Shibganj Upazila (Bogra District)

Shibganj Upazila (bogra district) area 314.92 sq km, located in between 24°55' and 25°07' north latitudes and in between 89°11' and 89°28' east longitudes. It is bounded by gobindaganj (gaibandha) upazila on the north, bogra sadar, kahaloo and dupchanchia upazilas on the south, sonatola and gabtali upazilas on the east, kalai and khetlal upazilas on the west.

Population Total 378700; male 190376, female 188324; Muslim 361614, Hindu 16811, Buddhist 2, Christian 73 and others 200.

Water bodies Main rivers: karatoya, nagar, Gangnai, Bhimti, Nungalar.

Administration Shibganj Upazila was formed on 24 March 1983.

Upazila
Municipality	Union	Mouza	Village	Population		Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
				Urban	Rural		Urban	Rural
1	12	237	409	21643	357057	1203	44.6	44.1

Municipality
Area (sq km)	Ward	Mahalla	Population	Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
13.67	9	31	21643	1583	44.6

Union
Name of union and GO code	Area (acre)	Population		Literacy rate (%)
		Male	Female
Atmul 11	7843	15893	15893	41.0
Kichak 39	6282	16906	16906	40.7
Deuli 31	6500	14928	14928	53.9
Pirab 71	5973	12247	12247	43.9
Bihar 15	4229	10269	10269	40.9
Buriganj 23	5322	11776	11776	43.1
Maidanhata 47	7602	16117	16117	39.2
Majhihatta 55	6505	12051	12051	48.5
Mokamtala 63	5561	17755	17755	42.3
Roynagar 79	4615	15882	15882	41.5
Shibganj 94	7345	19086	19086	40.5
Saidpur 87	6615	16550	16550	54.1

Source Bangladesh Population Census 2011, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics.

Archaeological heritage and relics Mahasthan Garh (Roynagar), bhasu viharA, tomb and Mosque of Hazrat' shah sultan balkhi mahisawar (r), Bihar Hat Jami Mosque.

War of Liberation On 4 April 1971 the Pak army brutally killed 16 persons of the same family at Maidanhata. One freedom fighter was killed in a frontal encounter with the Pak army at village Panch Pir Saralpur.

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

Religious institutions Mosque 591, temple 30, tomb 2, sacred place 1. Noted religious institutions: Mahasthan Mazar Jami Mosque, Bihar Hat Jami Mosque, Shibganj Chowdhury Bari Jami Mosque, tomb of Hazrat Shah Sultan Balkhi Mahisawar (R), Deuli Chaki Bari Kartoni Puja Mandir.

Literacy rate and educational institutions Average literacy 44.1%; male 47.9%, female 40.2%. Educational institutions: college 7, technical and business management college 5, secondary school 37, primary school 163, madrasa 35. Noted educational institutions: Shibganj Pilot High School (1931).

Newspapers and periodicals Periodical: Sonali Upohar; irregular: Vor Holo Dor Kholo; defunct: Nagar.

Cultural organisations Library 3, club 73, women's organisation 1, cinema hall 5, playground 32.

Tourists spots Mahasthan Garh Museum.

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 59.9%, landless 40.1.'

Main crops Paddy, wheat, maize, potato, ginger, betel leaf, jute, sugarcane, turmeric, vegetables.

Extinct or nearly extinct crops Pulse, gram, sesame, kaun, arahar, linseed.

Main fruits Mango, jackfruit, litchi, banana, papaya, guava, futi, coconut, palm, wood apple, shaddock.

Fisheries, dairies and poultries Fishery 36, poultry 61.

Communication facilities Pucca road 232 km, semi-pucca road 11 km, mud road 367 km.

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

Noted manufactories Cold storage 7, welding factory 15.

Cottage industries Goldsmith 30, blacksmith 40, potteries 80, weaving 294, wood work 150, bamboo work 70, tailoring 450.

Hats, bazars and fairs Hats and bazars are 55, fairs 5, most noted of which are Mokamtala Hat, Mahasthan Hat, Chandihara Hat, Shibganj Hat, Shihali Hat, Kichak Hat, Gangnagar Mela, Shiladevir Ghater Mela, Shesh Baishakhi Mela at Mahasthan and Bariarhat Mela.

Main exports Banana, potato, paddy, turmeric, wheat, vegetables.

Access to electricity All the unions of the upazila are under rural electrification net-work. However 45.8% of the dwelling households have access to electricity.

Sources of drinking water Tube-well 95.8%, tap 1.1% and others 3.1%. The presence of arsenic has been detected in shallow tube-well water of the upazila.

Sanitation 46.0% of dwelling households of the upazila use sanitary latrines and 30.4% of dwelling households use non-sanitary latrines; 23.6% of households do not have latrine facilities.

Health centres Upazila health centre 1, hospital 1, health and family planning centre 8, charitable dispensary 5, community clinic 48, clinic 2, veterinary hospital 1, satellite clinic 1, union health centre 11.

NGO activities Operationally important NGOs are brac, proshika, thengamara mahila sabuj sangha, Palli Unniyan Sangstha. [Md. Sahidul Islam]

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