Barura Upazila (comilla district) with an area of 241.65 sq km, is bounded by burichang and chandina upazilas on the north, laksam upazila on the south, comilla sadar upazila on the east and Chandina and kachua upazilas on the west. Part of Lalmai Hills stand on the eastern side of the upazila. Carzon khal is notable
Barura (Town) The town is now a municipality with an area of about 4.87 sq km. It consists of 9 wards and 26 mahallas. The town has a population of 38608; male 49.76%, female 50.24%. Literacy rate among the town people is 35.7%. There is a big pond known as Krishna Sagar located in the upazila sadar.
Administration Barura thana was established in 1948 and was turned into an upazila in 1983. Earlier Barura thana was a part of the Chandina thana. Barura municipality was established in 1995. The upazila consists of one municipality, 15 union parishads, 231 mouzas and 332 villages.
Archaeological heritage and relics Adinamura Mosque and Mazar, Chandimata Mandir located on the top of the Lalmai Hill adjacent to Chandimura Bazar.
Historical events During the war of liberation on 10 September 1971 a battle was fought between the Pakistan army and the freedom fighters at Payalgachha Battali. In this battle five freedom fighters were killed.
Marks of the War of Liberation Mass grave 1 (Narayanpur near Battali).
Population 310778; male 50.05%, female 49.95%; Muslim 91.37%, Hindu 8.44%, Buddhist 0.14%, and others 0.05%. Population density per sq km is 1284.
Religious institutions Mosque 499, temple 98, buddhist vihara 1, Eidgah 134. Noted religious institutions Barura Jami Mosque, Adinamura Mosque and Mazar, tomb of Abdul Hamid (R) at Maheshpur, Barura Central Eidgah and Chandimata Mandir at Chandimura.
Literacy and educational institutions Average literacy 31.8%; male 37.6% and female 26%. Educational institutions: college 3, high school 35, junior high school 3, madrasa 35, maktab 300, government primary school 97, non-government primary school 23 and low cost school 15. Noted educational institutions: Barura Shahid Smriti Government College (1972), Payalgachha Post Graduate College, Barura Hazi Nawab Ali Pilot High School (1967), Talagram T C Laha Multilateral High School (1931), Rajamara Sunnia Madrassa (1944), Barura Alia Madrassa.
Locally published newspapers and periodicals Weekly Telephone (current), Aahaban (extinct).
Cultural organisations Club 42, public library 2, theatre party 1, cooperative society 218, community centre 16.
Main occupations Agriculture 53.28%, agricultural labour 18.88%, wage labourer 2.22%, commerce 7.96%, service 6.31%, transport 3.26%, and others 8.09%.
Land use Total cultivable land 18020.64 hectares single crop 6.73%, double crop 62.74% and treble crop land 30.53%; cultivable land under irrigation 9337.92 hectares.
Land control Among the peasants 22% are landless, 29% small, 38% intermediate and 11% rich.
Value of land The market value of the land of the first grade is 20000 Tk per 0.01 hectare.
Main crops Paddy, jute, mustard seed, wheat, sesame, betel leaf, hogla leaf and vegetables.
Extinct or nearly extinct crops Linseed, kaun, local variety of paddy.
Main fruits Mango, jackfruit, coconut, kul, palm and watermelon.
Fisheries, dairies, poultries farm Dairy 35, poultry 46.
Communication facilities Roads: pucca road 61 km, semi pucca 10 km and mud road 982 km; railways 0.25 km.
Traditional transport Palanquin (extinct), bullock cart (nearly extinct), boat.
Manufactories Rice mill 1, brick field 4, cotton mill 1.
Cottage industries Loom 129, bamboo and cane work 746, hogla leaf work 41, jute and wood work 173.
Main hats, bazars and fairs Main hats and bazars are 45, the most noted hats and bazars are Barura, Rammahan, Jhalam, Fakirhat, Khosgbas, Maheshpur, Adda, Haripur, Chandimura, Amratali, Payalgachha, Aganagar Hat; noted fairs are Chandimura, Sahapur, Laxmipur and Rammahan Mela.
Main exports Betel leaf.
NGO activities Operationally important NGOs are brac, asa, grameen bank, Care, proshika, Pages and Health Care Clinic.
Health centres Upazila health complex 1, family planning centre 14, satellite clinic 5, private clinic 1 and charitable dispensary 5.