Kamalganj Upazila

Kamalganj Upazila (maulvibazar district) area 485.26 sq km, located in between 24°08' and 24°27' north latitudes and in between 91°46' and 91°50' east longitudes. It is bounded by rajnagar upazila on the north, tripura state of India on the south, kulaura upazila and assam state of India on the east, sreemangal and maulvibazar sadar upazilas on the west.

Population Total 259130; male 127746, female 131384; Muslim 174486, Hindu 81334, Buddhist 17, Christian 2271 and others 1022. Indigenous communities such as manipuri, khasia, tripura (Tipra) and Halam belong to this upazila.

Water bodies Main river: Dhalai.

Administration Kamalganj Thana was formed in 1922 and it was turned into an upazila in 1983.

Upazila
Municipality	Union	Mouza	Village	Population		Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
				Urban	Rural		Urban	Rural
1	9	119	253	30197	228933	534	47.0 (2001)	47.6

Municipality
Area (sq km)	Ward	Mahalla	Population	Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
20.81 (2001)	9	27	16878	1192 (2001)	61.5

Upazila Town
Area (sq km)	Mouza	Population	Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
10.98 (2001)	3	13319	977 (2001)	50.2

Union
Name of union and GO code	Area (acre)	Population		Literacy rate (%)
		Male	Female
Adampur 17	28199	13177	14055	51.5
Alinagar 19	9223	14250	14861	50.1
Islampur 28	9212	13713	13880	44.6
Kamalganj 38	11771	10451	10854	48.9
Patanushar 66	6893	11052	11963	57.9
Madhabpur 47	15051	14398	14501	45.2
Munshi Bazar 57	3854	8135	8392	37.5
Rahimpur 76	11803	17702	17637	41.9
Shamshernagar 85	7973	16408	16823	50.6

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

Historical events Peasant rebellion led by Panchanan Singh, Kasem Ali, Baikuntha Shawrma and Themba Singh took place at Vanubal in 1307 BS. A battle between the Mughal and the Afghan was fought at Patanushar in which the Afghan Commandar Khawja Osman was killed. This area is popularly known as Khawsa Osman Ghar. The peasant movement of Haor Karaiya (1968-69) stirred the whole country.

War of Liberation During the War of Liberation a fierce battle was held at Shamshernagar. On 29 March 1971, many Pakistani soldiers were killed by the combined attack of the EPR (East Pakistan Rifles) soldiers and the freedom fighters. Sipoy mohammad hamidur rahman (Birsrestha) was killed at village Aambasa. There is a mass grave at Section 25 of Dewrachhara Tea Garden and a mass killing site at Shamshernagar Air Base; a memorial monument (Bir Srestha Shahid Sepoy Hamidur Rahman Memorial Monument) has been built at Aambasa.

For details: see কমলগঞ্জ উপজেলা, বাংলাদেশ মুক্তিযুদ্ধ জ্ঞানকোষ (Encyclopedia of Bangladesh War of Liberation), বাংলাদেশ এশিয়াটিক সোসাইটি, ঢাকা ২০২০, খণ্ড ২।

Religious institutions Mosque 293, temple 102, church 8.

Literacy rate and educational institutions Average literacy 48.6%; male 51.4%, female 45.9%. Noted educational institutions: Abdul Gafur Chowdhury Mahila College (2000), Kali Prashad High School (1895), Shamshernagar AATM High School (1929), MA Ohab High School (1933), Kamalganj High School (1934), Tetaigaon Rashid Uddin High School (1954), Dayamoy Singh High School (1973), Hazi Ustwar Girls' High School (1983), Abul Fazal Chowdhury High School (1985), Suja Memorial High School (1994), Basudebpur Government Primary School (1930), Shamshernagar Government Primary School (1946), Ranibazar Government Primary School (1953), Raj Dighirpar Primary School (1972), Tetaigaon Government Primary School (1978).

Newspapers and periodicals Irregular: Joybarta, Dhalai; defunct: Farkha, Lokayata Bangla; literary periodicals: Arpan (1998), Dabanal (2001).

Cultural organisations Library 2, cinema hall 2, club 35; Manipuri Lalitkala Academy is notable.

Tourist spots The first garden of medicinal plants 'Araggakunja' has been established at Fulbari of Kamalganj upazila. Lauachhara Park, established in 1996 with 1250 hectors of land, has been declared as national park. Other tourists spots include Madhabkundu Water Fall, Madhabpur Lake, Parikunda, Monu Barrage and hakaluki haor.

Main sources of income Agriculture 39.77%, non-agricultural labourer 14.81%, industry 5.30%, commerce 8.96%, transport and communication 2.46%, service 5.09%, construction 1.43%, religious service 0.49%, rent and remittance 2.07% and others 19.62%.

Ownership of agricultural land Landowner 43.62%, landless 56.38%; agricultural landowner: rural 43.17% and urban 47.42%.

Main crops Aman paddy, aus paddy, wheat, sugarcane, tea, mustard, potato, betel leaf, vegetables.

Extinct or nearly extinct crops Local varieties of paddy (Balam, Ni, Nazim Uddin), sesame, linseed.

Main fruits Mango, jackfruit, pineapple, blackberry, litchi, grape fruit, water-melon, betel nut.

Communication facilities Pucca road 150 km; railway 16 km. Rail station 2.

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

Noted manufactories Ice factory, a number of medium size manufactories, tea processing factory.

Cottage industries Most notable cottage industries of the upazila include Manipuri handlooms.

Hats, bazars and fairs Hats and bazars are 20, most noted of which are Bhanugach Bazar, Shamshernagar Bazar, Munshi Bazar, Adampur Bazar, Charak Puja Mela (Palitkona), Soychhari Dighirpar, Thakur Bari Mela (Munshi Bazar), Baruni Snan Mela, Austami Mela and Manipuri Rash Purnima Mela.

Main exports Tea, sugarcane molasses, betel leaf, vegetables.

Access to electricity All the wards and unions of the upazila are under rural electrification net-work. However 42.0% of the dwelling households have access to electricity.

Natural resources Notable natural resources include oil, gas and chirka sand at Magurchhara.

Sources of drinking water Tube-well 76.0%, tap 2.5% and others 21.5%.

Sanitation 38.9% of dwelling households of the upazila use sanitary latrines and 48.9% of dwelling households use non-sanitary latrines; 12.2% of households do not have latrine facilities.

Health centres Upazila health centre 1, family planning centre 6, satellite clinic 3, charitable hospital 1.

NGO activities Operationally important NGOs are asa, brac, HEED Bangladesh, BAOPA, CARE, Swanirvar Bangladesh, VARD. [Shah Abdul Wadud]

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