Pakundia Upazila

Pakundia Upazila (kishoreganj district) area 180.53 sq km, located in between 24°15' and 24°24' north latitudes and in between 90°37' and 90°46' east longitudes. It is bounded by hossainpur and kishoreganj sadar upazilas on the north, kapasia and monohardi upazilas on the south, katiadi upazila on the east, gaffargaon' upazila on the west.

Population Total 250060; male 120548, female 129512; Muslim 245229, Hindu 4790, Christian 26 and others 15.

Water bodies Main rivers: old brahmaputra, Narasunda, banar, Mangalahat; Padmakuri Beel, Bhara Beel, Kaheterdia Beel, Chaityakbali Beel, Baranala Beel, Bejurnala Beel, Naothaghya Beel, Digha Beel.

Administration Pakundia Thana was formed in 1922 and it was turned into an upazila on 14 September 1983.

Upazila
Municipality	Union	Mouza	Village	Population		Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
				Urban	Rural		Urban	Rural
1	9	79	150	28606	221454	1385	60.5	50.7

Municipality
Area (sq km)	Ward	Mahalla	Population	Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
18.28	9	25	28606	1565	60.5

Union
Name of union and GO code	Area (acre)	Population		Literacy rate (%)
		Male	Female
Egarasindur 38	6068	16129	17612	44.5
Chandi Pasha 19	3388	11166	12002	45.5
Char Faradi 28	4105	10866	11676	60.5
Jangalia 57	6817	16200	16639	55.1
Narandi 66	3542	9054	9673	52.0
Patuabhanga 85	6155	16374	17518	45.6
Barudia 15	4740	12769	14194	47.1
Sukhia 95	3208	9144	9811	55.7
Hosendi 47	2067	4909	5718	60.1

Source Bangladesh Population Census 2011, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics.

Archaeological heritage and relics Fort of Isa Khan at Egarasindur, Mosque of Mughal period.

War of Liberation Direct encounters between the freedom fighters and the Pak army were held in different places including Tarakandi, Kodalia and Kaliachapra of the Upazila Sadar. The Pak army, in collaboration with their local agents (razakars and dalals) killed about 200 people of the upazila and buried them in a mass grave at a place adjacent to the present BADC building. Freedom Fighter Badiul Alam was awarded the title of ‘Bir Bikram’ for his heroic role in the war of liberation. Pakundia was liberated in December.

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

Religious institutions Mosque 315, temple 5, tomb 4.

Literacy rate and educational institutions Average literacy 51.8%; male 50.3%, female 53.1%. Noted educational institutions: Pakundia Degree College (1965), Pakundia Model Mohila Degree College (1993), Jangalia Union School and College (1969), Kodalia SI High School (1910), Pakundia Model Degree College, Pakundia Model Pilot High School (1958), Mangalbaria Kamil Madrasa (1802), Tarakandi Fazil Madrasa (1919).

Newspapers and periodicals Quaterly: Nabangkur.

Cultural organisations Library 7, club 20, cinema hall 1, women organisation 1, theatre stage 1.

Main sources of income Agriculture 66.90%, non-agricultural labourer 2.89%, industry 0.93%, commerce 10.80%, transport and communication 2.32%, service 5.86%, construction 0.85%, religious service 0.18%, rent and remittance 1.50% and others 7.77%.

Ownership of agricultural land Landowner 67.12%, landless 32.88%; agricultural landowner: urban 56.86% and rural 67.58%.'

Main crops Paddy, maize, wheat, onion, potato, vegetables.

Extinct or nearly extinct crops Sugarcane, mustard, sweet potato, jute.

Main fruits Mango, blackberry, jackfruit, litchi, banana, papaya, pineapple.

Fisheries, dairies and poultries Fishery 51, dairy 44, poultry 63, hatchery 5.

Communication facilities Pucca road 90 km, semi-pucca road 5 km, mud road 345 km; waterway 3 km.

Extinct or nearly extinct traditional transport Palanquin.

Noted manufactories Sugar mill, flour mill, saw mill, rice mill, oil mill, bakery, brick-field.

Cottage industries Blacksmith, potteries, weaving, embroidery, bamboo work, cane work.

Hats, bazars and fairs Hats and bazars are 24, fair 1, most noted of which are Pakundia Bazar and Kodalia Mela.

Main exports Paddy, banana, papaya, vegetables.

Access to electricity All the unions of the upazila are under rural electrification net-work. However 34.8 % of the dwelling households have access to electricity.

Sources of drinking water Tube-well 95.8%, tap 0.5% and others 3.7%.

Sanitation 45.5% of dwelling households of the upazila use sanitary latrines and 43.4% of dwelling households use non-sanitary latrines; 11.1% of households do not have latrine facilities.

Health centres Upazila health complex 1, family planning centre 8.

NGO activities Operationally important NGOs are brac, asa, caritas. [Md. Jahangir Alam]

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