View source for Barisal Town

{| class="wikitable"
|-
|colspan="0"|<div style="font-size:100%">
This article has been extracted from <br/>

THE IMPERIAL GAZETTEER OF INDIA , 1908.<br/>

OXFORD, AT THE CLARENDON PRESS.
</div>
|} 
[[Category:India|B]]
[[Category:Places|B]]
''Note: National, provincial and district boundaries have changed considerably since 1908. Typically, old states, ‘divisions’ and districts have been broken into smaller units, units, and many tahsils upgraded to districts.Many units have since been renamed. Therefore, this article is being posted mainly for its historical value. ''
=Barisal Town=

Head-quarters of Backergunge District, Eastern 
Bengal and Assam, situated in 22° 42' N. and 90° 22' E., on the west 
bank of the Barisal river. Population (1901), 18^978, In the middle 
of the eighteenth century Barisal was an important salt chauki, or place 
where salt tax was paid. The head-quarters of the District, formerly 
at Backergunge, were transferred here in 1801. The Barisal river is 
navigable by steamers all the year round ; and daily steamers ply to 
Khulna and Narayanganj, establishing communication with Calcutta 
and Dacca respectively, the journey to the former occupying twenty-four 
hours and to the latter twelve hours. It has also steamer communica- 
tion with Patuakhali in the District and Ichakhali and Bhawaniganj in 
Noakhali. Barisal was constituted a municipality in 1876. The income 
during the decade ending 1901-2 averaged Rs. 31,000, and the 
expenditure Rs. 29,000. In 1903-4 the income was Rs. 47,000, of 
which Rs. 10,000 was derived from a tax on persons (or property tax), 
and Rs. 12,000 from a conservancy rate ; the income was also augmented 
by contributions of Rs. 4,000 for medical purposes and Rs. 10,000 for 
general purposes from Local funds and other sources. The expenditure 
in the same year was Rs. 35,000. The town has wide, straight, and 
well-kept streets, the river-side road to Sagardi being bordered by fine 
avenues ; and it is intersected by numerous creeks, which are flushed 
twice a day at flood tide, and add much to the healthiness of the town. 
There are numerous tanks, of which four, unconnected with the river, 
are reserved for drinking purposes ; a scheme to supply filtered water 
is under consideration. 

In addition to the usual public offices and the jail, the town contains 
three churches belonging to the Anglican, Roman Catholic, and Baptist 
denominations, and a public library founded in 1855. The District jail 
has accommodation for 580 prisoners, who are employed on oil-pressing, 
brick-pounding, brick-making, carpet and mat-making, weaving, and 
bamboo work. A first-grade college teaches up to the B.A. standard. 
A District school is controlled by a joint committee of the municipality 
and District board, and two girls' schools are maintained respectively by 
the Baptist Zanana Mission and by subscriptions ; a technical school 
is affiliated to the District school. There are five printing presses, 
and three vernacular newspapers are published in the town.