Koyra Upazila

Koyra Upazila (khulna district) area 1775.41 sq km, located in between 22°12' and 22°31' north latitudes and in between 89°15' and 89°26' east longitudes. It is bounded by paikgachha upazila on the north, the bay of bengal and sundarbans on the south, dacope upazila on the east, assasuni and shyamnagar upazila on the west.

Population Total 192534; male 95993, female 96541; Muslim 149321, Hindu 42462, Buddhist 454 and others 297.

Water bodies Main rivers: dharla, pasur, arpangachhia, Taldhup, Malancha, kobadak, ball; Koyra canal is notable.

Administration Koyra Thana was formed in 1980 and it was turned into an upazila in 1983.

Upazila
Municipality	Union	Mouza	Village	Population		Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
				Urban	Rural		Urban	Rural
-	7	72	131	11342	181192	108	45.21	44.42

Upazila Town
Area (sq km)	Mouza	Population	Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
10.06	1	11342	1127	45.21

Union
Name of union and GO code	Area (acre)	Population		Literacy rate (%)
		Male	Female
Amadi 05	10255	16066	16058	46.00
Uttar Bedkashi 94	5544	7280	7151	42.96
Koyra 55	8250	15899	16600	43.66
Dakshin Bedkashi 22	5971	9778	9622	38.35
Bagali 11	11985	16179	16979	44.87
Maharajpur 72	10474	15210	15267	45.13
Maheshwaripur 78	12541	15581	14868	47.06

Source  Bangladesh Population Census- 2001, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics.

Archaeological heritage and relics Buro Mosque (Amadi union, 15th century), Parimala Statue (Chamunda), Mali Bari Mosque, Dhali Bari Mosque, Madinabad Fakirbari Mosque, Mosque Al Hera, Barabari Puja Mandir (Uttar Bedkashi), Banskhali Bahadur Bari Mandir (Bagali), Haripur Kali Mandir (Uttar Bedkashi), Mathbari Durga Mandir (Maharajpur), Radha Govinda Mandir (Bagali), Madinabad Mandir.

History of the War of Liberation Koyra upazila was under Sector 9 during the war of liberation. The headquarters of the sub-sector of Sector 9 was established in Koyra. Most of the operations of the freedom fighters (Muktibahini and Mujibbahini) were launched from this headquarters. The freedom fighters established two camps, one at village Jhelaghata and the other at village Bamia of the upazila. The names of these camps were Martyr Narayan Camp and Suharawardi Camp. The secret medical centre run by Dr Rafiqul Islam at Jaigirmahal played an important role in giving medical treatment to wounded freedom fighters.

Marks of the War of Liberation Mass grave 1 (Koyra No. 4 Launch Ghat, Mariaghata).

Religious institutions Buro Mosque (Amadi), Mali Bari Mosque, Dhali Bari Mosque, Madinabad Fakirbari Mosque, Mosque Al Hera, Barabari Puja Mandir (Uttar Bedkashi), Banskhali Bahadur Bari Mandir, Haripur Kali Mandir (Uttar Bedkashi), Mathbari Durga Mandir (Maharajpur), Radha Govinda Mandir (Bagali), Madinabad Mandir.

Literacy rate and educational institutions Average literacy 32.4%; male 43.6%, female 21.4%. Educational institutions: college 3, secondary school 35, primary school 112, community school 11, satellite school 9, madrasa 27. Noted educational institutions: Kapatakha College (1984), Jobeda Khanam College (1996), Kamaruddin High School, Koyra Madinabad High School, Sundarban Secondary School, Uttar Bedkashi Secondary School, Dakshin Bedkashi Secondary School, Amadi High School.

Newspapers and periodicals Kapatakha (2002).

Cultural organisations Library 1, cyclone centre 12.

Tourists spots The extended Sundarbans on the eastern and southern parts of Koyra upazila and the tourist resort at the entrance of the Sundarbans (Maheshwaripur) are the notable tourist spots of the upazila.

Main sources of income Agriculture 66.64%, non-agricultural labourer 7.12%, industry 0.51%, commerce 12.66%, transport and communication 1.85%, service 3.54%, construction 1.31%, religious service 0.31%, rent and remittance 0.09% and others 5.97%.

Ownership of agricultural land Landowner 62.76%, landless 37.24%; agricultural landowner: urban 63.51% and rural 50.74%.

Main crops Paddy, potato, vegetables.

Extinct or nearly extinct crops Sesame, linseed, sugarcane, kaun.

Main fruits Mango, blackberry, banana, jackfruit, coconut, papaya, betel nut, watermelon.

Fisheries, dairies and poultries Shrimp gher 3138, hatchery 5, shrimp depot 273, nursery 6.

Communication facilities Pucca road 21 km, semi-pucca road 80 km, mud road 142 km.

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

Noted manufactories Rice mill, oil mill, flour mill, saw mill, ice factory.

Hats, bazars and fairs Hats and bazars are 28. Hugla Hat, Amadi Hat, Ghorilal Hat, Sutar Hat, Ghugrakati Hat, Khoralkati Hat; Jorsingh Bazar; Dakshin Betkashi Banbibir Mela, Padmapukur Rath Mela, Hariharpur Rath Mela are notable.

Main exports Fish fry, timber, golpata, honey, handicraft.

Access to electricity All the unions of the upazila are under rural electrification net-work. However 5.49% of the dwelling households have access to electricity.

Sources of drinking water Tube-well 43.82%, tap 1.08%, pond 54.97% and others 0.13%. The presence of arsenic in an intolerable level has been detected in 199 shallow tube-well water of the upazila.

Sanitation 30.97% (rural 32.43% and urban 7.36%) of dwelling households of the upazila use sanitary latrines and 59.80% (rural 58.03% and urban 88.29%) of dwelling households use non-sanitary latrines; 9.24% of households do not have latrine facilities.

Health centres Hospital 1, upazila health complex 1, charitable hospital 1, family planning centre 2, clinic 8.

NGO activities Operationally important NGOs are brac, proshika, Prodipan. [Md Ashraful Islam Goldar]

References Bangladesh Population Census 2001, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics; Field report of Koyra Upazila 2007.