Bhola Sadar Upazila

Bhola Sadar Upazila (bhola district) area 413.16 sq km, located in between 22°32' and 22°52' north latitudes and in between 90°32' and 90°44' east longitudes. It is bounded by mehendiganj and lakshmipur Sadar upazilas on the north, bauphal and burhanuddin upazilas on the south, daulatkhan upazila on the east, barisal sadar, Mehendiganj and bakerganj upazilas on the west.

Population Total 430520; male 214212, female 216308 (Census 2011); Muslim 394553, Hindu 13413, Buddhist 47, Christian 19 and others 62 (Census 2001).

Water bodies Main rivers: meghna, tentulia.

Administration Bhola Upazila was formed in 1842 and it was turned into an upazila on 1 February, 1984.

Upazila
Municipality	Union	Mouza	Village	Population		Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
				Urban	Rural		Urban	Rural
1	13	92	108	87243	343277	1042	60.7 (2001)	39.8

Municipality
Area (sq km)	Ward	Mahalla	Population	Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
22.66 (2001)	9	19	47477	1786 (2001)	76.0

Upazila Town
Area (sq km)	Mouza	Population	Density (per sq km	Literacy rate (%)
9.27 (2001)	6	39766	3723 (2001)	52.2

Union
Name of union and GO code	Area (acre)	Papulation		Literacy rate (%)
		Male	Female
Alinagar 12	2452	8505	8438	51.0
Illisha 51	10358	23437	23487	34.5
Uttar Dighaldi 65	4750	11618	13120	49.0
Kachia 58	4170	6851	6709	36.1
Char Samaia 21	3590	9587	9674	53.2
Char Shibpur 29	2758	10546	10738	49.6
Dakshin Dighaldi 80	5062	14574	15220	45.0
Dhania 36	5297	15920	16031	45.5
Paschim Illisha 55	8184	17187	18309	36.0
Bapta 14	12887	17927	18621	51.4
Bhedaria 87	9765	15530	15523	33.2
Bhelu Miah 94	13312	15489	15085	36.5
Rajapur 73	8884	22548	22369	30.0

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

Archaeological heritage and relics Buri Mosque, house of Rajani Kar (presently used as student hostel of Fazilatunnesa Mahila College), Pancharatna Math.

War of Liberation During the war of liberation 121 freedom fighters were killed in an encounter with the Pak army at Ghuingar Hat of the upazila. On 27 October 1971 a group of freedom fighters under Ansar Adjutant Ali Akbar took position at Tonir Hat, 10 km from Bhola, in order to attack the Pak army. The Pak army conducted a surprise attack on the freedom fighters and killed 80 freedom fighters and many villagers. However, the freedom fighters taking position at Ghuingar Hat, 7 km from Bhola, continued attack on the Pak army and killed 5 enemy soldiers. After the war of liberation the freedom fighters renamed Tonir Hat as Banglabazar. There is one mass grave in the upazila; one memorial sculpture was built.

For details: see ভোলা সদর উপজেলা, বাংলাদেশ মুক্তিযুদ্ধ জ্ঞানকোষ (Encyclopedia of Bangladesh War of Liberation), বাংলাদেশ এশিয়াটিক সোসাইটি, ঢাকা ২০২০, খণ্ড ৭।

Religious institutions Mosque 423, temple 15. Noted religious institutions: Buri Mosque, Rajapur Jami Mosque, Kheaghat Mosque, Ghuigarhat Mosque.

Literacy rate and educational institutions Average literacy 45.2%; male 45.0%, female 45.4%. Educational institution: college 4, law college 1, secondary school 60, primary school 98, kindergarten 13, madrasa 48. Noted educational institutions: Bhola Govt. College (1962), Govt. Fazilatunnesa Mohilla College (1972), Nalini Das Homeopathy Medical College (1981), Altazer Rahaman College (1994), Bhola Govt. Boys High School (1918), Bhola Govt. Girls High School (1928).

Newspapers and periodicals Daily: Bholabani, Banglar Kantha, Bhola Kallan, Nakib, Bhola Barta, Ajker Bhola.

Cultural organisations Library 2, club 15, cinema hall 3, theatre group 2, cyclone shelter 20.

Main sources of income Agriculture 55.72%, non-agricultural labourer 5.43%, industry 0.50%, commerce 14.76%, transport and communication 3.33%, service 7.74%, construction 2.17%, religious service 0.39%, rent and remittance 0.41% and others 9.55%.

Ownership of agricultural land Landowner 45.12%, landless 54.88%; ownership of agricultural land: urban 43.60% and rural 45.44%.

Main crops Paddy, wheat, potato, pulse.

Extinct or nearly extinct crops Jute, sesame, linseed.

Main fruits Mango, jack fruit, litchi, banana, betel nut, coconut.

Fisheries, dairies and poultries This Upazila has a number of fisheries, dairies and poultries.

Communication facilities Roads: pucca road 351 km, semi-pucca road 32 km, mud road 312 km; waterways 24 km.

Extinct or nearly extinct traditional transport Bullock cart, palanquin.

Noted manufactories Flower mill, rice mill, oil mill, saw mill, ice factory, biscuit factory.

Cottage industries 'Potteries, weaving, bamboo work, Nakshi Kantha.

Hats, bazars and fairs Hats and bazars are 52. Ishwar Hat, Khaner Hat, Guingar Hat, Banker Hat, Majhir Hat, Roudrer Hat, Talukdar Hat, Kondrokpur Hat, Khyaghat Bazar are notable.

Main exports Betel nut, pulse, hilsha fish, curd.

Access to electricity All the wards and unions of the upazila are under rural electrification net-work; however, 42.3% dwelling households have access to electricity.

Sources of drinking water Tube-well 97.0%, tap 0.6% and others 2.4%.

Sanitation 64.6% of dwelling households of the upazila use sanitary latrines and 31.6% of dwelling houses use non-sanitary latrines; 3.8% of households do not have latrine facilities.

Health centres Hospital 1, health centre 1, Union health and family planning centre 13, diagnostic centre 4, homeopathic hospital 1, veterinary hospital 1.

NGO activities proshika, asa, brac, coast, heed Bangladesh, CARE. [Md Mizanur Rahman]

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