Gaibandha Sadar Upazila

Gaibandha Sadar Upazila (gaibandha district) area 324.05 sq km, located in between 25°13' and 25°27' north latitudes and in between 89°26' and 89°41' east longitudes. It is bounded by sundarganj and char rajibpur upazilas on the north, palashbari, saghatta and fulchhari upazilas on the south, dewanganj and Fulchhari upazilas and brahmaputra river on the east, sadullapur and Palashbari upazilas on the west.

Population Total 437268; male 213811, female 223457; Muslim 404190, Hindu 32792, Buddhist 5, Christian 19 and others 262.

Water bodies Main rivers: Brahmaputra, ghaghat, bangali, jamuna.

Administration Gaibandha Thana was formed in 1857 comprising parts of the former Bhabaniganj and Sadullapur thanas; the thana was turned into an upazila in 1984.

Upazila
Municipality	Union	Mouza	Village	Population		Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
				Urban	Rural		Urban	Rural
1	13	132	144	94089	343179	1349	61.2 (2001)	42.2

Municipality
Area (sq km)	Ward	Mahalla	Population	Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
10.60 (2001)	9	35	67833	5593 (2001)	74.5

Upazila Town
Area (sq km)	Mouza	Population	Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
10.22 (2001)	6	26256	1899 (2001)	43.3

Union
Name of union and GO code	Area (acre)	Population		Literacy rate (%)
		Male	Female
Kamarjani 51	8037	6562	6634	28.2
Kuptala 65	5125	13940	14893	51.6
Kholahati 58	6078	21381	21739	42.6
Gidari 43	5880	13739	15304	33.4
Ghagoa 36	3950	10358	10881	37.7
Ballamjhar 14	7210	23551	24069	40.9
Badiakhali 12	5748	14146	15105	42.4
Boali 21	6256	17103	18040	44.5
Malibari 80	5118	13166	14449	37.5
Mollar Char 85	7617	3816	4115	31.4
Ramchandrapur 87	5250	14579	15536	44.5
Lakshmipur 73	6331	15503	16191	44.1
Sahapara 94	4683	11980	12655	55.0

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

Archaeological heritage and relics Mirer Bagan Mosque (1308) at village Khagoa, tomb of Pir Ibn Sharfuddin, Bhabaniganj Post Office (1858), Baguria Tahshil (revenue) Office (nineteenth century).

War of Liberation Freedom fighters of the upazila carried out operations at Badiakhali bridge on the road connecting Saghatta with Phulchhari on 27 August 1971 and the Pak army was forced to retreat after the bridge was destroyed. About 150 freedom fighters led by Mahbub Elahi Ranju (Bir Pratik) chased the Pak army and liberated Gaibandha on 9 December 1971. The freedom fighters then hoisted the flag of sovereign Bangladesh at the Swadhinata Prangan (former SDO playground). Mass killing site was discovered at Helal Park and there is a mass grave at (Kamarjani); two Shaheed Samadi (tomb on graves of the martyred freedom fighters) at Tulshighat and Ballamjhar, three memorial monuments (at Gaibandha municipal park, Gaibandha college and Munshipara) and 3 victory towers (at Gaibandha municipal park, Paschimpara and Matri Bhandar) were built.

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

Religious institutions Mosque 518, temple 36, tomb 1.

Literacy rate and educational institutions Average literacy 47.5%; male 50.8%, female 44.4%. Educational institutions: college 10, law college 1, secondary school 48, primary school 196, NGO primary school 12, satellite 12, kindergarten 16, vocational training institute 1, teachers' training centre 1, agriculture training centre 1, others Training institute 6, madrasa 261. Noted educational institutions: Gaibandha College (1947), Agricultural Training Institute (1954), Gaibandha Government Boys' High School (1885), Gaibandha Islamia High School (1914), Gaibandha Government Girls' High School (1916), Pearapur High School (1917), Chapadaha BL High School (1919), Tulshighat Kashinath High School (1921).

Newspapers and periodicals Daily: Ghaghat, Sandhan, Palash, Bhorer Surya, Janasanket, weekly: Ganaprahari, Gaibandha, Palash, Ganauttaran, Katakhali; defunct: Weekly Kanthashwar, Weekly Ganadut, Weekly Agradut, Fortnightly Purbadiganta, Monthly Tista.

Cultural organisations Library 2, club 37, theatre group 5, cultural organisation 23, women organisation 8, cinema hall 3, theatre stage 6.

Amusement centres Mirer Bagan, Gaibandha Pauro Park.

Main sources of income Agriculture 55.23%, non-agricultural labourer 2.80%, industry 0.95%, commerce 15.73%, transport and communication 5.48%, service 7.84%, construction 2.42%, religious service 0.24%, rent and remittance 0.33% and others 5.48%.

Ownership of agricultural land Landowner 50.70%, landless 49.30%; agricultural landowner: urban 42.49% and rural 52.60%.

Main crops Paddy, jute, wheat, potato, mustard, masur pulse, peanut, maize, vegetables.

Extinct or nearly extinct crops Aus paddy, sugarcane, sweet potato, kaun.

Main fruits Mango, jackfruit, banana, papaya, melon, litchi.

Fisheries, dairies and poultries Fishery 52, dairy 44, poultry 90, hatchery 8.

Communication facilities Pucca road 179.38 km, Semi-pucca road 0.700 km, mud road 372.87 km; railway 15 km; waterway 14 km.

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

Noted manufactories Flour mill, ice factory, rice mill, chira mill, saw mill, soap factory, plastic pipe factory.

Cottage industries Goldsmith, blacksmith, potteries, bamboo and cane work, wood work, fishing-net work.

Hats, bazars and fairs Hats and bazars are 22, fairs 3, most noted of which are Dariapur, Lakshmipur, Sahapara, Ghagoa, Kamarjani hats and Thakurbari Mela.

Main exports Paddy, jute, vegetables.

Access to electricity All the wards and unions of the upazila are under rural electrification net-work. However 32.8% of the dwelling households have access to electricity.

Sources of drinking water Tube-well 91.7%, tap 4.0% and others 4.3%.

Sanitation 25.1% of dwelling households of the upazila use sanitary latrines and 47.9% of dwelling households use non-sanitary latrines; 27.0% of households do not have latrine facilities.

Health centres Hospital 2, satellite clinic 6, community clinic 49.

NGO activities Operationally important NGOs are brac, CARE, asa, thengamara mahila sabuj sangha, Swanirvar Bangladesh, Ahsania Mission, Gana Unnayan Kendra, Ekata, Chinnamul Mahila Samity, Ganaunnayan and Paribar Kallan Kendra, Uddipan, Paribarik Sahastha Seba Kendra. [Abu Jafar Sabu]

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