive-date=25 December 2017 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
== Agriculture == Sandwip Island was formed by silt deposits from the estuary of the Meghna river, enriching the land with sediments and becoming highly fertile, to the point that agriculture is the main occupation of most of the island's population. The many crops grown include rice, jute, potato, betel leaf and betel nut, chilli, sugarcane, radish, tomato, eggplants, cauliflower, okra, cabbage, mustard, corn, ginger, various legumes and green beans, sweet potato, carrot, coriander, mint, and more. There is also fruit, including citrus, watermelon, mango, jackfruit, banana, cherimoya, sapote, coconuts, papaya, guava, ''kul'' (breadfruit) and date palms. thumb|250px|Sandwip Ferry Ghat
== Natural disasters == thumb|250px|Sunset in Sandwip The geographical location of Sandwip has made the island more vulnerable to tropical cyclones and storm surges for over 200 years, since nearly 10% of the world's cyclones develop in the Bay of Bengal.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Gray |first=William M. |date=1968-10-01 |title=Global View of the Origin of Tropical Disturbances and Storms |journal=Monthly Weather Review |language=EN |volume=96 |issue=10 |pages=669–700 |doi=10.1175/1520-0493(1968)096<0669:GVOTOO>2.0.CO;2 |bibcode=1968MWRv...96..669G |issn=1520-0493|doi-access=free |hdl=10217/107 |hdl-access=free }}</ref><ref name="Paul 199–215">{{Cite journal |last1=Paul |first1=Alak |last2=Rahman |first2=Maksudur |date=April 2006 |title=Cyclone Mitigation Perspectives in the Islands of Bangladesh: A Case of Sandwip and Hatia Islands |url=http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/08920750500531371 |journal=Coastal Management |language=en |volume=34 |issue=2 |pages=199–215 |doi=10.1080/08920750500531371 |bibcode=2006CoasM..34..199P |issn=0892-0753|url-access=subscription }}</ref> In the years 1825, 1876, 1970, 1985, 1991, and 1997, Sandwip was affected by devastating cyclones and tornadoes.<ref name="Paul 199–215"/> On 29 April 1991, a Category 5 cyclone hit the island, causing a death toll of about 40,000 and the destruction of 80% of the island's houses. The velocity of the cyclone was {{convert|225|km/h|0|abbr=on}}. As a result of the 1991 cyclone, the Bangladesh Remote Union Council began to take more enhanced measures to protect residents of the island through wider distribution of storm warning signals, as well as relief and rehabilitation programs led by NGOs such as the Association for Social Advancement to reduce the impact of future natural disasters.<ref name="Paul 199–215"/>
==Climate== {{Weather box | width = auto | metric first = yes | single line = yes | location = Sandwip (1991–2020, extremes 1966-present) | Jan record high C = 31.0 | Feb record high C = 33.7 | Mar record high C = 37.7 | Apr record high C = 38.9 | May record high C = 37.2 | Jun record high C = 39.3 | Jul record high C = 36.5 | Aug record high C = 36.5 | Sep record high C = 36.3 | Oct record high C = 36.0 | Nov record high C = 34.7 | Dec record high C = 33.0 | year record high C = 39.3 | Jan high C = 25.7 | Feb high C = 28.2 | Mar high C = 31.0 | Apr high C = 32.2 | May high C = 32.3 | Jun high C = 31.4 | Jul high C = 30.7 | Aug high C = 31.0 | Sep high C = 31.5 | Oct high C = 31.7 | Nov high C = 29.9 | Dec high C = 26.8 | year high C = 30.2 | Jan mean C = 19.0 | Feb mean C = 22.1 | Mar mean C = 26.0 | Apr mean C = 28.3 | May mean C = 28.9 | Jun mean C = 28.6 | Jul mean C = 28.1 | Aug mean C = 28.4 | Sep mean C = 28.5 | Oct mean C = 27.9 | Nov mean C = 24.5 | Dec mean C = 20.5 | year mean C = 25.9 | Jan low C = 13.5 | Feb low C = 16.4 | Mar low C = 21.0 | Apr low C = 24.2 | May low C = 25.1 | Jun low C = 25.8 | Jul low C = 25.5 | Aug low C = 25.5 | Sep low C = 25.4 | Oct low C = 24.3 | Nov low C = 19.9 | Dec low C = 15.4 | year low C = 21.8 | Jan record low C = 7.4 | Feb record low C = 9.0 | Mar record low C = 13.0 | Apr record low C = 17.6 | May record low C = 18.6 | Jun record low C = 20.1 | Jul record low C = 22.2 | Aug record low C = 21.0 | Sep record low C = 20.0 | Oct record low C = 18.9 | Nov record low C = 12.6 | Dec record low C = 8.5 | year record low C = 7.4 | precipitation colour = green | Jan precipitation mm = 9 | Feb precipitation mm = 21 | Mar precipitation mm = 66 | Apr precipitation mm = 108 | May precipitation mm = 388 | Jun precipitation mm = 713 | Jul precipitation mm = 945 | Aug precipitation mm = 655 | Sep precipitation mm = 491 | Oct precipitation mm = 280 | Nov precipitation mm = 51 | Dec precipitation mm = 6 | year precipitation mm = 3733 | unit precipitation days = 1 mm | Jan precipitation days = 1 | Feb precipitation days = 2 | Mar precipitation days = 3 | Apr precipitation days = 6 | May precipitation days = 14 | Jun precipitation days = 19 | Jul precipitation days = 23 | Aug precipitation days = 21 | Sep precipitation days = 18 | Oct precipitation days = 10 | Nov precipitation days = 2 | Dec precipitation days = 1 | year precipitation days = 120 |Jan humidity=79 |Feb humidity=77 |Mar humidity=79 |Apr humidity=82 |May humidity=84 |Jun humidity=88 |Jul humidity=90 |Aug humidity=89 |Sep humidity=88 |Oct humidity=85 |Nov humidity=82 |Dec humidity=81 |year humidity= | Jan sun = 230.9 | Feb sun = 225.5 | Mar sun = 245.3 | Apr sun = 233.6 | May sun = 214.7 | Jun sun = 172.2 | Jul sun = 161.8 | Aug sun = 173.6 | Sep sun = 178.6 | Oct sun = 220.8 | Nov sun = 241.1 | Dec sun = 229.8 | year sun = 2527.9 | source 1 = NOAA<ref name="WMONormals">{{cite web |url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/data/oceans/archive/arc0216/0253808/4.4/data/0-data/Region-2-WMO-Normals-9120/Bangladesh/CSV/Sandwip_41964.csv |title = World Meteorological Organization Climate Normals for 1991-2020 — Sandwip |publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |access-date = June 16, 2024}}</ref> |source 2 = Bangladesh Meteorological Department (humidity 1981-2010)<ref name=climatereport>{{cite web | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20181224171550/http://bmd.gov.bd/file/2016/08/17/pdf/21827.pdf | archive-date = 24 December 2018 | url = http://bmd.gov.bd/file/2016/08/17/pdf/21827.pdf | title = Climate of Bangladesh | publisher = Bangladesh Meteorological Department | access-date = 24 December 2018}}</ref><ref name = BMDhumidity>{{cite web | url = http://www.bmd.gov.bd/?/p/=Monthly-Humidity-Normal-Data | title = Normal Monthly Humidity | publisher = Bangladesh Meteorological Department | access-date = 31 January 2016}}</ref> }}
== Notable people== * Chowdhury Abu Torab Khan, leader of Bengal's first anti-British uprising * Abul Kashem Sandwip, educationist and a founder of Bangladesh Betar * Abdul Hakim, 17th-century poet * Abul Fazal Ziaur Rahman, physician and army officer * AKM Asadul Haq, physician and army officer * AKM Rafiq Ullah Choudhury, politician and language activist * Alhaz Mustafizur Rahman, politician * Belal Muhammad, a founder of Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra * Belayet Hossain, Bangladeshi fighter * Chowdhury Hasan Sarwardy, former lieutenant general of Bangladesh Army * Dilal Khan, final independent ruler of Sandwip * M. Obaidul Huq, politician * Mostafa Kamal Pasha, politician * Muzaffar Ahmad, politician and journalist; one of the founders of the Communist Party of India * Master Shahjahan BA, politician * Rajib Humayun, linguist, playwright and educator * Shamsuddin Qasemi, Islamic scholar and politician * Lalmohan Sen, revolutionary involved in the Chittagong armoury raid * Mohit Kamal, psychotherapist * Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan, economist and adviser to the Interim government of Bangladesh * Khaled Belal, Storyteller and journalist * Syed Abdul Majid, politician and lawyer
==Gallery== {{Commons category|Sandwip}} <gallery widths=180> File:Ships Wharf, Sandwip.jpg|Ships Wharf, Sandwip Dheki at Sandwip.jpg|Dheki (husking pedal) once was very common in houses of Sandwip File:Kakataruya.jpg|Kakataruya File:Boat 8.jpg File:Coastal Sandwip.jpg File:Guftasara Bridge.jpg </gallery>
==See also== {{portal|Islands}} * History of Bangladesh * List of islands of Bangladesh
==Notes== {{notelist}}
==References== {{reflist}}
Category:Islands of Bangladesh Category:Islands of the Bay of Bengal Category:Sandwip Upazila Category:Tourism in Bangladesh Category:Populated places in Bangladesh