Matlab Uttar Upazila

Matlab Uttar Upazila (chandpur district) area 260.29 sq km, located in between 23°19' and 23°30' north latitudes and in between 90°34' and 90°45' east longitudes. It is bounded by daudkandi and gazaria upazilas on the north, matlab dakshin and chandpur sadar upazilas on the south, Daudkandi and Matlab Dakshin upazilas on the east, munshiganj sadar and bhedarganj upazilas' on the west.

Population Total 292057; male 140753, female 151304; Muslim 272932, Hindu 19123, Christian 1 and others 1.

Water bodies Main rivers: meghna, gumti, Dhonagoda.

Administration Matlab Thana, now an upazila, was formed in 1918. On 30 April 2000 Matlab upazila was divided into two such as Matlad Uttar and Matlab Dakshin upazilas.

Upazila
Municipality	Union	Mouza	Village	Population		Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
				Urban	Rural		Urban	Rural
1 (Sengarchar)	14	135	251	36691	255366	1122	59.2	53.7

Municipality
Area (sq km)	Ward	Mahalla	Population	Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
27.23	9	41	36691	1347	59.2

Union
Name of union and GO code	Area (acre)	Population		Literacy rate (%)
		Male	Female
Islamabad 25	3155	6927	7905	48.3
Eklaspur 21	5001	7213	7088	50.2
Kalakanda 32	3219	4927	5027	61.4
Gajra 23	2151	7375	6937	61.4
Jahirabad 30	2935	6140	6043	49.4
Durgapur 15	5711	10758	12466	50.3
Paschim Fatehpur 94	3922	8218	9911	54.2
Purba Fatehpur 21	3984	9448	11007	55.6
Farajikandi 13	5704	15740	18112	46.6
Baganbari 11	3992	9253	10263	54.8
Mohanpur 38	4900	9717	9491	59.3
Satnal 73	2653	9824	9160	56.8
Sadullapur 64	4387	9217	10267	57.1
Sultanabad 90	3871	7903	9029	53.9

Source  Bangladesh Population Census 2011, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics.

Archeological heritage and relics Ludhua Zamindar Bari, Al-Wayesia Mosque at Farajikandi, Kalakanda Mosque, Mazar of Lengta Fakir at Badarpur, Mandir and Rath at Naori.

War of Liberation In 1971, the toal area of the northern part of former Matlab upazila (now Matlab Uttar) was under the control of the freedom fighters. A few encounters were held between the freedom fighters and the Pak army attempting to enter the upazila. During the war of liberation a hospital was established in the upazila for treatment of the wounded freedom fighters. There is a mass grave at Horina of the upazila and a memorial monument at Chandrakandi has been built.

For details: see মতলব উত্তর উপজেলা, বাংলাদেশ মুক্তিযুদ্ধ জ্ঞানকোষ (Encyclopedia of Bangladesh War of Liberation), বাংলাদেশ এশিয়াটিক সোসাইটি, ঢাকা ২০২০, খণ্ড ৭।

Religious institutions Mosque 401, temple 69, tomb 1.

Literacy rate and educational institutions Average literacy 54.4%; male 55.8%, female 53.1%. Educational institutions: college 5, secondary school 40, primary school 152, madrasa 7. Noted educational institutions: Ludhua School and College, Nischintapur High School and College, Kalipur High School and College, Charkalia High School (1921), Dhonagoda Taltali High School, Eklaspur High School, Nauri Ahamadia High School, Jibangaon General Hoque High School, Sengarchar High School, Baganbari Ideal Academy, Farajikandi Al Waeasia Madrasa (Nedaye Islam).

Cultural organisations Library 1, theatre group 2, cinema hall 1, club 150.

Main sources of income Agriculture 50.40%, non-agricultural labourer 1.68%, industry 0.70%, commerce 15.42%, transport and communication 2.12%, service 16.42%, construction 1.02%, religious service 0.26%, rent and remittance 3.58% and others 8.40%.

Ownership of agricultural land Landowner 66.82%, landless 33.18%; agricultural landowner: urban 75.72% and rural 65.65%.

Main crops Paddy, wheat, potato, jute, sugarcane, mustard seeds, linseed.

Extinct or nearly extinct crops Sesame.

Main fruits Mango, blackberry, jackfruit, guava, coconut, papaya, jamrul, amra and kamranga.

Fisheries, dairies and poultries Fishery 2090, dairy 20, poultry 30, hatchery 1.

Communication facilities Pucca road 199 km, semi pucca road 18.59 km, mud road 504 km; waterway 65 km, launch ghat 16.

Extinct or nearly extinct traditional transport Palanquin, bullock cart.

Manufactories Cold storage 3.

Cottage industries Goldsmith, blacksmith, potteries, weaving, bamboo works.

Hats, bazars and fairs Hats and bazars are 22, fairs 8, most noted of which are Kalikur Bazar, Kalir Bazar, Dasher Bazar, Naya Bazar, Sengarchar Mela, Beltali Mela, Boalia Rath Mela and Badarpur Mela.

Main exports Potato, fish, jute.

Access to electricity All the wards and unions of the upazila are under rural electrification net-work. However 45.2% of the dwelling households have access to electricity.

Sources of drinking water Tube-well 96.9%, tap 0.2% and others 2.9%.

Sanitation 89.1% of dwelling households of the upazila use sanitary latrines and 9.9% of dwelling households use non-sanitary latrines; 1.0% of households do not have latrine facilities.

Health centres Upazila health complex 1, union satellite clinic 6, family welfare centre 14, clinic 4.

NGO activities Operationally important NGOs are brac, asa. [Masum Patwari]

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