Bagherpara Upazila

Bagherpara Upazila (jessore district) area 308.29 sq km, located in between 23°08' and 23°21' north latitudes and in between 89°13' and 89°26' east longitudes. It is bounded by kaliganj (Jhenaidah) and Shalikha upazilas on the north, Narail Sadar and jessore sadar upazilas on the south, salikha and narail sadar upazilas on the east, Jassore Sadar upazila on the west.

Population Total 216897; male 107568, female 109329; Muslim 181319, Hindu 35321, Christian 25 and others 232.

Water bodies Main rivers: chitra, bhairab; Afra and Daitala canals are notable.

Administration Bagherpara Thana 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	155	191	8290	208607	704	62.3	52.4

Municipality
Area (sq km)	Ward	Mahalla	Population	Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
3.03	9	12	8290	2736	62.3

Union
Name of union and GO code	Area (acre)	Population		Literacy rate (%)
		Male	Female
Jaharpur 66	6865	9606	9959	49.8
Jamadia 57	7764	11666	11811	50.9
Darajhat 28	6368	9323	9279	52.8
Dohakola 47	8112	11493	11807	56.4
Dhalgram 38	6610	9152	9371	56.4
Narikelbaria 76	8364	12504	12790	47.2
Bandabilla 19	8252	15033	14973	53.5
Basuari 09	6239	11510	11712	52.2
Roypur 85	7834	13087	13531	53.1

Source Bangladesh Population Census 2011, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics.

Archaeological heritage and relics Zamindar Bari (Telkup), ramnants of Neelkuthi' at villages Jahurpur and Padmabeel, Bara Khudra Mosque, Dighir Par Mosque (Nityanandapur), 200 years old mosque at villages Katurakandi and Premchara, Bara Khudra Kali Mandir and Narikelbaria Kali Mandir.

War of Liberation During the war of liberation in 1971, 2 freedom fighters were killed in an encounter with the razakars at village Dohakula. On 8 December another encounter between the freedom fighters and the razakars was held at village Sekanderpur in which 3 freedom fighters and 30 razakars were killed. This upazila was liberated on 7 December.

For details: see বাঘারপাড়া উপজেলা, বাংলাদেশ মুক্তিযুদ্ধ জ্ঞানকোষ (Encyclopedia of Bangladesh War of Liberation), বাংলাদেশ এশিয়াটিক সোসাইটি, ঢাকা ২০২০, খণ্ড ৬।

Religious institutions 'Mosque 342, temple 104, church 1, sacred place 1. Noted religious institutions: Bara Khudra Mosque, Katurakandi Mosque, Narikelbaria Mosque, Bandhabila Mosque, Dhepkhali Mandir, Bara Khudra Mandir.

Literacy rate and educational institutions Average literacy 52.8%; Male 54.7%, female 51.0%. Educational institutions: college 9, secondary school 46, vocational institute 1, primary school 92, community school 3, madrasa 34. Noted educational institutions: Shahid Siraj Uddin Hossain Degree College (1972), Bagherpara Degree College (1972), Bagherpara Mahila Degree College (1998), Bhangura Ideal College (1994), Bakri Multilateral High School (1935), Dhalgram Secondary School (1939), Chhatiantala Secondary School (1940), Narikelbaria Secondary School (1944), Bagherpara Pilot Secondary School (1958), Charabhita Secondary School (1970), Krishnanagar Secondary School (1987), Chandipur Secondary School (1995), Purba Paikpara Model Government Primary School (1934), Bagherpara Senior Madrasa (1910),' Bagherpara Siddikia Fazil Madrasa (1922).'

Cultural organisations Club 43, library 2, opera party 1, cinema hall 1, theatre group 3, women's organisation 3, playground 32.

Main sources of income Agriculture 72.47%, non-agricultural labourer 2.28%, industry 1.16%, commerce 11.09%, transport and communication 2.44%, service 5.35%, construction 0.68%, religious service '0.12%, rent and remittance 0.75% and others 3.66%

Ownership of agricultural land Landowner 69.44%, landless 30.56%; agricultural landowner: urban' 62.75%, rural 69.85%.

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

Extinct or nearly extinct crops China, kaun, linseed, corn.

Main fruits Mango, black berry, jackfruit, papaya, banana, litchi, guava, palm, coconut.

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

Communication facilities Roads: pucca road 135 km, semi-pucca road 70 km, mud road 482 km; waterways 12 km.

Extinct or nearly extinct traditional transport Palanquin, dhuli.

Cottage industries Goldsmith, blacksmith, potteries, wood work, bamboo and cane work, handicraft, nakshi kantha.

Hats, bazars and fairs Hats and bazars are 16, fairs 4. Most noted of which are Charabhita, Narikelbaria, Bhangura, Chhatiantala, Basundia, Khajura hats and Kaludanga Baishakhi Mela, Katlamari Poush Mela and Narikelbaria Jhulan Mela.

Main exports Banana, papaya, jackfruit, jute.

Access to electricity All the wards and unions of the upazila are under rural electrification net-work. However 51.2% of the dwelling households have access to electricity.

Sources of drinking water Tube-well 97.7%, tap 0.2% and others 2.1%.

Sanitation 57.1% of dwelling households of the upazila use sanitary latrines and 37.5% of dwelling houses use non-sanitary latrines; 5.4% of households do not have latrine facilities.

Heath centres Upazila health complex 1, health and family planning centre 9, satellite clinic 3, clinic 2, community clinic 23.

NGO activities Operationally important NGOs are' brac, asa, proshika, Jatiya Tarun Sangha, Peace Foundation, Ad-din, Bachnte Shekha. [Biplab Sen]

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