Shariatpur District
Shariatpur District (dhaka division) area 1174.05 sq km, located in between 23°01' and 23°27' north latitudes and in between 90°13' and 90°36' east longitudes. It is bounded by munshiganj district on the north, barisal district on the south, chandpur district on the east, madaripur district on the west.
Population Total 1155824; male 559075, female 596749; Muslim 1114301, Hindu 41330, Buddhist 23, Christian 114 and others 56.
Water bodies Main rivers: padma, meghna, Palong, Jayanti.
Administration Shariatpur District was formed on 1 March 1984. Of the six upazilas of the district bhedarganj is the largest (311.24 sq km) and damudya is the smallest (91.76 sq km).
| District | |||||||||
| Area (sq km) | Upazila | Municipality | Union | Mouza | Village | Population | Density (per sq km) | Literacy rate (%) | |
| Urban | Rural | ||||||||
| 1174.05 | 6 | 5 | 65 | 556 | 1254 | 131044 | 1024780 | 984 | 47.3 |
| Others Information of District | ||||||||
| Name of Upazila | Area (sq km) | Municipality | Union | Mouza | Village | Population | Density (per sq km) | Literacy rate (%) |
| Gosairhat | 196.72 | - | 8 | 107 | 221 | 157665 | 801 | 42.1 |
| Zanjira | 246.21 | 1 | 12 | 114 | 200 | 194019 | 788 | 44.4 |
| Damudya | 90.54 | 1 | 7 | 58 | 120 | 109003 | 1204 | 52.5 |
| Naria | 203.58 | 1 | 14 | 135 | 189 | 231644 | 1138 | 51.8 |
| Bhedarganj | 261.90 | 1 | 13 | 88 | 372 | 253234 | 967 | 42.7 |
| Shariatpur Sadar | 175.09 | 1 | 11 | 86 | 152 | 210259 | 1201 | 51.2 |
Source Bangladesh Population Census 2011, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics.
War of Liberation In 1971 the Pak army, in collaboration with their local agents, conducted mass killing and plundering; they also set many houses of the district on fire. During the war of liberation a number of encounters between the freedom fighters and the Pak army were held in Shariatpur Sadar upazila in which about 313 Pakistani soldiers were killed. A number of freedom fighters were killed in two encounters and one frontal battle with the Pak army in Bhedarganj upazila. Nine freedom fighters including Ahsanul Hoque and Abdul Wahab were killed in an encounter with the Pak army at a place on the southern side of Damudya College. A joint troop of regular freedom fighters and Mujib Bahini conducted a guerilla attack on the Pak army in the upazila. Five freedom fighters were killed in an encounter with the Pak army in Gosairhat upazila. The freedom fighters of Naria raided the Naria Police Station and captured all the arms and ammunitions of the Thana. In retaliation, the Pak army sacked the nearby villages. During the War of Liberation a few encounters were held between the freedom fighters and the Pak army in Zajira upazila in which a number of freedom fighters were killed. There is a mass grave at Mahisar (Atipara); 9 martyrs’ memorials and 8 memorial monuments had been established.
Literacy rate and educational institutions Average literacy 47.3%; male 48.0%, female 46.6%. Educational institutions: college 16, secondary school 102, primary school 772, madrasa 42. Noted educational institutions: Shariatpur Government College, Shariatpur Government Girls' High School, Palong Tulasar Gurudas Government High School, Palong Multilateral High School (1939), Domsar Jagatchandra Institution (1907), Chikandi Sharaf Ali High School (1884), Rudrakar Neelmani High School (1915), Kagdi Government Primary School, Shariatpur Islamia Senior Fazil Madrasa, Angaria Osmania Qaumia Madrasa, Kauadi Dakhil Madrasa.'
Main sources of income Agriculture 61.66%, non-agricultural labourer 2.64%, industry 0.91%, commerce 14.34%, transport and communication 2.41%, service 6.41%, construction 1.13%, religious service 0.28%, rent and remittance 2.71% and others 7.51%.
Newspapers and periodicals Daily: Hunker; weekly: Muktir Kantha, Shetu, Kagojer Pata, Saptapalli Samachar; defunct weekly: Chikandi Barta, Shariatpur Barta, Rudrakantha, Jabanbandhi.
Folk culture Most notable folk festivals of the district include Bangla Nababarsa (Bangla New Year's Day), Chaitra Sankranti and boat race. Popular folk songs include Jarigan, Kabigan, Biyer Gan (songs sung in the marriage ceremony). Besides, Jatra and folk drama are also prevalent in the district. Various folk games and sports including Ha-du-du, Gollachhut, Dariabandha are notable. Bull fights were earlier held in Paus and Chaitra Sankranti.
Tourists spots Fateh Jangapur Fort (Naria). [Shahidul Haque]
See also The upazilas under this district.
References Bangladesh Population Census 2001 and 2011, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics; Field survey of' Shariatpur District 2011; Field survey of Upazilas of Shariatpur District 2011.
