PATUAKHALI

town, south-central Bangladesh. It is situated along the Patuakhali River, a distributary of the Arial Khan. An important trading centre for rice, jute, oilseeds, sugarcane, and betel nuts, it is also a rice milling and match manufacturing centre. It is connected by road and river steamer with Barisal. It has five colleges affiliated with the University of Dhaka. The surrounding area is a floodplain drained by the Haringhata, Bishkhali, and Burishwar rivers and forms part of the Sundarbans (q.v.). Rice, jute, sugarcane, coconuts, chilies, and tobacco are the chief crops; freshwater and saltwater fishes are abundant. Pop. (1981 prelim.) town, 45,818.