Pirganj Upazila (Thakurgaon District)

Pirganj Upazila (thakurgaon district) area 353.99 sq km, located in between 25°40' and 25°59' north latitudes and in between 88°15' and 88°22' east longitudes. It is bounded by thakurgaon sadar upazila on the north, west bengal state of India on the south, birganj and bochaganj upazilas on the east, ranisankail upazila and West Bengal state of India on the west.

Population Total 243535; male 122553, female 120982; Muslim 170360, Hindu 69560, Buddhist 1, Christian 1373 and others 2241. Indigenous communities such as santal, oraon and Munda belong to this upazila.

Water bodies Main rivers: tangon, Kahalai; Kachba, Chandipur, Boalmari and Barabari Beels are notable.

Administration Pirganj Thana was formed in 1870 and it was turned into an upazila on 7 November 1983.

Upazila
Municipality	Union	Mouza	Village	Population		Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
				Urban	Rural		Urban	Rural
1	10	168	168	27700	215835	688	53.8	47.0

Municipality
Area (sq km)	Ward	Mahalla	Population	Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
29.41	9	11	27700	942	53.8

Union
Name of union and GO code	Area (acre)	Population		Literacy rate (%)
		Male	Female
Kusha Raniganj 69	8681	11022	10924	46.8
Khangaon 60	8850	10620	10365	47.4
Jabarhat 51	9845	12771	12812	54.6
Daulatpur 34	7106	8241	8297	46.0
Pirganj 77	6425	9436	9284	44.8
Bairchuna 23	9163	11438	11227	50.6
Bhomradaha 25	7202	11336	11227	44.3
Sengaon 94	8881	10909	10725	41.5
Saidpur 86	8690	10404	10530	47.2
Hajipur 43	8683	12273	11994	45.4

Source Bangladesh Population Census 2011, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics.

Archaeological heritage and relics Tomb of Pir Sheikh Sirajuddin (R), ancient temple at village Dhemtia.

Historical events tebhaga movement under Haji mohammad danesh, was held in this region.

War of Liberation On 17 April 1971 the Pak army brutally killed a number of Bangalis on the road side of the Bhatarmari Farm of Pirganj upazila. Freedom fighters had encounters at Dherapatia, Mangalpur, Balairhat, Mallickpur of the upazila. Pirganj was liberated on 9 December. A mass grave has been discovered at a place adjacent to the Pirganj Madrasa.

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

Religious institutions Mosque 37, temple 40, church 2, tomb 2.

Literacy rate and educational institutions Average literacy 47.8%; male 52.4%, female 43.2%. Educational institutions: college 22, secondary school 83, primary school 172, madrasa 28. Noted educational institutions: Pirganj Degree College (1964), Pirganj Pilot High School (1907), Jabarhat High School (1960), Pirganj Banik Government Girls' High School (1970), Jabarhat Government Primary School (1929), Pirganj Model Government Primary School (1933), Bhadua Government Primary School (1934), Pirdangi SI Senior Madrasa (1965), Bhamda Senior Madrasa (1965), Hatpara Fazil Madrasa (1976).

Newspapers and periodicals Irregular: Sargam, Cinchon, Batikrom, Spondon, Charpatra, Dipalok, Rabindra Smranika, Bir Bangali, Raktakto Prantor, Durbadal, Rokter Rang Nil, Rokta Jhara Din; periodical: Oikantik, Samakal, Mukul, Abe Hayat; anaully: Siri.

Cultural organisations Library 5, club 58, theatre group 2, cinema hall 2, auditorium 2, playground 38.

Tourist spots Saguni Shalban (Shal Forest) and Thumnia Shal Forest.

Main sources of income Agriculture 77.34%, non-agricultural labourer 1.95%, industry 0.40%, commerce 10.05%, transport and communication 2.30%, service 3.82%, construction 0.96%, religious service 0.12%, rent and remittance 0.18% and others 2.88%.

Ownership of agricultural land Landowner 56.40%, landless 43.60%; agricultural landowner: urban 46.37% and rural 57.76%.

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

Extinct or nearly extinct crops Aus paddy, jute.

Main fruits Mango, jackfruit, guava, banana, papaya, watermelon.

Fisheries, dairies and poultries Dairy 30, poultry 23.

Communication facilities Pucca road 140 km, Semi-pucca road 7 km, mud road 545 km; railway 18 km.

Extinct or nearly extinct traditional transport Palanquin, bullock cart.

Noted manufactories Rice mill 1, oil mill 10, chira (threshed rice) mill 50, husking mill 241, saw mill 12, biscuit factory 5, chanachur factory 30, shoe factory 3, welding factory 21.

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

Hats, bazars and fairs Hats and bazars are 30, most noted of which are Pirganj College Hat, Nasibganj Hat, Jabarhat, Nakati Hat, Khangaon Hat, Kaliaganj Hat, Bhabnaganj Hat, Kalupir Hat and Lohagara Hat.

Main exports Paddy, rice, watermelon, vegetables.

Access to electricity All the wards and unions of the upazila are under rural electrification net-work. However 26.8% of the dwelling households have access to electricity.

Sources of drinking water Tube-well 98.0%, tap 0.2% and others 1.8%.

Sanitation 39.4% of dwelling households of the upazila use sanitary latrines and 37.1% of dwelling households use non-sanitary latrines; 23.5% of households do not have latrine facilities.

Health centres Upazila health complex 1, satellite clinic 2, union health and family welfare centre 9, clinic 1.

Natural disasters The floods of 1987 and 1988 caused heavy damages to settlements and crops of the upazila.

NGO activities Operationally important NGOs are brac, asa, RDRS, World View. [Abu Md. Iqbal Rumi Shah]

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