Bishwambarpur Upazila

Bishwambarpur Upazila (sunamganj district) area 248.63 sq km, located in between 25°01' and 25°11' north latitudes and in between 91°12' and 91°24' east longitudes. It is bounded by Meghalaya State of India on the north, sunamganj sadar and jamalganj upazilas on the south, Sunamganj Sadar upazila on the east, tahirpur and Jamalganj upazilas on the west.

Population Total 156381; male 78175, female 78206; Muslim 138597, Hindu 17678, Christian 58, Buddhist 1 and others 47. Indigenous communities such as hajong, garo, manipuri belong to this upazila.

Water bodies Main rivers are Dhamalia, Jadukata; Kacharia Baor, Zamirtala Beel, Angruli Beel and Kanu Beel are notable.

Administration Bishwambarpur Thana was formed in 1979 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
-	5	61	184	3156	153225	629	52.9	34.2

Upazila Town
Area (sq km)	Mouza	Population	Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
10.73	1	3156	294	52.9

Union
Name of Union and GO Code	Area (sq km)	Population		Literacy rate (%)
		Male	Female
Dakshin Badaghat 17	9586	12435	12565	29.5
Dhonpur 20	14372	18408	18968	39.6
Palash 77	11014	14407	14486	40.9
Fatehpur 34	10793	13877	13860	33.5
Sholukabad 80	15675	19048	18327	28.4

Source Bangladesh Population Census 2011, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics.

War of Liberation Freedom fighters had encounters with the Pak army at Gourarong, Chinaura, Baiserpar, Urarkhanda, Bhatertek and some other places of the upazila. A memorial monument has been built in memory of the martyred freedom fighters of the upazila.

For details: see Asiatic Society of Bangladesh, বাংলাদেশ মুক্তিযুদ্ধ জ্ঞানকোষ (Encyclopedia of Bangladesh War of Liberation, Bangla Version, Vol. 5), Bishwambarpur upazila.

Religious institutions Mosque 203, temple 61, church 1, tomb 2. Noted religious institutions: Palash Jami Mosque.

Literacy rate and educational institutions Average literacy 34.6%; male 35.4% female 33.7%. Noted educational institutions: Digendravarman College (1992), Satgaon High School (1923), Fatehpur Murari' Chand High School (1937), Palash High School (1962), Bishwambarpur High School (1972), Katakhali Public High School, Sahapur Govt. Primary School (1905), Bishwambarpur Ideal Govt. Primary School (1928).

Main sources of income Agriculture 72.11%, non-agricultural labourer 6.23%, industry 0.31%, commerce 8.32%, transport and communication 0.93%, service 2.15%, construction 0.37%, religious service 0.28%, rent and remittance 0.30% and others 9%.

Ownership of agricultural land Landowner 52.46%, landless 47.54%; agricultural landowner: urban 57.52% and rural 52.34%.

Main crops Paddy, wheat, vegetables.

Extinct or nearly extinct crops Jute, kaun, tobacco.

Main fruits Mango, jackfruit, banana, papaya, lemon.

Fisheries, dairies and poultries This upazila has a number of fisheries, dairies and poultries.

Communication facilities Pucca road 49 km, semi-pucca road 48km, mud road 170 km.

Extinct or nearly extinct traditional transport Palanquin, bullock cart.

Cottage industries Goldsmith, blacksmith, Bamboo work, cane work.

Hats, bazars and fairs Hats and bazars are 23, fairs 2. Bishwambarpur Bazar, Chinakandi Bazar, Dhonpur Bazar, Bagber Bazar, Sharupganj Bazar, Katakhali Bazar and Badamghat Bazar are notable.

Main exports Rich, fish, limestone.

Access to electricity All the unions of this upazila are under rural electrification net-work; However, 21.0% dwelling households have access to electricity.

Natural resources Fish, sand and limestone.

Sources of drinking water Tube-well 85.0%, tap 0.1% and others 14.9%.

Sanitation 22.4% of dwelling households of the upazila use sanitary latrines and 62.6% of dwelling houses use non-sanitary latrines; 15.0% of households do not have latrine facilities.

Health centres Upazila health centre 1, family planning centre 3.

Natural disasters The earth quake of 1897 and the tsunami of 2004 caused huge loss of life and damage to settlements, crops, livestock and other properties of the upazila.

NGO activities brac. [Jayanta Singh Roy]

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