Shahrasti Upazila

Shahrasti Upazila (chandpur district) area 154.81 sq km, located in between 23°08' and 23°17' north latitudes and in between 90°51' and 91°02' east longitudes. It is bounded by kachua upazila on the north, chatkhil and ramganj upazilas on the south, laksham and barura upazilas on the east, hajiganj upazila on the west.

Population Total 229118; male 106700, female 122418; Muslim 219873, Hindu 9222, Buddhist 3, Christian 4 and others 16.

Water bodies Main river: dakatia.

Administration Shahrasti Thana was formed in 1978 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	152	163	28287	200831	1480	67.0	62.1

Municipality
Area (sq km)	Ward	Mahalla	Population	Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
15.65	9	17	28287	1807	67.0

Union
Name of union and GO code	Area (acre)	Population		Literacy rate (%)
		Male	Female
West Chitasi 20	3844	11124	12323	63.1
East Chitasi 15	3827	8718	10302	73.7
Tamta Dakshin 95	3916	22781	25202	58.4
Uttar Meher 60	1560	6952	7982	46.0
Dakshin Meher 65	1871	6070	7369	60.9
Uttar Roysree 80	3340	8309	9984	72.4
Dakshin Roysree 82	3496	8812	10862	72.0
Uttar Suchi Para 85	4075	10904	12060	59.6
Dakshin Suchi Para 90	4448	9335	11742	55.6

Source Bangladesh Population Census 2011, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics.

Archaeological heritage and relics Tomb and mosque of Shahrasti (R), Dinbandhu Asrama, Sarbananda Thakur Asrama, Kali Mandir, Chowdhury Bari Fort at Nij Meher Sahapur, Maths at Naora, Paranpur and' Barulia, Tomb of Bagdadi Shah Sharif (R).

War of Liberation During the war of liberation in 1971 battle was fought between the allied forces and the Pak army at a place on the eastern side of Naora, Suchi Para and at Unkila near Belpur. 13 member of the allied forces and 35 Pak soldiers were killed in these battles. Freedom fighters had encounters with Pak army at Noringpur Bazar, Khilabazar, Mollar daroza, Sheti narayanpur, Uarok Bazar, Unkila Bazar and other places of the upazila.

For details: see শাহরাস্তি উপজেলা, বাংলাদেশ মুক্তিযুদ্ধ জ্ঞানকোষ (Encyclopedia of Bangladesh War of Liberation), বাংলাদেশ এশিয়াটিক সোসাইটি, ঢাকা ২০২০, খণ্ড ৯।

Religious institutions Mosque 300, temple 5, tomb 2, sacred place 1.

Literacy rate and educational institutions Average literacy 62.7%; male 61.1%, female 64.0%. Noted educational institutions: Warukh Rahmania High School (1899), Dhamra High School (1913), Unkila High School (1917), Mehar High School (1919), Shahrasti Multilateral High School (1914), Cheriara High School (1919), Chitasi RM High School (1930), Nunia Islamia Senior Madrasa (1931).

Newspapers and periodicals Darpan and Probaho (periodical); fortnightly: Shahrasti (defunct).

Cultural organisations Library 1, club 23, cinema hall 1, playground 34.

Tourists spots Shahrasti (R) Dighi, Naora Math.

Main sources of income Agriculture 42.07%, non-agricultural labourer 4.31%, industry 0.74%, commerce 13.81%, transport and communication 2.79%, service 16.70%, construction 1.34%, religious service 0.47%, rent and remittance 7.46% and others 10.31%.

Ownership of agricultural land Landowner 62.87%, landless 37.13%; agricultural landowner: urban 54.81% and rural 63.99%.'

Main crops Paddy, wheat, potato, sugarcane.

Extinct or nearly extinct crops Kaun, china, linseed, sesame, pea, 'jute, mustard.

Main fruits Mango, jackfruit, blackberry, banana, papaya.

Fisheries, dairies and poultries Fishery 12, dairy 5, poultry 49, hatchery 2.

Communication facilities Pucca road 141 km, mud road 554 km; railway 16 km; waterway 13 km. Railstation 4.

Extinct or nearly extinct traditional transport Palanquin, bullock cart.

Noted manufactories Welding factory.

Cottage industries Goldsmith, blacksmith, potteries, cocoon work, wood work, tailoring, bamboo work.

Hats, bazars and fairs Hats and bazars are 15, fairs 2, most noted of which are Thakur Bazar, Warukh Bazar, Suchi Para Bazar and Maheswari Kali Bari Mela.

Main exports Paddy, sugarcane, potato.

Access to electricity All the wards and unions of the upazila are under rural electrification net-work. However 55.8% of the dwelling households have access to electricity.

Sources of drinking water Tube-well 93.9%, tap 1.4% and others 4.7%.

Sanitation 60.3% of dwelling households of the upazila use sanitary latrines and 37.2% of dwelling households use non-sanitary latrines; 2.5% of households do not have latrine facilities.

Health centres Upazila health complex 1, satellite clinic 2, family planning centre 9.

NGO activities Operationally important NGOs are brac, asa. [Farid Ahmed Mazumder]

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