Thakurgaon Sadar Upazila

Thakurgaon Sadar Upazila

Thakurgaon Sadar Upazila (thakurgaon district) area 683.45 sq km, located in between 25°40' and 25°59' north latitudes and in between 88°15' and 88°22' east longitudes. It is bounded by atwari and boda upazilas on the north, pirganj (thakurgaon) and birganj upazilas on the south, Boda,debiganj and Birganj upazilas on the east, baliadangi and ranisankail upazilas on the west.

Population Total 504428; male 260515, female 243913; Muslim 369486, Hindu 129794, Buddhist 3614, Christian 38 and others 1496. Indigenous communities such as santal, oraon, munda, Mushar and rajbanshi belong to this upazila.

Water bodies Main rivers: tangon, nagar, Kulik, Pathari; Ulir Beel is notable.

Administration Thakurgaon Sadar Thana was formed in 1800 and it was turned into an upazila in 1984.

Source Bangladesh Population Census 2001,Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics.

Archaeological heritage and relics Govinda Nagar Mandir, Jamalpur Jami Mosque, Karam Khan Garh, Brishamurti at Nargun Kaharpara, Khurram Khan Pond at Debipur, Govinda Jeu Mandir (eighteenth century), Shapla and Peala Dighi.

Historical events tebhaga movement spread over Thakurgaon extensively. During the Tebhaga Movement 35 peasants were killed and many were wounded when police fired on a procession. Direct encounters were held between the freedom fighters and the Pak army at Bhulli, Gareya and Salandar in which many people were killed. The Pak army conducted mass killing and plundering; they also set many houses of the upazila on fire.

Marks of the War of Liberation Mass grave: Sukhanpukhari, Jhatidanga, Hater bridge, Pharabari and on the banks of river Tangon of Thakurgaon town; mass killing site: Sabdal Danga, BDR Camp.

Religious institutions Mosque 655, temple 120, church 19.

Literacy rate and educational institutions Average literacy 47.4%; male 53.5%, female 40.9%. Educational institutions: technical college 1, teacher's centre 1, B.ED college 1, vocational training institute 1, vocational textile institute 1, youth training centre 2, college 9, secondary school 112, primary school 337. Noted educational institutions: Thakurgaon Government College (1957), Thakurgaon Zila School (1904), Thakurgaon Government Boys' High School (1904), Ruhea High School (1939), Madarganj MB High School (1945), Salandar Triple Kamil Madrasa.

Newspapers and periodicals Defunct daily: Thakurgaon Darpan, Sangrami Bangla, Gram Bangla, Bangladesh, Janarab; defunct literary periodicals: Aso Cheye Dekhi Prithibi, Usashi, Chalachitra.

Cultural organisations Library 10, club 68, cinema hall 10, theatre group 7, theatre stage 1, playground 43, shilpakala academy 1.

Important installations TV Relay Centre 1, Radio Station 1.

Main sources of income Agriculture 65.07%, non-agricultural labourer 3.75%, industry 0.49%, commerce 11.94%, transport and communication 4.87%, service 6.97%, construction 1.32%, religious service 0.14%, rent and remittance 0.22% and others 5.23%.

Ownership of agricultural land Landowner 57.16%, landless 42.84%; agricultural landowner: urban 43.90% and rural 58.58%.'

Main crops Paddy, wheat, potato, sugarcane, pulse, mustard, vegetables.

Extinct or nearly extinct crops Aus paddy, barley, jute.

Main fruits Mango, jackfruit, litchi, banana, papaya, watermelon.

Communication facilities Pucca road 108 km, semi-pucca road 11 km, mud road 805 km; railway 33 km.

Extinct or nearly extinct traditional transport Palanquin, horse carriage, bullock cart.

Noted manufactories Rice mill, sugar mill, saw mill, flour mill, oil mill, textile mill, husking mill, ice cream factory, pipe factory, chemical and pharmaceutical industry, cold storage.

Cottage industries Goldsmith, blacksmith, potteries, weaving, manufacture of jute goods, bamboo work, wood work.

Hats, bazars and fairs Hats and bazars are 45, fairs 6, most noted of which are Gareya Hat, Bhulli Hat, Shibganj Hat, Ramnath Hat, Khochabari Hat, Pharabari Hat, Chowdhury Hat, Baradham Mela, Ruhea Mela and Muktar Mela.

Main exports Rice, pulse, potato, mango, jackfruit, litchi, watermelon, sugar, vegetables.

Access to electricity All the wards and unions of the upazila are under rural electrification net-work. However 23.59% of the dwelling households have access to electricity.

Sources of drinking water Tube-well 91.86%, tap 0.68%, pond 0.35% and others 7.11%.

Sanitation 18.20% (rural 14% and urban 57.43%) of dwelling households of the upazila use sanitary latrines and 30.23% (rural 30.43% and urban 28.24%) of dwelling households use non-sanitary latrines; 51.57% of households do not have latrine facilities.

Health centres Hospital 1, upazila health complex 1, union health centre 12, family planning centre 19, maternity 1, diabetic hospital 1, chest diseases hospital 1, veterinary hospital 1.