Ishwardi Upazila

Ishwardi Upazila (pabna district) area 250.89 sq km, located in between 24°03' and 24°15' north latitudes and in between 89°00' and 89°11' east longitudes. It is bounded by lalpur and baraigram upazilas on the north, kushtia sadar and mirpur (kushtia) upazilas and the ganges river on the south, pabna sadar and atgharia upazilas on the east, bheramara upazila and Ganges river on the west.

Population Total 313932; male 157897, female 156035; Muslim 305033, Hindu 8024, Buddhist 11, Christian 507 and others 357.

Water bodies Main rivers: padma (Ganges), Kamala; Pati Beel is notable.

Administration Ishwardi Thana was formed in 1949 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	7	98	126	66255	247677	1251	65.2	52.2

Municipality
Area (sq km)	Ward	Mahalla	Population	Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
19.59	9	27	66255	3382	65.2

Union
Name of union and GO code	Area (acre)	Population		Literacy rate (%)
		Male	Female
Dashuria 21	7448	15017	15305	52.2
Pakshi 52	4773	18311	18063	65.5
Muladuli 42	9444	19529	19162	49.6
Lakshmikundi 31	13950	11861	11486	35.2
Sara 84	5680	13025	12906	55.8
Sahapur 63	7116	22117	22552	45.8
Silimpur 73	8590	24617	23726	56.0

Source  Bangladesh Population Census 2011, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics.

Archaeological heritage and relics Patirajpur Jami Mosque.

Historical events In 1912, the 5940 feet long hardinge bridge (named after Michael lord hardinge) was built on the padma (Ganges) River.

War of Liberation On 29 March 1971 the Pak army killed five young men at village Madhabpur. An encounter between the freedom fighters and the Pak army was held at village Joynagar. On 14 December the Indian air force bombarded on the Hardinge Bridge in which span no. 12 was broken and spans nos. 9 and 15 were partially damaged. A Shaheed memorial monument has been built at the old bus terminal.

For details: see ঈশ্বরদী উপজেলা, বাংলাদেশ মুক্তিযুদ্ধ জ্ঞানকোষ (Encyclopedia of Bangladesh War of Liberation), বাংলাদেশ এশিয়াটিক সোসাইটি, ঢাকা ২০২০, খণ্ড ১।

Religious institutions Mosque 210, temple 12, church 3, pagoda 1. Noted religious institutions: Ishwardi Central Jami Mosque, Mosjidul Fatah, Thakurbari Temple, Moubaria Temple.

Literacy rate and educational institutions Average literacy 55.0%; male 54.6%, female 55.3%. Educational institutions: college 7, secondary school 51, textile vocational institute 1, agricultural diploma institute 1, primary school 91, community school 4, kindergarten 25, madrasa 18. Noted educational institutions: Ishwardi Government College (1963), Sara Marowari School and College (1917), Pakudria High School (1907), Ruppur Girls' School (1918), Bangladesh Raiway Government Girls' High School (1918), Ishwardi Girls' High School (1929), Mobaram Memorial High School, Railway Nazim Uddin High School, Pakshi Chandraprobha High School,' Majdia Islamia Senior Madrasa (1961).

Newspapers and periodicals Daily: Uttar Janata; weekly: Junction, Janadabi; quarterly: Agrani; periodicals: Ekusher Chetana, Ekush Amar Ekush.

Cultural organisations Club 5, cultural group 7, sports association 108, women's organisation 32, cinema hall 4, theatre stage 1, theatre group 2.

Tourist spots Hardinge Bridge, Lalan Shah Setu (bridge), Agricultural Research Centre (one of the largest in Asia), Regional Agricultural Research Centre, Dal (pulsees) Research Centre, Silk Grannery, Sugarcane Research Centre (biggest in Asia and the only research centre in Bangladesh).

Main sources of income Agriculture 33.63%, non-agricultural labourer 7.56%, industry 1.73%, commerce 20.90%, transport and communication 5.26%, service 13.86%, construction 3.17%, religious service 0.23%, rent and remittance 0.48% and others 13.18%.

Ownership of agricultural land Landowner 42.96%, landless 57.04%; agricultural landowner: urban 28.56% and rural 50.03%.

Main crops Paddy, wheat, sugarcane, betel leaf, potato, onion, vegetables.

Extinct or nearly extinct crops Kaun, linseed, china, burley, arahar, guja, sweet potato, white mustard.

Main fruits Mango, jackfruit, litchi, papaya, lemon, plum, palm, wood apple.

Fisheries, dairies and poultries Fishery 12, dairy 170, poultry 28.'

Communication facilities Pucca road 139 km, semi-pucca 44 km, mud road 402 km; waterway 30 nautical miles; railways 16 km; airport 1.

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

Noted manufactories Sugar mill, paper mill, spinning mill, cement factory, rice mill, steel mill.

Cottage industries Weaving, goldsmith, blacksmith, potteries, jute made products, bamboo work, wood work.

Hats, bazars and fairs Hats and bazars are 30, fairs 3, most noted of which are Sahapara Natun Hat, Aotapara Hat, Ishwardi Bazar, Pakshi BBC Bazar, Majpara Hat, Dashuria Hat, Arancola Hat, Arambaria Hat and Muladuli Hat.

''Main exports ' Betel leaf, onion, papaya, vegetables, rice, sugarcane molasses, sugar, cement, flour.

Access to electricity All the wards and unions of the upazila are under rural electrification net-work. However 77.6% of the dwellings have access to electricity.

Sources of drinking water Tube-well 93.6%, tap 3.0% and others 3.4%.

Sanitation 64.3% of dwelling households of the upazila use sanitary latrines and 31.6% of dwelling households use non-sanitary latrines; 4.1% of households do not have latrine facilities.

Health centres Upazila health complex 1, railway hospital 2, union family welfare centre 7, clinic 4, charitable hospital 3.

NGO activities brac, thengamara mahila sabuj sangha, ccdb, ITCL, Nova, Mauchak Bangla, The Door Bangladesh. [Md Shahidullah Khan]

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