Phulpur Upazila

Phulpur Upazila (mymensingh district) area 626.20 sq km, located in between 24°44' and 25°02' north latitudes and in between 90°13' and 90°33' east longitudes. It is bounded by haluaghat upazila on the north, mymensingh sadar upazila on the south, gauripur and purbadhala upazilas on the east, nakla upazila on the west.

Population Total 601766; male 297749, female 304017; Muslim 579302, Hindu 20808, Buddhist 4, Christian 1056 and others 596. Indigenous community such as garo belongs to this upazila.

Water bodies Main rivers: Bhogai, Kakuria, Mogra, Soai, Deor; Deomara Beel, Koma Beel, Haria Beel and Khailakuri Beel are notable.

Administration Phulpur Thana was formed in 1874 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
1 20 370 411 25628 576138 961 53.9 36.9
Municipality
Area
(sq km)
Ward Mahalla Population Density
(per sq km)
Literacy rate (%)
10.10 9 12 25628 2537 53.9
Union
Name of union and GO code Area (acre) Population Literacy rate (%)
Male Female
Kakni 40 6653 14096 14042 35.6
Kamargaon 45 7435 12050 12501 31.1
Kamaria 49 8169 15605 15855 40.3
Galagaon 36 8587 15728 16315 34.9
Sandhara 81 6693 12180 12791 40.3
Dhakua 31 7861 13201 13259 39.5
Tarakanda 94 7377 18048 18400 40.7
Payari 54 6445 12857 13021 36.4
Phulpur 58 7137 11912 12007 29.7
Baola 27 7388 13258 13441 36.8
Banihala 13 7203 13092 13067 36.8
Balikhan 12 7548 14923 15397 33.6
Balia 11 6319 12002 12610 43.7
Bishka 22 9541 17743 18243 38.1
Bhaitkandi 18 6659 13714 13982 37.5
Rupasi 76 8050 15257 15578 39.9
Rahimganj 63 7529 15662 16081 27.9
Rampur 72 7137 13256 13399 40.5
Rambhadrapur 67 8100 14493 14948 37.5
Singheshwar 90 10252 15764 16360 36.5

Source Bangladesh Population Census 2011, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics.

War of Liberation During the war of liberation in 1971 the Pak army arrested nine Bangalis along with Satyendranath Datta, the then Head Master of the Payari High School and took them to the Sarsapur mass killing site. However, the Head Master managed to escape diving into water. Thirty three freedom fighters were killed in a battle with the Pak army at village Ramsona of Sandhara union. There is a mass killing site in the upazila and mass graves at 2 places.

For details: see ফুলপুর উপজেলা, বাংলাদেশ মুক্তিযুদ্ধ জ্ঞানকোষ (Encyclopedia of Bangladesh War of Liberation), বাংলাদেশ এশিয়াটিক সোসাইটি, ঢাকা ২০২০, খণ্ড ৬।

Religious institutions Mosque 765, temple 39, church 5, tomb 5. Noted religious institutions: Phulpur Bus Stand Jami mosque, Tarakanda Jami mosque, Phulpur Sahapara temple.

Literacy rate and educational institutions Average literacy 37.7%; male 38.4%, female 36.9%. Educational institutions: college 8, secondary school 55, primary school 232, madrasa 175. Noted educational institutions: Phulpur Degree College, Phulpur Mohila College, Bangabandhu Degree College, Baola College, Chandapur College, Phulpur Pilot High School (1882), Taldighi Multilateral High School (1911), Mojahardi High School (1911), Batta Bhatpara SC High School (1914), Gakulchandra High School (1923), Tarakanda Multilateral High School (1929), Phulpur High School, Rambhadrapur High School, Singheshwar High School, Rahimganj High School, Rupasi' High School, Baola High School, Balia High School, Badrakanda High School, Galagaon High School, Kakni High School, Kakni Model Academy, Charia High School,' Chargoadanga Senior Fazil Madrasa (1915).

Newspapers and periodicals Weekly: Phulpur Barta, Tarakanda Barta, Abohoman.

Cultural organisations Library 8, theatre group 5, cinema hall 4.

Main sources of income Agriculture 74.51%, non-agricultural labourer 4%, industry 0.39%, commerce 7.18%, transport and communication 2.22%, service 2.70%, construction 0.70%, religious service 0.15%, rent and remittance 0.11% and others 8.04%.

Ownership of agricultural land Landowner 61.21%, landless 38.79%; agricultural landowner: urban 44.32% and rural 61.70%.'

Main crops Paddy, wheat, onion, garlic, pulse, potato, vegetables.

Extinct or nearly extinct crops Aus paddy, jute.

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

Fisheries, dairies and poultries Fishery 200, dairy 176, poultry 52, hatchery 8, nursery 136.

Communication facilities Pucca road 105 km, semi-pucca road 3 km, mud road 1007 km; railway 2 km.

Extinct or nearly extinct traditional transport Palanquin, bullock cart.

Noted manufactories Rice mill 16, saw mill 18, brick field 12, ice cream factory 5, bakery 20, bidi factory 1, welding factory 20.

Cottage industries Weaving, bamboo work.

Hats, bazars and fairs Hats and bazars are 44, most noted of which are Amuakandha Hat, Tarakanda Bazar, Balia Bazar, Bhaitkandi Bazar and Kashiganj Bazar.

Main exports Rice, wheat, onion, garlic.

Access to electricity All the wards and unions of the upazila are under rural electrification net-work. However, 29.6% of the dwelling households of the upazila have access to electricity.

Sources of drinking water Tube-well 94.7%, tap 0.4% and others 4.9%.

Sanitation 35.5% of dwelling households of the upazila use sanitary latrines and 50.5% of dwelling households use non-sanitary latrines; 14.0% of households do not have latrine facilities.

Health centres Upazila health complex 1, hospital 1, health and family welfare centre 12, satellite clinic 15, community clinic 71.

NGO activities Operationally important NGOs are World Vision, caritas, brac, asa, Ahsania Mission, CIDA, TSS. [Nurul Amin]

References Bangladesh Population Census 2001 and 2011, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics; Cultural survey report of Phulpur Upazila 2007.