Shahjadpur Upazila

Shahjadpur Upazila (sirajganj district) area 324.15 sq km, located in between 24°04' and 24°25' north latitudes and in between 89°31' and 89°31' east longitudes. It is bounded by ullahpara and belkuchi upazilas on the north, bera and santhia upazilas on the south, chauhali upazila on the east, faridpur (pabna) and Ullahpara upazilas on the west.

Population Total 561076; male 283330, female 277746; Muslim 541297, Hindu 19692, Buddhist 1, Christian 18 and others 68.

Water bodies Main rivers: jamuna, karatoya, hurasagar, baral, Gohala; Panadaha Beel is notable.

Administration Shahjadpur Thana, now an upazila, was formed in 1845.

Upazila
Municipality	Union	Mouza	Village	Population		Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
				Urban	Rural		Urban	Rural
1	13	172	291	71367	489709	1731	47.4 (2001)	36.2

Municipality
Area (sq km)	Ward	Mahalla	Population	Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
11.00 (2001)	9	31	64507	4609 (2001)	56.1

Upazila Town
Area (sq km)	Mouza	Population	Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
3.43 (2001)	1	6860	2126 (2001)	22.2

Union
Name of union and GO code	Area (acre)	Population		Literacy rate (%)
		Male	Female
Kayempur 43	9012	22544	22691	38.5
Kaijuri 36	7114	24197	23207	32.9
Khukni 51	3559	31261	29177	43.9
Garadaha 21	4121	14842	14640	41.9
Gala 14	7381	16341	16945	22.2
Jalalpur 29	4010	9582	9249	27.6
Narnia 58	3562	11704	11899	43.5
Potajia 73	8084	19214	18842	43.1
Porjana 65	6945	31390	30744	31.4
Beltail 12	5698	20697	20547	37.6
Rupabati 80	7129	17979	18099	39.9
Habibulla Nagar 87	2922	18596	17951	38.2
Sonatani 94	7847	12060	12171	15.1

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

Archaeological heritage and relics Mosque and tomb of Makhdum Shahdoulah (thirteenth century), revenue office of poet Rabindranath Tagore, Nabaratna Mandir (Potajia union).

Historical events Tenant movement was initiated in this upazila in 1873. The revolutionary leader Ishan Chandra Roy led the movement from his native village to Sirajganj during the period from 1873 to 1876. Besides, the people of this upazila took part in various movements including anti British Movement, anti Pakistan Movement, language movement of 1952 and mass upsurge of 1969.

War of Liberation Freedom fighter had a fierce battle with the Pak army and their local collaborators at Dhitpur and Baghabari of Shajadpur upazila. Many freedom fighters of the upazila took part in the War of Liberation in other districts including Rangpur, Jessore, Sylhet and Pabna. A freedom Fighters’ Complex has been built at the Upazila headquarters.

For details: see শাহজাদপুর উপজেলা, বাংলাদেশ মুক্তিযুদ্ধ জ্ঞানকোষ (Encyclopedia of Bangladesh War of Liberation), বাংলাদেশ এশিয়াটিক সোসাইটি, ঢাকা ২০২০, খণ্ড ৯।

Religious institutions Mosque 358, temple 53, tomb 23, sacred place 1. Noted religious institutions: Shahjadpur Jami Mosque, Badruddin Mosque, Nabaratna Mandir at Potajia.

Literacy rate and educational institutions Average literacy 38.4%; male 41.6%, female 35.1%. Educational institutions: college 13, vocational institutions 1, secondary school 48, primary school 215, community school 2, madrasa 57. Noted educational institutions: Shahjadpur Government College, Porjana Mukundanath High School (1880), Shahjadpur Pilot High School (1882), Potajia High School (1894), Sonatani High School (1905), Sthal Pakgashi institution (1864), Khassatbaria High School (1904), Jamirta High School (1900).

Newspapers and periodicals Monthly: Bibartan, Sahitya Darpan; defunct weekly: Ganabangla; weekly Mausumi.

Cultural organisations Library 5, club 127, museum 1, cinema hall 5, theatre group 11, theatre 1, jatra party 3, open stage 1, women's organisation 11.

Main sources of income Agriculture 42.73%, non-agricultural labourer 5.90%, industry 17.49%, commerce 16.03%, transport and communication 2.44%, service 4.77%, construction 0.99%, religious service 0.20%, rent and remittance 0.29% and others 9.16%.

Ownership of agricultural land Landowner 51.78%, landless 48.22%; agricultural landowner: urban 34.31% and rural 54.11%.'

Main crops Paddy, mustard, pulse, wheat, jute, sugarcane, chilli, vegetables.

Extinct or nearly extinct crops China, kaun, lentil, gram, linseed, sesame, barley, sweet potato.

Main fruits Mango, jackfruit, papaya, guava, coconut.

Fisheries, dairies and poultries Fishery 23, dairy 4788, poultry 185, artificial breeding centre 1.

Communication facilities Pucca road 95 km, semi-pucca road 22 km, mud road 236 km.

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

Noted manufactories Cement factory, dying factory, electricity producing centre, flour and rice mill, oil mill, textile mill, ice factory, welding factory, cold storage.

Cottage industries Goldsmith, blacksmith, weaving, potteries, bamboo work, tailoring.

Hats, bazars and fairs Hats and bazars are 63, fairs 7, most noted of which are Shahjadpur Bazar, Kaijuri Bazar, Mulkandi Bazar, Shibrampur Bazar, Betkandhi Bazar, Kashinathpur Bazar, Talgachhi Cattle Market, Basanti Mela, Dole Mela and Baruni Mela.

Main exports Cotton fabrics.

Access to electricity All the wards and unions of the upazila are under rural electrification net-work. However 53.8% of the dwelling households have access to electricity.

Natural resources Clams and mussels, Purl.

Sources of drinking water Tube-well 95.4%, tap 1.0% and others 3.6%. The presence of arsenic has been detected in shallow tube-well water of the upazila.

Sanitation 45.9% of dwelling households of the upazila use sanitary latrines and 51.5% of dwelling households use non-sanitary latrines; 2.6% of households do not have latrine facilities.

Health centres Upazila health complex 1, health and family welfare centre 11, satellite clinic 6, child hospital 1, eye hospital 1.

Natural disasters Many people were victims of the famines of 1897 and 1943. Besides, the earthquakes of 1885 and 1897 caused heavy damages to settlements and other properties of the upazila.

NGO activities Operationally important NGOs are brac, asa, proshika, thengamara mahila sabuj sangha, Ujjiban. [AR Siddiqui]

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