Bholahat Upazila

Bholahat Upazila (nawabganj district) area 123.53 sq km, located in between 24°48' and 24°58' north latitudes and in between 88°08' and 88°16' east longitudes. It is bounded by west bengal on the north, east and west, shibganj (Nawabganj) and gomastapur upazilas on the south.

Population Total 103301; male 51035, female 52266; Muslim 102403, Hindu 882, Buddhist 2 and others 14.

Water bodies Main river: mahananda; Bhatia, Vaeoa, Kalan, Amgachhi, Kawbari and Chatra beels are notable.

Administration Bholahat Thana was formed in 1918 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
-	4	37	100	13726	89575	836	61.2	45.0

Upazila Town
Area (sq km)	Mouza	Population	Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
5.07	5	13726	2707	61.2

Union
Name of union and GO code	Area (acre)	Population		Literacy rate (%)
		Male	Female
Gohalbari 56	12570	13614	14018	48.8
Jambaria 75	4566	8855	8902	36.3
Daldali 37	7950	14444	15012	47.3
Bholahat 18	5436	14122	14334	52.2

Source Bangladesh Population Census 2011, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics.

Archaeological heritage and relics Shiva Mandir, Jadunagar Mosque (Mughal period), Gopinathpur 'Mosque and Bazratek Mosque (Sultani period), Mazar of Shahabuddin Shah (R), Mazar of Bara Khan Gazi (R), Triratna Mandir.

Historical events Two Deva statues of Gupta period and copper plate inscriptions on land grant by Dharma Paul were found in the upazila. In November of 1893 the then District Magistrate of Maldaha, Unesh Chandra Batball discovered the inscription from Mori Beaoa of village Khalimpur of the upazila.

War of Liberation An encounter was held between the freedom fighters and the Pak army on 16 October 1971 in which one freedom fighter was killed. The Pak army conducted mass killing and plundering in this upazila on 9 November at village Jambaria. Mass killing sites (at Sathia Bazaar and Jadunagar) and mass grave (at Jambaria) have been discovered in the upazila.

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

Religious institutions Mosque 184, temple 7, tomb 1. Noted religious institutions: Jadunagar Mosque, Gopinathpur Jami Mosque, Jambaria Jami Mosque, Baratek Jami Mosque, Bara Khan Gazi Tomb, Tre ratna Mandir.

Literacy rate and educational institutions Average literacy 47.2%; male 45.7%, female 48.5%. Educational institution: college 4, secondary school 15, primary school 55, madrasa 15. Noted educational institutions: Bholahat Mohebullah Degree College (1986), Bholahat Romeshwar Pilot High School (1911), Mushareevuza High School (1962), Gohalbari Senior Fazil Madrasa (1961).

Newspapers and periodicals Darpan (1994) and Bikash (1999).

Cultural organisations Library 2, club 21, theatre group 1, women's organisation 1, auditorium 1, cinema hall 1.

Main sources of income Agriculture 66.27%, non-agricultural labourer 5.22%, industry 0.58%, commerce 12.62%, transport and communication 1.05%, service 3.63%, construction 0.69%, religious service 0.17%, rent and remittance 0.14% and others 9.63%.

Ownership of agricultural land Landowner 42.25%, landless 57.75%; agricultural landowner: urban 48.12% and rural 41.29%.

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

Extinct or nearly extinct crops Linseed, aush paddy, kaun, black gram.

Main fruits Mango, jackfruit, litchi, blackberry, palm, coconut, watermelon, plum.

Fisheries, dairies and poultries Fishery 4, dairy 5, poultry 20.

Communication facilities Roads: pucca road 74.69 km, semi-pacca road 4.97, mud road 225.8 km.

Extinct or nearly extinct traditional transport Palanquin, horse carriage.

Noted manufactories Silk mill, rice mill, flour mill.

Cottage industries 'Goldsmith, blacksmith, potteries.

Hats, bazars and fairs Hats and bazars are 14, fairs 3. Gohalbari Hat, Bara Gachhi Hat, Munshiganj Hat (Kanar) and Poladanga Mela, Bahadurganj Mela and Bazratek Mela are notable.

Main exports Silk yarn, mango, vegetables.

Access to electricity All the unions of the upazila are under rural electrification net-work; however, 43.5% dwelling households have access to electricity.

Sources of drinking water Tube-well 89.6%, tap 3.3% and others 7.1%. The presence of arsenic has been detected in shallow tube-well of this upazila.

Sanitation 41.1% of dwelling households of the upazila use sanitary latrines and 54.9% of dwelling houses use non-sanitary latrines; 4.0% of households do not have latrine facilities.

Health centres Upazila health complex 1, hospital 1, health and family planning centre 4, charitable dispensary 1, clinic 3.

NGO activities brac, proshika, Manobic Unnayan Sangstha (MAUS). [Mazharul Islam Taru]

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