Mymensingh Sadar Upazila

Mymensingh Sadar Upazila (mymensingh district) area 380.72 sq km, located in between 24°38' and 24°54' north latitudes and in between 90°11' and 90°30' east longitudes. It is bounded by nakla and phulpur upazilas on the north, trishal and fulbaria upazilas on the south, ishwarganj and gauripur upazilas on the east, muktagachha and jamalpur sadar upazilas on the west.

Population Total 775733; male 391187, female 384546; Muslim 727835, Hindu 46224, Buddhist 48, Christian 1332 and others 294. Indigenous communities such as garo, Koch and hajong belong to this upazila.

Water bodies Main river: old brahmaputra.

Administration Mymensingh Sadar Thana was formed in 1867 and it 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	118	175	389918	385815	2037	64.0 (2001)	35.7

Municipality
Area (sq km)	Ward	Mahalla	Population	Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
21.73 (2001)	21	94	258040	10456 (2001)	73.9

Upazila Town
Area (sq km)	Mouza	Population	Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
46.30 (2001)	7	131878	2279 (2001)	51.1

Union
Name of union and GO code	Area (acre)	Population		Literacy rate (%)
		Male	Female
Ashtadhar 25	6380	12680	13228	36.2
Akua 23	3543	27229	24457	60.5
Kushtia 74	6022	13840	14496	36.2
Khagdahar 67	8481	22348	22245	39.9
Ghagra 54	8243	25147	25743	35.5
Char Ishwardia 33	7358	25280	24764	39.9
Char Nilakshmia 40	7710	21046	20910	28.4
Dapunia 47	7268	22414	23145	45.2
Paranganj 88	7254	18486	18822	27.3
Baira (Kewatkhali) 27	3155	13015	12836	52.3
Borar Char 31	8168	14665	14998	29.2
Bhabkhali 29	7771	24559	24378	40.3
Sirta 94	7357	18355	18607	36.2

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

Archaeological heritage and relics House of Maharaj Shashikanta, Alexandra Castle, Raj Rajeswari Water Tank, manuscript of the Mahabharata, Vishnu statue made of black basalt, manuscript of the Gitagovinda of Joydev, manuscript of the poems of chandidas, photocopy of the first postal stamp, Sword of the zamindar of Muktagachha, World Map (1645), Map of the greater Mymensingh (1779) by Kedarnath Majumder, Durgabari Temple (1867), Shiva Temple (nineteenth century), Shambhuganj Railway Bridge.

War of Liberation On 27 March an encounter was held between the Bengali and non-Bengali members of the Khagdahar EPR Camp. The Pak army took control over Mymenshing Town after 23 April. During the war of liberation the villagers resisted the Pak army with indigenous weapons such as Sarki, Ballam, Da and stick when the Pak army raided the Digharkandha village at night. A Major of the Pak army was killed in this encounter. In retaliation, the Pak army sacked the village on the next day in which a number of villagers were also killed. Mymensingh Sadar upazila was liberated on 10 December. There are mass killing sites at three locations (Dakbungalow Char, river side of Shambhuganj and Agricultural University compound) of the upazila.

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

Religious institutions Mosque 614, temple 22, church 4, tomb 9, sacred place 3. Noted religious institutions: Mymensingh Baro Mosque, Ganginapar Mosque, Rail Station Jami Mosque, Kachari Nur Jami Mosque, Shankipara Old Jami Mosque, College Road Jami Mosque, Patgudam (jute godown) Jami mosque, Vatikashwar Graveyard Jami Mosque, Durgabari Temple, Panditbari Temple, Kotwali Shiva Temple, Kanai-Balai Temple at Maharaja Road, Vatikashwar Swadhu Patrick Church, Baptist Church, Circuit House Anglinkon Church, Ramkrisna Ashrama, Jubileeghat pilgrimage.

Literacy rate and educational institutions Average literacy 51.7%; male 53.9%, female 49.6%. Educational institutions: university 1, college 18, medical college 2, homeo medical college 1, teachers training college 3, secondary school 67, primary teachers training institute 1, vocational training institute 2, polytechnic institute 1, primary school 166, deaf and dump school 1, madrasa 64. Noted educational institutions: bangladesh agricultural university (1960), Ananda Mohan Government College (1908), Mymensingh Medical College (1968), Mymensingh Girls' Cadet College, Muminunnesa Government Girls' College (1959), Mukul Niketan High School (1959), Vidyamoyee Government Girls' High School (1873), Mahakali Girls' School and College (1907), Edward Institution (1903), Radha Sundari Girls' High School (1927), Mymensingh Zila School (1853), City Collegiate School (1883), Mrityunjoy School (1901), Nasirabad Collegiate School (1911), Bangladesh Railway Government High School (1925), Katlasen Kaderia Kamil Madrasa (1890).

Newspapers and periodicals Daily: Jahan, Ajker Bangladesh, Swadesh Sangbad, Ajker Smriti, Ishika, Sabuj, Shipa, Sajan, Ajker Mymensingh, Porichoy, Banglar Jamin, Banglar Chashi, Mymensingh Sangbad, Ajker Khabar, Bhu-Mandol, The New Times; periodical: Ditio Chinta, Upol, Satanta, Suvrasikha; defunct: Saurav, weekly Takbir, Banglar Chashi.

Cultural organisations Library 18, club 12, museum 1, theatre group 5, theatre stage 2, jatra party 1, cinema hall 5, women organisation 2, playground 36.

Important installations Bangladesh Agricultural University, bangladesh institute of nuclear agriculture, bangladesh fisheries research institute.'

Main sources of income Agriculture 34.57%, non-agricultural labourer 4.05%, industry 1.01%, commerce 19.18%, transport and communication 6.68%, service 16.54%, construction 4.03%, religious service 0.24%, rent and remittance 0.86% and others 12.84%.

Ownership of agricultural land Landowner 45.26%, landless 54.74%; agricultural landowner: urban 37.57% and rural 52%.

Main crops Paddy, wheat, vegetables.

Extinct or nearly extinct crops Mustard, linseed, arahar.

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

Fisheries, dairies and poultries Fishery 63, dairy 6, poultries 54, hatchery 17.

Communication facilities Pucca road 166 km, semi-pucca road 4 km, mud road 968 km; railway 46 km.

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

Noted manufactories Flour mill 3, ice factory 8, jute industry 1, tannery 1, welding factory 33, bidi factory 2.

Cottage industries Goldsmith 67, blacksmith 84, potteries 103, weaving 8, embroidery 297, silk work 2, bamboo work 73, wood work 178.

Hats, bazars and fairs Hats and bazars are 50, fairs 3, most noted of which are Baro Bazar, Natun Bazar, Churkhai Bazar, Dapunia Bazar, Austami Snan Mela, Chaitra Samkranti Mela, Baishakhi Mela.

Main exports Paddy, banana, vegetables, leather.

Access to electricity All the wards and unions of the upazila are under rural electrification net-work. However 67.0% of the dwelling households have access to electricity.

Sources of drinking water Tube-well 82.7%, tap 12.4% and others 4.9%.

Sanitation 54.9% of dwelling households of the upazila use sanitary latrines and 34.0% of dwelling households use non-sanitary latrines; 11.1% of households do not have latrine facilities.

Health centres Upazila health complex 1, hospital 5, family welfare centre 13, satellite clinic 3.

NGO activities Operationally important NGOs are brac, Social Association for Rural Development, Bangladesh Nari Pragati Sangha. [Azahar Sarkar]

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