Satkhira District

Satkhira District (khulna division) area 3858.33 sq km, located in between 21°36' and 22°54' north latitudes and in between 88°54' and 89°20' east longitudes. It is bounded by jessore district on the north, the bay of bengal on the south, khulna district on the east, west bengal state of India on the west.

Population Total 1864704; male 955198, female 909506; Muslim 1495219, Hindu 360723, Buddhist 6359, Christian 229 and others 2174.

Water bodies Main rivers: jamuna, kalindi, arpangachhia, Malanchha, kobadak, Raimangal, Betna, Hariabhanga, ichamati.

Administration Satkhira Sub-division was established in 1861 under Jessore district. It was included into Khulna district in 1882. The sub-division was turned into a district in 1984 as a result of the administrative decentralisation. Satkhira Municipality was formed in 1889. This district is located on the south west extremity of Bangladesh. Of the seven upazilas of the district shyamnagar is the largest (1968.24 sq km) and debhata is the smallest (176.33).

District
Area (sq km)	Upazila	Municipality	Union	Mouza	Village	Population		Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
						Urban	Rural
3858.33	7	2	79	953	1435	171614	1693090	483	45.52

Others Information of District
Name of Upazila	Area (sq km)	Municipality	Union	Mouza	Village	Population	Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
Assasuni	402.36	-	11	143	242	249244	619	40.30
Kalaroa	232.64	1	12	112	136	221596	953	45.59
Kaliganj	333.79	-	12	243	253	256384	768	46.83
Tala	344.15	-	12	150	230	294400	855	45.66
Debhata	176.33	-	5	59	122	118944	675	49.94
Shyamnagar	1968.24	-	13	127	216	313781	159	39.69
Satkhira Sadar	400.82	1	14	119	236	410355	1024	50.67

Source  Bangladesh Population Census 2001, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics.

History of the War of Liberation The Swadin Bangla Chhatra Sangram Parishad organised initial resistance to the Pak army on 26 March 1971. During the period between 14 and 17 April they captured all the arms and ammunitions from the treasury. On 18 April, they capturedmoney from the National Bank of Pakistan and deposited the fund to Indian Reserve Bank in favour of the Bangladesh Government in exile. On 20 April the Pak army conducted mass killing at Jhaudanga on their entry to Satkhira. On 21 April, the Pak army killed nearly 200 people in the refugee camp at Satkhira Government High School (formerly Satkhira Town School) including some from the nearby residences. An encounter was held on 29 April between the freedom fighters and the Pak army at Bhomra in which four freedom fighters were killed and so were many Pak soldiers. On 6 May 11 freedom fighters were killed in an encounter with the Pak army at Garura of Shyamnagar upazila. On 7 June 8 freedom fighters including Nazmul Arefin Khokan and Shamsuzzaman Kajol were killed in an encounter with the Pak army at village Town Sreepur under Debhata upazila. On 17 July, the freedom fighters raided the Pak military camp at Baikari under Satkhira sadar upazila and killed 7 Pak soldiers. On 16 August three freedom fighters were killed while launching assault on two Pak military gunboats in the Kholpetua river of Assasuni upazila. On 9 September, the Pak army in collaboration with the local razakar, launched a surprise attack on the Harinagar bazar of Shyamnagar upazila and killed 28 persons; they also sacked the bazar. A number of razakars were killed in an encounter with the freedom fighters at village Goaldanga under Assasuni upazila. On 18 September, the freedom fighters raided the Hatatganj defence camp of the Pak army and killed 29 Pak soldiers; but in a counter attack by the Pak army on 20 September, 17 freedom fighters were killed and three were captured. On 21 November 9 freedom fighters were killed while raiding the Pak army camp near Kulia Bridge in Debhata upazila. In the face of the raid the Pak army evacuated the campwith heavy casualty on their side. Besides, the Pak army killed more than 300 people near Parulia Sapmara canal who were attempting to cross over to India.

Marks of the War of Liberation Mass grave 2 (Debhata, Kalaroa Bazar in Shyamnagar upazila); mass killing site 6 (at a place adjacent to Satkhira Government Boys' High School, homestead of Dinesh Karmakar and the adjacent pond on the backside of the Satkhira Government School, area adjacent to Binerpota Bridge, Bankal and Gangni Bridge areas, Mahmudpur High School, Harinagar and Kathkhali of Shyamnagar); memorial monument 5 (Baliadanga and Kalaroa), Gopalpur and Harinagar of Shyamnagar, Satkhira sadar; memorial plate 1 (Murarikati of Kalaroa);' sarani 3 (Jhaudanga Shaheed Siraj Sarani in Satkhira sadar, Shahid Kazal Sarani, Shahid Nazmul Sarani in Debhata).

Literacy rate and educational institutions Average literacy 45.52%; male 51.84%, female 38.91%. Educational institutions: polytechnic institution 1, primary teachers training centre 1, college 40, secondary school 243, primary school 1311, madrasa 168. Noted educational institutions: Satkhira Government Mohila College, Satkhira Government College, Khan Bahadur Ahsanullah College (1995), Satkhira Day-Night College, Satkhira City College, Babulia Joymoni Sreenath Institution (1883), Khalishkhali Magura SC Collegiate Institution (1899), Dhandia Institution (1915), Debhata BBMP Institution (1919), Satkhira Polytechnic Institution, Prananath High School (1862), Talabede Government High School (1888), Nakipur Haricharan High School ((1899), Kumira Multilateral High School (1914), Budhhata BBM Higher Secondary School (1915), Town Sreepur Sharatchandra High School (1916), Nalta High School (1917), Kaliganj High School (1936), Parulia SS High School (1976), Nabarun High School, Sree Ula Secondary School (1881), Assasuni Secondary School (1911), Bahera AT Secondary School (1927), Khalishkhali Shaiba Girls' Secondary School (1928), Islamkati Girls' Secondary School (1929), Satkhira PNP Collegiate School (1846), Satkhira Government' Boys' School, Satkhira Government Girls' School.

Main sources of income Agriculture 62.56%, non-agricultural labourer 4.33%, industry 1.51%, commerce 16.23%, transport and communication 3.03%, service 4.86%, construction 1.01%, religious service 0.19%, rent and remittance 0.34% and others 5.94%.

Newspapers and periodicals Daily: Kafela, Satkhira Chitra, Patradut, Dristipat; weekly: Dakhinayan, Satkhira Digest, The Juger Barta, Sahajatri, Ajker Satkhira; monthly: Chharar Dak, Pragalav (Assasuni); quarterly: Ikkhan, Dakhiner Janala, Saumma, Pratya (Assasuni); periodicals: Kaliganj Barta, Gram Bangla, Saikat, Samatat, Suryashikha, Pathikrit, Surya Tarun, Ayan (Nurnagar, Shyamnagar), Pratya (Shyamnagar); defunct: Masjed (1917), Annandamaye (1926), Korak (1962), Ananna Swadesh (1965), Progati (1966), Jonaki (hand written magazine, 1967), Annesan (1974), Kalatan (1978).

Folk culture Notable folk culture of the district include Jarigan, Punthi path (recitation of Puthi), Rath Mela, boat race, horse race, etc.

Important installations and tourist spots the sundarbans (the largest mangrove forest), Kothabari Than Fort (Kalaroa), Sonabaria Math (Kalaroa), Pancha Mandir (Annapunna Mandir, Kali Mandir, Shiva Mandir, Kal Bhairab Mandir and Radha Govinda Mandir), Jahajghata Naval Fort (Shyamnagar), Mazar of Hazrat Aziz (R) (Assasuni). [Amirul Ashraf]

See also The upazilas under this district.

References Bangladesh Population Census 2001, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics; Cultural survey report of Satkhira District 2007; Cultural survey report of upazilas of Satkhira District 2007.