Harinakunda Upazila

Harinakunda Upazila (jhenaidah district) area 227.54 sq km, located in between 23°33' and 23°46' north latitudes and in between 88°59' and 89°11' east longitudes. It is bounded by kushtia sadar upazila on the north, jhenaidah sadar upazila on the south, shailkupa upazila on the east, alamdanga and chuadanga sadar upazilas on the west.

Population Total 197723; male 99285, female 98438; Muslim 188683, Hindu 8740, Christian 25 and others 275.

Water bodies Main rivers: kumar and nabaganga; Narayankandi, Rinikhali and Chandpur baors are notable.

Administration Harinakunda Thana, now an upazila, was formed in 1879.

Upazila
Municipality	Union	Mouza	Village	Population		Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
				Urban	Rural		Urban	Rural
1	8	74	122	28275	169448	869	42.2 (2001)	41.6

Municipality
Area (sq km)	Ward	Mahalla	Population	Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
-	9	17	22011	-	47.3

Upazila Town
Area (sq km)	Mouza	Population	Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
19.96 (2001)	1	6264	918 (2001)	44.5

Union
Name of union and GO code	Area (acre)	Population		Literacy rate (%)
		Male	Female
Kapashati 63	9090	12276	12250	45.4
Chandpur 21	8366	14053	13598	39.9
Joradaha 52	3505	7049	7153	43.0
Taherhuda 84	6316	11895	11711	45.2
Daulatpur 31	6765	11868	11962	39.6
Bhayna 10	6097	12271	12081	39.9
Raghunathpur 73	7233	12700	12632	41.3
Harinakunda 42	3275	6149	6064	38.1

Source  Bangladesh Population Census 2001 and 2011, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics.

Archaeological heritage and relics Harinakunda zamindarbari, ruins of Neelkuthis at Joradaha, Dhulia, Bhayna, Sonatanpur and Harinakundu.

Historical events The internationally reputed great Boul and sufi poet lalon shah (1771-1890) and sufi panju shah (1851) were born in this upazila. Bagha Jatin and Keran Ray participated in the anti British movement. The people of this upazila participated in the indigo resistance movement.

War of Liberation On 21 September 1971, an encounter was held between the local freedom fighters and the Pak army at Shitlimath of the upazila. A memorial monument was built on the southern corner of the Upazila football field.

For details: see হরিণাকুন্ড উপজেলা, বাংলাদেশ মুক্তিযুদ্ধ জ্ঞানকোষ (Encyclopedia of Bangladesh War of Liberation), বাংলাদেশ এশিয়াটিক সোসাইটি, ঢাকা ২০২০, খণ্ড ১০।

Religious institutions Mosque 125, temple 16, church 1, sacred place 1, tomb 5. Noted religious institutions: Joradaha doomed Mosque, Shreepur Mosque, Upazila Mosque, Parbatipur Mosque, Andulia Mosque, tomb of Fakir Mahmud Bishwas at Kulbaria and Kali Mandir at Bhabanipur.

Literacy rate and educational institutions Average literacy 42.3%; male 42.9%, female 41.7%. Educational institutions: college 5, technical institute 1, secondary school 38, primary school 129, madrasa 6. Noted educational institutions: Lalan Shah Government College (1972), Joradaha High School (1872), Harinakunda Priyanath High School (1872), Harinakunda Pilot High School (1945).

Newspapers and periodicals Defunct: Antarik.

Cultural organisations Library 1, theatre group 4, jatra party 1, cinema hall 5, club 34.

Main sources of income Agriculture 78.45%, non-agricultural labourer 2.29%, industry 0.70%, commerce 9.99%, transport and communication 1.71%, service 2.86%, construction 0.62%, religious service 0.07%, rent and remittance 0.17% and others 3.14%.

Ownership of agricultural land Landowner 67.79%, landless 32.21%; agricultural landowner: urban 58.81% and rural 68.83%.

Main crops Paddy, jute, sugarcane, wheat, betel leaf, potato, mustard, pulse, vegetables.

Extinct or nearly extinct crops Rai (mustard seed, linseed, kaun, barley, sesame.

Main fruits Mango, jackfruit, banana, papaya, litchi, blackberry, star apple, date, coconut, plum, wood-apple, custard apple, guava.

Fisheries, dairies and poultries Fishery 5, dairy 2, poultry 7.

Communication facilities Pucca road 144 km, semi-pucca road 27 km, mud road 382 km.

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

Noted manufactories Rice mill, pulse mill, oil mill, spices grinding mill, flour mill, biscuit factory.

Cottage industries Weaving, potteries, nakshi kantha, bamboo and cane work.

Hats, bazars and fairs Hats and bazars are 26, fairs 3, most noted of which are Harinakunda, Parbatipur, Bhabanipur, Joradaha, Porahati Charpara, Rishkhali, Dakhalpur, Kulbaria, Narayankandi, Satbridge and Mandia bazars and Charak Puja Mela (Kapashati).

Main exports Paddy, jute, sugarcane, betel leaf, banana, date molasses, vegetables.

Access to electricity All the unions of the upazila are under rural electrification net-work. However 51.7% of the dwelling households have access to electricity.

Sources of drinking water Tube-well 97.4%, tap 0.3% and others 2.3%.

Sanitation 57.1% of dwelling households of the upazila use sanitary latrines and 36.9% of dwelling households use non-sanitary latrines; 6.0% of households do not have latrine facilities.

Health centres Upazila health complex 1, family welfare centre 6, health services centre 11, community clinic 13.

NGO activities Operationally important NGOs are brac. [Tipu Sultan Bari]

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