Narsingdi Sadar Upazila

Narsingdi Sadar Upazila (narsingdi district) area 213.43 sq km, located in between 23°46' and 23°58' north latitudes and in between 90°36' and 92°50' east longitudes. It is bounded by palash, shibpur and raipura upazilas on the north, araihazar upazila on the south, bancHharampur and Raipura upazilas on the east, Palash and rupganj upazilas on the west.

Population Total 707525; male 363811, female 343714; Muslim 655494, Hindu 51928, Buddhist 31, Christian 61 and others 11.

Water bodies Main river: meghna.

Administration Narsingdi 'Thana, now an upazila, was formed in 1930. Narsingdi Municipality was formed in 1972.

Upazila
Municipality	Union	Mouza	Village	Population		Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
				Urban	Rural		Urban	Rural
2	14	156	275	234711	472814	3315	59.0 (2001)	43.8

	Narsingdi Municipality
Area (sq km)	Ward	Mahalla	Population	Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
9.14 (2001)	9	33	49583	13589 (2001)	66.7
	Madhabdi Municipality
Area (sq km)	Ward	Mahalla	Population	Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
5.10 (2001)	9	15	146115	4457 (2001)	67.6

Upazila Town
Area (sq km)	Mouza	Population	Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
6.92 (2001)	7	39013	2957 (2001)	51.6

Union
Name of union and GO code	Area (acre)	Population		Literacy rate (%)
		Male	Female
Amdia 21	5008	21255	20863	45.7
Alokbali 20	4923	12514	12843	23.6
Karimpur 41	3031	12163	12398	35.4
Kanthalia 47	2961	19202	19188	36.9
Char Dighaldi 23	4985	9076	9440	29.5
Chinishpur 25	1085	23725	23134	59.7
Nazarpur 77	6577	15827	16556	35.1
Nurallapur 53	1949	27135	24347	52.6
Paikar Char 83	3455	19555	19111	34.2
Panchdona 89	3124	15943	15543	50.5
Mahishasura 59	3433	20683	20070	34.4
Meher Para 65	2305	22907	20793	48.4
Silmandi 95	3580	24812	23009	53.7
Hajipur 29	1421	14970	14765	54.3

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

Archaeological heritage and relics Copperplate inscription of Bhoj Barmadeva discovered at village Belabo (eleventh century), Stone statue (Sena period), silver coin of Giasuddin Azam Shah at village Algi, silver coin (Sultani period) at Panchdona, Tomb of Kabul Shah, Tomb and Mosque of Hazrat Shah Osman, 29 silver coins (1011 AH) discovered at Laskar Para.

Historical events Satish Pakrashi was imprisoned for 20 years for direct involvement in the swadeshi movement.

War of Liberation On 5 April 1971, three persons were killed on the spot and hundreds of shops were burned to ashes by a rocket bomb. A number of skirmishes were held between the freedom fighters and the Pak army at Panchdona and Madhavdi. Narshingdi was liberated on 12 December. Mass graves had been discovered at 3 places of the upazila; a memorial monument has been built near office of the Deputy Commissioner.

For details: see নরসিংদী সদর উপজেলা, বাংলাদেশ মুক্তিযুদ্ধ জ্ঞানকোষ (Encyclopedia of Bangladesh War of Liberation), বাংলাদেশ এশিয়াটিক সোসাইটি, ঢাকা ২০২০, খণ্ড ৫।

Religious institutions Mosque 512, temple 45, tomb 3. Noted religious institutions: Narsingdi Bazar Jami Mosque, Duttapara Jami Mosque, Chinishpur Kali Bari.

Literacy rate and educational institutions Average literacy 50.9%; male 52.5%, female 49.1%. Educational institutions: college 7, law college 1, homeopathy college 1, secondary school 39, primary school 131, madrasa 28. Noted educational institutions: Satir Kalikumar High School (1901), Balapur Nabin High School (1905), Sir KG Gupta High School (1919), Brahmandi Government High School (1930).

Newspapers and periodicals Daily: Narsingdir Bani, Uttap, Grameen Darpan; weekly: Khorak; Narsingdir Khabar, Sandesh,' Khoj Khabor, Otikram, Narsingdir Kagoz.

Cultural organisations Library 2, club 30, cinema hall 3, music academy 5, auditorium 3, theatre group 25, cultural organisation 11, literary organisation 5, shishu academy 5, stadium 5, women's organisation 3, playground 40.

Important installations' Swadhinata Chattar (adjacent to Narsingdi Paurasabha Office), Payra Chattar (turn of the Kauriapara), Mukti Chattar (Natun Bus Stand), Sapla Chattar (Basail), Sikkha Chattar (turn of the Brahmandi).

Amusement centres Arshinagar Park.

Main sources of income Agriculture 55.47%, non-agricultural labourer 2.92%, industry 2.21%, commerce 12.74%, transport and communication 3.01%, service 11.39%, construction 1.67%, religious service 0.22%, rent and remittance 2.55% and others 7.82%.

Ownership of agricultural land Landowner 45.38%, landless 54.62%; agricultural landowner: urban 37.20% and rural 49%.'

Main crops Paddy, wheat, mustard, jute, potato, garlic, vegetables.

Extinct or nearly extinct crops Sesame, linseed, tobacco.

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

Fisheries, dairies and poultries Fishery 225, dairy 25, poultry 511.

Communication facilities Pucca road 245.72 km, semi-pucca road 21.16 km, mud road 385.06 km; railway 8 km.

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

Noted manufactories Flour mill, jute mill, textile mill, ice factory.

Cottage industries Goldsmith, blacksmith, weaving, potteries, wood work, bamboo work.

Hats, bazars and fairs Hats and bazars are 27, fairs 3, most noted of which are Madhabdi Hat, Shekherchar Bazar, Karimpur Bazar, Baul Mela, Kabul Shah Mela and Panchdona Mela.

Main exports Paddy, jute, mustard, potato, banana, garlic.

Access to electricity All the wards and unions of the upazila are under rural electrification net-work. However 88.3% of the dwelling households have access to electricity.

Natural resources Natural Gas, mineral oil

Sources of drinking water Tube-well 91.2%, tap 6.3% and others 2.5%.

Sanitation 64.8% of dwelling households of the upazila use sanitary latrines and 29.7% of dwelling households use non-sanitary latrines; 5.5% of households do not have latrine facilities.

Health centres Hospital 2, upazila health complex 1, upazila health centre 1, eye hospital 1, diabetic hospital 1, satellite clinic 4, family welfare centre 14, community clinic 4, clinic 36, mother and child welfare centre 1, charitable dispensary 1, diagnostic centre 72, veterinary hospital 1.

NGO activities Operationally important NGOs are Red Crescent Society, brac, asa, CARE. [Md. Mosharraf Hossain Sarkar]

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