Chauhali Upazila

Chauhali Upazila (sirajganj district) area 210.39 sq km, located in between 24°01' and 24°17' north latitudes and in between 89°41' and 89°59' east longitudes. It is bounded by belkuchi upazila on the north, bera and daulatpur (manikganj) upazilas on the south, tangail sadar and nagarpur upazilas on the east, Shahjadpur' and Bera' upazilas on the west.

Population Total 160063; male 80252, female 79811; Muslim 157806, Hindu 2241 and others 16.

Water bodies Main river: jamuna.

Administration Chauhali Thana was turned into an upazila in 1984.

Upazila
Municipality	Union	Mouza	Village	Population		Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
				Urban	Rural		Urban	Rural
-	7	116	102	21168	138895	761	46.5	34.9

Upazila Town
Area (sq km)	Mouza	Population	Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
19.47	2	21168	1087	46.5

Union
Name of union and GO code	Area (acre)	Population		Literacy rate (%)
		Male	Female
Omarpur 37	12918	17041	17631	30.8
Gharjan 23	6993	9433	9315	27.7
Sadia Chandpur 47	10294	14584	13911	50.4
Sthal 71	9358	9257	8457	34.9
Bagutia 21	3225	12392	12672	37.5
Khas Kaulia 27	4556	9312	9313	37.3
Khas Pukuria 31	4645	8233	8512	32.6

Source  Bangladesh Population Census 2011, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics.

War of Liberation During the War of Liberation the Pak army, in collaboration with the local razakars, conducted heavy plundering and set many houses on fire after establishing military camps at Malipara on 22 June 1971 and at Sambhudia in mid-August. The freedom fighters attacked the Sambhudia Pak military camp on 19 November and captured two fire arms. On 27 November the freedom fighters again attacked the Sambhudia Camp causing considerable damages to the camp; in this attack 5 freedom fighters were wounded. Chauhali upazila was liberated on 29 November.

For details: see চৌহালি উপজেলা, বাংলাদেশ মুক্তিযুদ্ধ জ্ঞানকোষ (Encyclopedia of Bangladesh War of Liberation), বাংলাদেশ এশিয়াটিক সোসাইটি, ঢাকা ২০২০, খণ্ড ৩।

Religious institutions Mosque 257, temple 3, tomb 1, noted of which is Tomb of Eunus Shah Enayetpuri.'

Literacy rate and educational institutions Average literacy 36.5%; Male 40.6%, female 32.5%. Educational institutions: college 5, secondary school 17, primary school 124, kindergarten 9, madrasa 15. Noted educational institutions: Enayetpur Medical College and Hospital, Chauhali Degree College (1970), Chauhalli Mahila College (1998), Betil Multilateral High School (1947), S.K High School (1965), Enayetpur High School (1946), Sambhudia Azizia Dakhil Madrasa and High School (1932), Khaskaulia K.R Pilot High School (1942), Pakrashi Primary School (1856), Enayetpur Islamia Fazil Madrasa (1889), Enayetpur Senior Madrasa (1964).'

Cultural organisations Club 53, library 6, cinema hall 1, women's welfare organisation 7, voluntary organisation 7, playground 10.

Main sources of income Agriculture 55.89%, non-agricultural labourer 2.98%, industry 10.25%,' commerce 11.76%, transport and communication 1.90%, service 6.02%, construction 0.72%, religious service' 0.23%, rent and remittance 0.22% and others 10.03%.

Ownership of agricultural land Landowner 67.61%, landless 32.39%; agricultural landowner: urban 56.83%, rural 69.26%

Main crops Peanut, garlic, onion, paddy, jute, wheat, sesame, oilseed, vegetables.

Extinct or nearly extinct crops Linseed, arahar.

Main fruits Mango, black berry, jackfruit, litchi, papaya, guava, banana.

Fisheries, dairies and poultries This upazila has a number of fisheries and poultries.

Communication facilities Pucca road km 32, mud road 106 km.

Extinct or nearly extinct traditional transport Palanquin.

Noted manufactories Flour mill, ice factory.

Cottage industries Goldsmith 19, blacksmith 27, potteries 7, weaving 7511, wood work 137, bamboo work, cane work 39, bidi factory 1.

Hats, bazars and fairs Hats and bazars are 14, fairs 5 most, noted of which are Enayetpur and Jotpara Hat.

Main exports Peanut, garlic.

Access to electricity All the unions of the upazila are under rural electrification net-work. However 20.1% of the dwelling households have access to electricity.

Sources of drinking water Tube-well 96.0%, tap 0.5% and others 3.5% .

Sanitation 41.7% of dwelling households of the upazila use sanitary latrines and 55.0% of dwelling houses use non-sanitary latrines; 3.3% of households do not have latrine facilities.

Health centres Upazila health complex 1, medical college and hospital 1, satellite clinic 3, family welfare centre 6.

Natural disasters The flood of 1988 caused heavy damages to settlements, livestock and crops of the upazila. Besides, 30 persons died of small pox in 1967.

NGO activities Operationally important NGOs are brac, CARE. [Ahmmad Ullah Kashemi]

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