Kashiani Upazila
Kashiani Upazila (gopalganj district) area 286.31 sq km, located in between 23°05' and 23°19' north latitudes and in between 89°41' and 89°56' east longitudes. It is bounded by boalmari upazila on the north, gopalganj sadar upazila on the south, muksudpur and Gopalganj Sadar upazilas on the east, lohagara and alfadanga upazilas on the west.
Population Total 207615; male 99912, female 107703; Muslim 163487, Hindu 44000, Christian 120, Buddhist 3 and others 5.
Water bodies madhumati, Barasia; Basarater Canal is notable.
Administration Kashiani Thana was formed in 1936 and it was turned into an upazila in 1983.
| Upazila | ||||||||
| Municipality | Union | Mouza | Village | Population | Density (per sq km) | Literacy rate (%) | ||
| Urban | Rural | Urban | Rural | |||||
| - | 14 | 149 | 162 | 5352 | 202263 | 725 | 75.2 | 58.8 |
| Upazila Town | ||||||||
|
Area (sq km) |
Mouza |
Population |
Density (per sq km) |
Literacy rate (%) | ||||
| 1.67 (2001) | 1 | 5352 | 3380 (2001) | 75.2 | ||||
| Union | ||||
| Name of union and GO code | Area (acre) | Population | Literacy rate (%) | |
| Male | Female | |||
| Orakandi 54 | 4347 | 6218 | 6894 | 65.6 |
| Kashiani 27 | 5291 | 11601 | 12589 | 63.6 |
| Nijamkandi 47 | 5083 | 5347 | 5566 | 55.0 |
| Puisur 67 | 3864 | 3552 | 3885 | 69.2 |
| Parulia 61 | 4293 | 4584 | 5017 | 51.4 |
| Fukura 13 | 6865 | 10893 | 11867 | 58.5 |
| Bethuri 06 | 4933 | 6110 | 6153 | 60.3 |
| Maheshpur 40 | 8963 | 14685 | 16327 | 52.6 |
| Mamudpur 33 | 3998 | 5451 | 5848 | 56.0 |
| Rajpat 74 | 4139 | 6012 | 6250 | 59.2 |
| Ratail 81 | 6093 | 9476 | 10553 | 60.8 |
| Sajail 88 | 6389 | 8502 | 9371 | 61.3 |
| Singa 94 | 3468 | 3440 | 3301 | 63.0 |
| Hatiara 20 | 2942 | 4041 | 4082 | 59.9 |
Source Bangladesh Population Census 2001 and 2011, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics.
Archaeological heritage and relics Sree Sree Hari Mandir.
Historical events In 1846, the indigo planters of Kashiani upazila killed three rebellious peasants.
War of Liberation On 2 September 1971 an encounter between the freedom fighters and the Pak army was held at Bhatiapara Wireless Station in which one freedom fighter was killed. On 5 October the freedom fighters launched an attack on the Bhatiapara Wireless Station and killed 7 Pak soldiers. In the month of October an encounter was held between the freedom fighters and the Pak army at a place on the bank of Tarail-Fukra river in which four freedom fighters were killed; the Pak army also captured other 4 freedom fighters and killed them all at a slaughter place in Gopalgonj. In late October about 30 Pak soldiers were killed in an encounter with the freedom fighters. In another encounter of the freedom fighters in early December, 17 Pak soldiers were killed. Freedom fighters killed about 6 Pak soldiers in a three-day fight on 16, 17 and 18 December. Besides, during the war of liberation encounters were held between the freedom fighters and the Pak army at Fukura, Bhatiapara and Rahuldanga in which more than one hundred Pak soldiers were killed and so were 20 freedom fighters and 50 innocent villagers. On 19 December 49 Pak soldiers surrendered to the freedom fighters and the allied forces. A memorial monument was built at Bhatiapara of Kashiani upazila.
For details: See কাশিয়ানী উপজেলা, বাংলাদেশ মুক্তিযুদ্ধ জ্ঞানকোষ (Encyclopedia of Bangladesh War of Liberation), বাংলাদেশ এশিয়াটিক সোসাইটি, ঢাকা ২০২০, খণ্ড ২।
Religious institutions Mosque 392, temple 233, church 1, tomb 1.
Literacy rate and educational institutions Average literacy 59.2%; male 60.5%, female 58.0%. Educational institutions: college 5, secondary school 39, primary school 156, madrasa 11, kindergarten 4. Noted educational institutions: Government SK College (1942), AR Ali Khan College (1942), University of Creative Technology College (BEd College), Madan Mohan High School (1902), Kashiani Girish Chandra Pilot High School (1902), Orakandi High School (1909), Kumaria Lakshmipur Nimmna Secondary School (1914), Sajail Gopi Mohan High School (1929), Ramdia SK Secondary School, Bhatiapara Secondary School, Joynagar Secondary School, Tilchhara Secondary School, Demrakandi NI Madrasa, Majra MU Senior Madrasa, Joynagar Senior Madrasa.
Newspapers and periodicals Weekly: Gramanchal, Pratoy (irregular), Barasia (irregular), Ramdia Barta (defunct); Monthly: Matua Darpan.
Cultural organisations Library 9, cinema hall 1, theatre group 1, women organisation 33, club 50, playground 60, theatre 1, other cultural society 8.'
Main sources of income Agriculture 60.01%, non-agricultural labourer 3.07%, industry 0.44%, commerce 10.76%, transport and communication 2.69%, service 15.32%, construction 0.98%, religious service 0.22%, rent and remittance 0.70% and others 5.81%.
Ownership of agricultural land Landowner 65.84%, landless 34.16%; agricultural landowner: urban 48.91% and rural 66.28%.
Main crops Paddy, jute, wheat, mustard, betel leaf, pulse.
Extinct or nearly extinct crops Kaun, arahar, sweet potato.
Main fruits Mango, blackberry, jackfruit, coconut, banana, papaya.
Fisheries, dairies and poultries Fishery 240, dairy 134, poultry 256, nursery 12.
Communication facilities Pucca road 201 km, semi-pucca road 69 km, mud road 171 km; waterway 65 km; railway 11 km.
Extinct or nearly extinct traditional transport Palanquin, horse carriage, bullock cart.
Noted manufactories Ice factory, saw mill.
Cottage industries Goldsmith, blacksmith, potteries, weaving, bamboo and cane work, nakshi kantha, nakshi pakha.
Hats, bazars and fairs Hats and bazars are 30, fairs 11, most noted of which are Kashiani Hat, Bhatiapara Hat, Joynagar Hat, Ramdia Hat, Fukura Hat, Paranpur Cattle Hat, Bathandanga Hat, Kumaria Hat and Orakandi Baruni Mela.
Main exports Fish, betel leaf, pulse, jute.
Access to electricity All the unions of the upazila are under rural electrification net-work. However 45.4% of the dwelling households have access to electricity.
Natural resources Pit coal has been discovered in Singa, Hatiara and Rajpat unions of the upazila.
Sources of drinking water Tube-well 95.0%, tap 0.6% and others 4.4%.
Sanitation 79.1% of dwelling households of the upazila use sanitary latrines and 18.2% of dwelling households use non-sanitary latrines; 2.7% of households do not have latrine facilities.
Health centres Upazila health complex 1, family planning centre 6, satellite clinic 8, clinic 4.
NGO activities Operationally important NGOs are Sampriti, NADO, brac, asa. [Md Shah Alam]
References Bangladesh Population Census 2001 and 2011, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics; Cultural survey report of Kashiani Upazila 2007.
