Pangsha Upazila
Pangsha Upazila (rajbari district) area 250.31 sq km, located in between 22°40' and 22°55' north latitudes and in between 89°19' and 89°36' east longitudes. It is bounded by sujanagar (pabna) and pabna sadar upazilas on the north, shailkupa and sreepur (magura) upazilas on the south, kalukhali upazilas on the east, khoksa and kumarkhali upazilas on the west.
Population Total 243285; male 121723, female 121562; Muslim 224690, Hindu 18588, Christian 5 and others 2.
Water bodies Main rivers: padma, gorai.
Administration Pangsha Thana was formed in 1863 and it was turned into an upazila in 1984. Municipality was formed in 1990.
| Upazila | ||||||||
| Municipality | Union | Mouza | Village | Population | Density (per sq km) | Literacy rate (%) | ||
| Urban | Rural | Urban | Rural | |||||
| 1 | 10 | 181 | 192 | 32949 | 210336 | 972 | 52.4 (2001) | 45.7 |
| Municipality | ||||||||
|
Area (sq km) |
Ward |
Mahalla |
Population |
Density (per sq km) |
Literacy rate (%) | |||
| 12.56 (2001) | 9 | 21 | 29098 | 1996 (2001) | 67.7 | |||
| Upazila Town | ||||||||
|
Area (sq km) |
Mouza |
Population |
Density (per sq km) |
Literacy rate (%) | ||||
| 3.77 (2001) | 5 | 3851 | 1282 (2001) | 38.4 | ||||
| Union | ||||
| Name of union and GO code | Area (acre) | Population | Literacy rate (%) | |
| Male | Female | |||
| Kalimahar 35 | 4859 | 9099 | 9230 | 44.8 |
| Kasba Majhail 40 | 7254 | 12757 | 12752 | 51.4 |
| Jashai 25 | 4252 | 9776 | 9761 | 42.9 |
| Patta 80 | 4878 | 9176 | 9126 | 48.2 |
| Babupara 75 | 3111 | 7368 | 7145 | 48.0 |
| Bahadurpur 16 | 5833 | 10117 | 10312 | 47.4 |
| Machh Para 50 | 5020 | 11178 | 11097 | 49.1 |
| Maurat 65 | 5291 | 11029 | 10866 | 48.2 |
| Sarisha 90 | 5098 | 9693 | 9722 | 44.9 |
| Habaspur 20 | 13151 | 16962 | 17021 | 35.8 |
Source Bangladesh Population Census 2001, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics.
Archaeological heritage and relics Rathkhola Shanmancha at Belghachhi (18th century), Ferry Fund Road (shaista khan period), Grand Trunk Road.
Historical events Bhairab Babu of Babupara union organised indigo resistance movement in 1860. The khilafat movement, which started in 1920, was also spread widely in the area under the leadership of the eminent writer Yakub Ali Chowdhury.
War of Liberation During the war of liberation in 1971 the Pak army killed many people of villages Machh Para, Ramcole and Mathurapur; they also set many houses of these villages on fire. There are two mass killing sites (one the bank of Chandana River adjacent to the Pangsha College and the other one adjacent to Kalukhali Railway Station) in the upazila.
For details: see পাংশা উপজেলা, বাংলাদেশ মুক্তিযুদ্ধ জ্ঞানকোষ (Encyclopedia of Bangladesh War of Liberation), বাংলাদেশ এশিয়াটিক সোসাইটি, ঢাকা ২০২০, খণ্ড ৫।
Religious institutions Mosque 157, temple 110, tomb 8, math 8. Noted religious institutions: Gayebi Mosque, Chhuti Mandal Mosque.
Literacy rate and educational institutions Average literacy 48.3%; male 49.6%, female 47.0%. Educational institutions: college 10, vocational training centre 3, secondary school 46, primary school 179, satellite school 13, community school 6, madrasa 5. Noted educational institutions: Pangsha College (1969), Pangsha George High School (1919), Ratandia Rajanikanta High School (1920).
Newspapers and periodicals Weekly: Pangsha Barta, Padma; defunct periodical: Kohinoor (1898), Chandana (1972), Nayeb Rasul (1942), Kangal (1925), Protichchhabi (1973).
Cultural organisations Library 4, shilpakala academy 1.
Main sources of income Agriculture 67.97%, non-agricultural labourer 2.87%, industry 0.75%, commerce 11.63%, transport and communication 3.27%, service 5.12%, construction 1.11%, religious service 0.15%, rent and remittance 0.48% and others 6.65%.
Main crops Paddy, jute, sugarcane, betel leaf, sesame.
Extinct or nearly extinct crops Aus paddy.
Main fruits Watermelon, mango.
Fisheries, dairies and poultries Fishery 47, dairy and poultry 270, hatchery 2.
Communication facilities Pucca road 216 km, semi-pucca road 20 km, mud road 694 km; railway 16 km; waterway 11 km. Railway station 3.
Extinct or nearly extinct traditional transport Palanquin, horse carriage.
Noted manufactories Rice mill, ice factory.
Cottage industries Goldsmith, blacksmith, weaving, bamboo work, cane work, embroidery, wood work, nakshi pakha.
Hats, bazars and fairs Hats and bazars are 6, fairs 3, most noted of which are Bagduli Hat, Pangsha Hat, Habaspur Mela and Shashanbari Mela.
Main exports Jute, molasses, betel leaf.
Access to electricity All the wards and unions of the upazila are under rural electrification net-work. However 41.3% of the dwelling households have access to electricity.
Sources of drinking water Tube-well 96.7%, tap 0.6% and others 2.7%.
Sanitation 76.3% of dwelling households of the upazila use sanitary latrines and 19.6% of dwelling households use non-sanitary latrines; 4.1% of households do not have latrine facilities.
Health centres Upazila health centre 1, union health centre 9, family planning centre 8, clinic 4.
NGO activities Operationally important NGOs are brac, asa. [Md. Tawhid Mia]
References Bangladesh Population Census 2001 and 2011, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics; Cultural survey report of Pangsha Upazila 2007.
