Lakshmipur Sadar Upazila

Lakshmipur Sadar Upazila (lakshmipur district) area 480.35 sq km, located in between 22°49' and 22°03' north latitudes and in between 90°43' and 92°00' east longitudes. It is bounded by raipur, ramganj and chatkhil upazilas on the north, daulatkhan, kamalnagar and noakhali sadar upazilas on the south, begumganj and sonaimuri upazilas on the east, Raipur, mehendiganj, hizla and bhola sadar upazilas on the west.

Population Total 684425; male 325234, female 359191; Muslim 658724, Hindu 25544, Buddhist 102, Christian 33 and others 22.

Water bodies Main river: meghna.

Administration Lakshmipur Thana was formed in 1860. It was turned into an upazila on 24 March 1984. Lakshmipur municipality was formed in 1976.

Upazila
Municipality	Union	Mouza	Village	Population		Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
				Urban	Rural		Urban	Rural
1	21	228	258	86286	598139	1425	50.8 (2001)	50.2

Municipality
Area (sq km)	Ward	Mahalla	Population	Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
19.42 (2001)	12	22	83112	3295 (2001)	63.9

Upazila Town
Area (sq km)	Mouza	Population	Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
-	1	3174	-	63.4

Union
Name of union and GO code	Area (acre)	Population		Literacy rate (%)
		Male	Female
Uttar Joypur 95	3234	9684	12012	65.5
Uttar Hamchadi 75	5564	14570	17460	69.8
Kushakhali 55	8324	15564	15649	27.9
Chandraganj 20	4413	16525	18478	65.7
Charramani Mohan 23	16906	14359	13586	17.9
Char Ruhita 30	6737	17704	19658	33.1
Charsai 25	4521	13101	15886	53.6
Tum Char 89	3396	10506	11291	42.0
Tiariganj 87	7940	13076	13835	36.1
Dakshin Hamchadi 90	3598	11953	14398	65.4
Dattapara 40	4691	15156	17197	63.1
Dalal Bazar 35	3483	15566	18255	53.3
Dighali 45	4258	11347	13492	49.7
Parbatinagar 80	3020	8189	9871	65.6
Bangakha 13	4336	13456	14684	55.1
Basikpur 14	4554	12710	16003	64.4
Bhabaniganj 15	9560	19664	21002	33.8
Mandari 70	5367	16671	18104	50.8
Laharkandi 60	4254	13756	15230	45.1
Shak Char 85	2173	7386	7853	33.5
Hajirpara 50	3580	12129	14297	64.1

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

Archaeological heritage and relics Tita Khan Jami Mosque, Mita Khan Mosque, Majupur Matka Mosque, Madhu Banu Mosque, Dayem Shah Mosque, Abdullahpur Jami Mosque, Neelkuthi Bari, Zamindar Bari at Dalal Bazar, Khoa-Sagor Dighi.

Historical events In 1927 kazi nazrul islam was accorded a reception by the Lakshmipur Town Club.

War of Liberation On 7 June 1971 the freedom fighters of Lakshmipur launched an attack on the Pak army at Ramganj Road and destroyed one Pak military convoy and a jeep. On 6 July the freedom fighters launched another surprise attack on the Pak army when they were entering Lakshmipur Town and killed 72 Pakistani soldiers. On 25 October a frontal battle was held between the freedom fighters and the Pak army at Mirganj, in which 70 Pakistani soldiers including one Pak Major and 41 Rangers were killed. Lakshmipur region was liberated on 14 December. There is a mass grave at Baghbari of the upazila; a memorial monument was built at Bijoy Sarani Chattar adjacent to the Court Building and a memorial plate was installed in memory of the freedom fighters.

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

Religious institutions Mosque 731, temple 3, church 1, dargah 1, tomb 3. Noted religious institutions: Majupur Matka Mosque, Tita Khan Mosque, Syedpur Jami Mosque, Madhu Banu Mosque, Shree Shree Govinda Mahaprovu Jeu Akhra, Joseph Church, Lakshmi Narayan Baishnab Math.

Literacy rate and educational institutions Average literacy 51.9%; male 51.2%, female 52.5%. Educational institutions: college 8, primary teachers training institute 1, technical educational institutions 2, secondary school 69, primary school 267, satellite school 10, community school 17, madrasa 84. Noted educational institutions: Lakshmipur Government College (1964), Lakshmipur Ideal Samad Government High School (1886), Lakshmipur Government Girl's High School (1898), Gopalpur Dwrika High school (1901), Chaupalli KD High School (1905), Duttapara Ramratan High School (1912), Morpur High School (1924), Dalal Bazar NK High School (1924), Chaupalli Joytara High School (1928), Gopinathpur Champka Girl's High School (1929), Primary Teacher's Training Institute (1953), Lakshmipur Aliya Madrasa (1872).

Newspapers and periodicals Daily: Lakshmipur Kantha (1995), Al-Chist (1995), Malancha, weekly: Natun Samaj (Natun Desh, 1973), Elan (1982), Natun Path (1987), Damama (1992), monthly: Lakshmipur Barta (1989); defunct Newspapers and periodicals: Mukti Bani (1928), weekly Ganamukh (1973), Chetana (1969), weekly Ananda Akash (1995), Prachchhad (1984), Chhayapath, Kabita Barta.

Cultural organisations Library 6, club 21, theatre group 3, cinema hall 3, cultural organisation 15, women organisation 35.

Tourist spots Maju Chowdhury Hat Sluice Gate on the bank of the Meghna, Saheb Bari at Sahapur, residence of the Zamindar at Dalal Bazar, residence of the Zamindar at Kamankhola, Khoa-sagor Dighi.

Main sources of income Agriculture 42.92%, non-agricultural labourer 3.12%, industry 1.04%, commerce 14.34%, transport and communication 4.50%, service 13.46%, construction 2.49%, religious service 0.46%, rent and remittance 4.98% and others 12.69%.

Ownership of agricultural land Landowner 62%, landless 38%; agricultural landowner: urban 55.99% and rural 62.77%.

Main crops Paddy, wheat, mustard, potato, ground-nut, soybean, vegetables.

Extinct or nearly extinct crops Jute, sesame, linseed, khesari, masur, arahar, pea, gram, onion, garlic.

Main fruits Coconut, betel nut, banana, mango.

Fisheries, dairies and poultries Dairy 40, poultry 74, hatchery 1.

Communication facilities Pucca road 741 km, semi-pucca road 32 km, mud road 2984 km; waterway 4.86 km.

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

Noted manufactories Rice mill, flour mill, ice factory, saw mill, oil mill, aluminum factory, bakery, bidi factory, printing press.

Cottage industries Blacksmith, potteries, bamboo work, cane work, shital pati, nakshi kantha.

Hats, bazars and fairs Hats and bazars are 57, fairs 3, most noted of which are Lakshmipur Bazar, Chandraganj Bazar, Dalal Bazar, Mandari Bazar, Bhabaniganj Bazar, Pharashganj Bazar, Jaksin, Podder Hat, Daser Hat, Dalalpur Jhulunjatra Mela, Deoan Shah Mela and Shympur Mela.

Main exports Betel nut, Coconut, Hilsha fish, bidi.

Access to electricity All the wards and unions of the upazila are under rural electrification network. However 53.7% of the dwelling households have access to electricity.

Sources of drinking water Tube-well 87.5%, tap 5.9% and others 6.6%. The presence of arsenic has been detected in shallow tube-well water of the upazila.

Sanitation 78.5% of dwelling households of the upazila use sanitary latrines and 18.6% of dwelling households use non-sanitary latrines; 2.9% of households do not have latrine facilities.

Health centres Sadar hospital 1, satellite clinic 7, maternity centre 2, family welfare centre 14, clinic 135.

Natural disasters Many people were victims of the earthquake of 1726, tornado of 1876, epidemic cholera of 1876 and 1954, flood of 1970 and the famine of 1974. These natural disaster also caused heavy damages to settlements, crops and other properties of the upazila.

NGO activities Operationally important NGOs are brac, asa, CARE, Hunger Project. [Nazimuddin Mahmud]

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