Netrokona Sadar Upazila

Netrokona Sadar Upazila (netrokona district) area 341.71 sq km, located in between 24°47' and 24°58' north latitudes and in between 90°38' and 90°50' east longitudes. It is bounded by durgapur (Netrokona) and kalmakanda upazilas on the north, kendua and gauripur upazilas on the south, barhatta and atpara upazilas on the east, purbadhala upazila on the west.

Population Total 372785; male 187026, female 185759; Muslim 336754, Hindu 35819, Buddhist 12, Christian 103 and others 97.

Water bodies Main rivers: kangsa, Teorkhali, Dhupikhali, Laori, Mogra; 'Boalia Beel, Hatli Beel, Megha Beel are notable.

Administration Netrokona 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	12	255	332	91936	280849	1091	67.1	38.7

Municipality
Area (sq km)	Ward	Mahalla	Population	Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
29.39	9	51	91936	3128	67.1

Union
Name of union and GO code	Area (acre)	Population		Literacy rate (%)
		Male	Female
Amtala 13	6589	11381	11459	37.5
Kailati 31	5481	11632	11400	44.9
Kaliara Gabragat 39	9519	14585	14762	30.2
Challisha 15	6582	13088	13076	45.9
Thakurakona 94	7549	12140	12204	44.8
Dakshin Bishiura 23	5570	9799	9882	37.4
Madanpur 54	5523	10073	10151	39.3
Medni 55	5897	12985	12863	37.3
Maugati 63	6831	11251	11332	28.8
Rauha 79	5874	12393	12511	34.4
Lakshmiganj 47	5483	8878	9061	41.4
Singhar Bangla 87	6278	11923	12020	43.3

Source Bangladesh Population Census 2011, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics.

Archaeological heritage and relics tomb of Hazrat Shah Sultan Kamruddin Rumi (R) at Madanpur.

Historical events On 15 March 1939 Netaji subhas chandra bose delivered speech in a public meeting held at the playground of Methor Patti (sweeper colony). The All India Peasant Conference was held during 8, 9, and 10 April 1945 at the playground of Netrokona ward (Parar Math).

War of Liberation On 29 April 1971 the Pak army captured 4 persons of Netrokona Sadar and shot them dead at the Trimohani Bridge on the Purbadhala Road. Three freedom fighters were killed in an encounter with the Pak army on 9 December at Netrokona Sadar. In another encounter between the freedom fighters and the Pak army at the Agricultural Farm the Pak army was defeated; in this encounter two freedom fighters were killed. Three memorial monuments have been built in the upazila.

For details: see নেত্রকোনা সদর উপজেলা, বাংলাদেশ মুক্তিযুদ্ধ জ্ঞানকোষ (Encyclopedia of Bangladesh War of Liberation), বাংলাদেশ এশিয়াটিক সোসাইটি, ঢাকা ২০২০, খণ্ড ৫।

Religious institutions Mosque 315, temple 35, tomb 5.

Literacy rate and educational institutions Roads: pucca road 86.44 km, semi pucca road 5.44 km, mud road 613.92 km; waterway 65 km; railway 19.02 km. Educational institutions: college 5, law college 1, homeopathy college 1, primary teachers training institute 1, polytechnic institute 1, secondary school 35, primary school 220, ngo school 120, madrasa 37. Noted educational institutions: Netrokona Government College, Netrokona Datta High School (1889), Chandranath High School (1909), Anjuman High School (1914), Netrokona Girls' High School (1969).

Newspapers and periodicals Daily: Jananetra, Banglar Darpan, Deshkanthaswar; weekly: Muktir Pratik.

Cultural organisations Library 3, cinema hall 2, playground 15, theatre stage 1, theatre group 10, jatra party 8, community centre 12.

Main sources of income Agriculture 60.03%, non-agricultural labourer 4.18%, industry 0.78%, commerce 13.51%, transport and communication 4.44%, service 7.18%, construction 1.62%, religious service 0.19%, rent and remittance 0.29% and others 7.78%.

Ownership of agricultural land Landowner 56.19%, landless 43.81%; agricultural landowner: urban 45.84% and rural 58.24%.'

Main crops Paddy, jute, maize.

Extinct or nearly extinct crops Pulse.

Main fruits Mango, jackfruit, blackberry.

Fisheries, dairies and poultries Fishery 20, dairy 10, poultry 35.

Extinct or nearly extinct traditional transport Palanquin, bullock cart, buffalo cart.

Noted manufactories Ice factory, flour mill, saw mill, printing press, welding factory, bidi factory.

Cottage industries Goldsmith, blacksmith, potteries, embroidery, wood work.

Hats, bazars and fairs Hats and bazars are 60, fairs 3, most noted of which are Thakurakona Hat, Chuchua Hat, Hatkhola Bazar, Shimulkandi Bazar, Challisha Bazar, Dakshin Bisiura Bazar, Madanpur Bazar, Lakshmiganj Bazar, Amtala Bazar; Paush Mela at Madanpur, Baul Mela at Netrokona Town.

Main exports Paddy, jute.

Access to electricity All the wards and unions of the upazila are under rural electrification net-work. However 44.2% of the dwelling households have access to electricity.

Sources of drinking water Tube-well 90.5%, tap 2.5% and others 7.0%. The presence of arsenic has been detected in shallow tube-well water of the upazila.

Sanitation 49.3% of dwelling households of the upazila use sanitary latrines and 38.7% of dwelling households use non-sanitary latrines; 12.0% of households do not have latrine facilities.

Health centres Hospital 1, satellite clinic 3, health and family welfare centre 12, clinic 2.

NGO activities Operationally important NGOs are brac, caritas, proshika, asa, Gonoshahajjo Sangstha, Nari Pragati Sangha. [Syed Marufuzzaman]

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