Thakurgaon Sadar Upazila
Thakurgaon Sadar Upazila (thakurgaon district) area 654.95 sq km, located in between 25°40' and 25°59' north latitudes and in between 88°15' and 88°22' east longitudes. It is bounded by atwari and boda upazilas on the north, pirganj (thakurgaon) and birganj upazilas on the south, Boda, debiganj and Birganj upazilas on the east, baliadangi and ranisankail upazilas on the west.
Population Total 581227; male 293551, female 287676; Muslim 430712, Hindu 144219, Buddhist 213, Christian 3642 and others 2441. Indigenous communities such as santal, oraon, munda, Mushar and rajbanshi belong to this upazila.
Water bodies Main rivers: tangon, nagar, Kulik, Pathari; Ulir Beel is notable.
Administration Thakurgaon Sadar Thana was formed in 1800 and it was turned into an upazila in 1984.
| Upazila | ||||||||
| Municipality | Union | Mouza | Village | Population | Density (per sq km) | Literacy rate (%) | ||
| Urban | Rural | Urban | Rural | |||||
| 1 | 19 | 194 | 198 | 93213 | 488014 | 887 | 66.0 (2001) | 49.7 |
| Municipality | |||||
|
Area (sq km) |
Ward |
Mahalla |
Population |
Density (per sq km) |
Literacy rate (%) |
| 10.70 (2001) | 12 | 30 | 80589 | 3912 (2001) | 74.3 |
| Upazila Town | |||||
|
Area (sq km) |
Mouza |
Population |
Density (per sq km) |
Literacy rate (%) | |
| 10.55 (2001) | 4 | 12624 | 941 (2001) | 53.0 | |
| Union | ||||
| Name of union and GO code | Area (acre) | Population | Literacy rate (%) | |
| Male | Female | |||
| Auliapur 15 | 9183 | 12847 | 12628 | 43.9 |
| Akcha 14 | 8361 | 12489 | 11880 | 51.9 |
| Akhanagar 13 | 9047 | 12423 | 12135 | 51.4 |
| Gareya 42 | 9336 | 15927 | 15736 | 44.4 |
| Chilarang 31 | 8569 | 12096 | 11938 | 57.1 |
| Jagannathpur 47 | 8485 | 16495 | 16148 | 51.8 |
| Jamalpur 52 | 8697 | 14024 | 14038 | 50.9 |
| Debipur 36 | 9329 | 12792 | 12594 | 56.2 |
| Nargun 63 | 6816 | 9572 | 9400 | 55.2 |
| Baragaon 26 | 7652 | 11259 | 11051 | 56.7 |
| Balia 21 | 9088 | 13333 | 13407 | 38.8 |
| Begunbari 17 | 8818 | 11033 | 10818 | 49.2 |
| Mohammadpur 58 | 6152 | 9434 | 9347 | 52.4 |
| Rahimanpur 68 | 7920 | 16102 | 15788 | 54.9 |
| Rajagaon 79 | 8835 | 11660 | 11496 | 48.5 |
| Roypur 73 | 9332 | 13105 | 13018 | 38.5 |
| Ruhea 84 | 9523 | 18815 | 18595 | 52.2 |
| Sukhanpukhari 94 | 8771 | 12364 | 12409 | 41.3 |
| Salandar 89 | 7928 | 16570 | 15872 | 51.5 |
Source Bangladesh Population Census 2001 and 2011, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics.
Archaeological heritage and relics Govinda Nagar Mandir, Jamalpur Jami Mosque, Karam Khan Garh, Brishamurti at Nargun Kaharpara, Khurram Khan Pond at Debipur, Govinda Jeu Mandir (eighteenth century), Shapla and Peala Dighi.
Historical events tebhaga movement spread over Thakurgaon extensively. During the Tebhaga Movement 35 peasants were killed and many were wounded when police fired on a procession.
War of Liberation Direct encounters were held between the freedom fighters and the Pak army at Bhulli, Gareya and Salandar in which many people were killed. The Pak army conducted mass killing and plundering; they also set many houses of the upazila on fire. There are mass graves at places like Sukhanpukhari, Jhatidanga, Hater Bridge, Pharabari and on the banks of river Tangon of Thakurgaon Town. Also there are mass killing sites at Sabdal Danga and BDR Camp.
For details: see ঠাকুরগাঁও সদর উপজেলা, বাংলাদেশ মুক্তিযুদ্ধ জ্ঞানকোষ (Encyclopedia of Bangladesh War of Liberation), বাংলাদেশ এশিয়াটিক সোসাইটি, ঢাকা ২০২০, খণ্ড ৪।
Religious institutions Mosque 655, temple 120, church 19.
Literacy rate and educational institutions Average literacy 53.3%; male 57.6%, female 48.9%. Educational institutions: technical college 1, teacher's centre 1, B.ED college 1, vocational training institute 1, vocational textile institute 1, youth training centre 2, college 9, secondary school 112, primary school 337. Noted educational institutions: Thakurgaon Government College (1957), Thakurgaon Zila School (1904), Thakurgaon Government Boys' High School (1904), Ruhea High School (1939), Madarganj MB High School (1945), Salandar Triple Kamil Madrasa.
Newspapers and periodicals Defunct daily: Thakurgaon Darpan, Sangrami Bangla, Gram Bangla, Bangladesh, Janarab; defunct literary periodicals: Aso Cheye Dekhi Prithibi, Usashi, Chalachitra.
Cultural organisations Library 10, club 68, cinema hall 10, theatre group 7, theatre stage 1, playground 43, shilpakala academy 1.
Important installations TV Relay Centre 1, Radio Station 1.
Main sources of income Agriculture 65.07%, non-agricultural labourer 3.75%, industry 0.49%, commerce 11.94%, transport and communication 4.87%, service 6.97%, construction 1.32%, religious service 0.14%, rent and remittance 0.22% and others 5.23%.
Ownership of agricultural land Landowner 57.16%, landless 42.84%; agricultural landowner: urban 43.90% and rural 58.58%.'
Main crops Paddy, wheat, potato, sugarcane, pulse, mustard, vegetables.
Extinct or nearly extinct crops Aus paddy, barley, jute.
Main fruits Mango, jackfruit, litchi, banana, papaya, watermelon.
Communication facilities Pucca road 184 km, semi-pucca road 6 km, mud road 331 km; railway 33 km.
Extinct or nearly extinct traditional transport Palanquin, horse carriage, bullock cart.
Noted manufactories Rice mill, sugar mill, saw mill, flour mill, oil mill, textile mill, husking mill, ice cream factory, pipe factory, chemical and pharmaceutical industry, cold storage.
Cottage industries Goldsmith, blacksmith, potteries, weaving, manufacture of jute goods, bamboo work, wood work.
Hats, bazars and fairs Hats and bazars are 45, fairs 6, most noted of which are Gareya Hat, Bhulli Hat, Shibganj Hat, Ramnath Hat, Khochabari Hat, Pharabari Hat, Chowdhury Hat, Baradham Mela, Ruhea Mela and Muktar Mela.
Main exports Rice, pulse, potato, mango, jackfruit, litchi, watermelon, sugar, vegetables.
Access to electricity All the wards and unions of the upazila are under rural electrification net-work. However 47.3%of the dwelling households have access to electricity.
Sources of drinking water Tube-well 96.7%, tap 0.7% and others 2.6%.
Sanitation 26.6% of dwelling households of the upazila use sanitary latrines and 50.5% of dwelling households use non-sanitary latrines; 22.9% of households do not have latrine facilities.
Health centres Hospital 1, upazila health complex 1, union health centre 12, family planning centre 19, maternity 1, diabetic hospital 1, chest diseases hospital 1, veterinary hospital 1.
NGO activities Operationally important NGOs are brac, asa, CDA, RDP. [Abu Md. Iqbal Rumi Shah]
References Bangladesh Population Census 2001 and 2011, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics; Cultural survey report of Thakurgaon Sadar Upazila 2007.
