Kaliganj Upazila (Satkhira District)

Kaliganj Upazila (satkhira district) area 333.79 sq km, located in between 22°19' and 22°33' north latitudes and in between 88°58' and 89°10' east longitudes. It is bounded by debhata and assasuni upazilas on the north, shyamnagar upazila on the south, Assasuni upazila on the east, west bengal state of India on the west.

Population Total 256384; male 130929, female 125455; Muslim 211470, Hindu 44755, Buddhist 144 and others 15.

Water bodies Main rivers: jamuna, Kakshiali, Galghasia, Kalindi, Gutiakhali; Bilgali, Banshtala and Bagarkhali canals are notable.

Administration Kaliganj Thana was formed in 1942 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
-	12	243	253	16067	240317	768	46.35	53.89

Upazila Town
Area (sq km)	Mouza	Population	Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
7.96	6	16067	2018	53.89

Union
Name of union and GO code	Area (acre)	Population		Literacy rate (%)
		Male	Female
Kushlia 55	5552	10923	9921	50.41
Krishnanagar 47	6405	11912	12621	43.75
Champaphul 23	7475	7853	7313	49.03
Tarali 94	9138	10365	9602	45.01
Dakshin Sreepur 31	4601	8323	8115	46.25
Dhalbaria 39	8432	9798	9331	50.30
Nalta 79	11431	16750	15676	42.40
Bishnupur 15	4336	10067	9615	49.00
Mathureshpur 63	8301	13648	13375	48.20
Mautala 71	3164	8767	8721	52.20
Ratanpur 87	6885	10699	10113	42.72
Bhara Simla 07	22878	11824	11052	46.80

Source Bangladesh Population Census 2001, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics.

Archaeological heritage and relics Prabajpur Jami Mosque (Dhalbaria), Dargah of Madina Pir (Kushlia), tomb of Ganjon Pir (Ratanpur), tomb of Kangali Pir (Bhara Simla), tomb of Pir Ahsanullah (Nalta), Radha Govinda Jeu Mandir (Ratanpur), Nabaratna Mandir (Dhalbaria), Kali Mandir, Fort of Bikramaditya (Mathureshpur), Garh of Pratapaditya (Mahatpur), Damdama (fort).

History of the War of Liberation During the war of liberation in 1971 Kaliganj was under Sector 9. During this time a number of memorable encounters between the freedom fighters and the Pak army were held in the upazila most noted of which were at Basantapur, Khanzia, Pirojpur, Nazimganj, Dudli and Ukshar. Kaliganj was liberated on 20 November 1971.

Religious institutions Mosque 347, temple 19, tomb 5. Noted religious institutions: tomb of Choto Miah, tomb of Buro Pir, Three Temple, Kali Mandir.

Literacy rate and educational institutions Average literacy 46.83%; male 53.03%, female 40.40%. Noted educational institutions: Kaliganj Degree College (1969), Dakshin Shreepur Kushlia Higher Secondary School (1926), Bishnupur Prankrishna Memorial School (1930), Dhuliapur High School (1930), Kaliganj Pilot High School (1936), Nalta High School, Champaphul Secondary School (1924), Nengi Secondary School (1929).

Newspapers and periodicals Periodicals: Gram Bangla (1987), Kakshiali (1992), Surya Tarun, Fariad, Kaliganj Barta, Nadi (1993), Mukti Surya (1995), Arjita Kantha (1998), Mukto Alap (2002), Raktim Surya (2004),' Al-Ahsan (2005), Smriti (2005), Bragratat (2005).

Cultural organisations Government Public Library, Ahsania Public Library (1980), Shaheed Smriti' Library (1995), brac Uttar Kaliganj Public Library (2001), BRAC Karbala Public Library (2003), Sushilan Library (2002), Sumon Literary Group (1980), Kaliganj Literary Academy (1993), Kaliganj Theatre Group (1995), Fatehpur Cultural Organisation (1981).

Main sources of income Agriculture 56.81%, non-agricultural labourer 6.05%, industry 2.71%, commerce 19.88%, transport and communication 2.40%, service 4.37%, construction 0.93%, religious service 0.20%, rent and remittance 0.30% and others 6.35%.

Ownership of agricultural land Landowner 52.48%, landless 47.52%; agricultural landowner: urban 43.45% and rural 53.03%.

Main crops Paddy, potato, brinjal, betel leaf, sweet potato, vegetables.

Extinct or nearly extinct crops Linseed, sesame, 'mug, khesari, arahar.

Main fruits Mango, jackfruit, litchi, water-melon, futi, 'banana, papaya.

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

Communication facilities Pucca road 107 km, semi-pucca road 21.43' km, mud road 698.40 km.

Extinct or nearly extinct traditional transport Palanquin, horse carriage.

Noted manufactories Flour mill, ice factory, fish processing factory, oil mill, rice mill, printing press.

Cottage industries Goldsmith, potteries, weaving, bamboo work, nakshi kantha, jute work, wood work.

Hats, bazars and fairs Hats and bazars are 50, fairs 2, most noted of which are Nalta Hat, Nazimganj Hat, Kaliganj Hat, Banshtala Hat, Bishnupur Bazar, Ratanpur Bazar, Krishnanagar Bazar, Rathjatra Mela (Kushlia), Nalta Shorifer Mela are notable.

Main exports Betel leaf, shrimp.

Access to electricity All the unions of the upazila are under rural electrification net-work. However 8.82% of the dwelling households have access to electricity.

Sources of drinking water Tube-well 84.49%, tap 2%, pond 8.80% and others 4.71%. The level of arsenic in the shallow tube-well water of the upazila is very acute.

Sanitation 42.91% (rural 41.47% and urban 66.66%) of dwelling households of the upazila use sanitary latrines and 48.36% (rural 49.48% and urban 29.94%) of dwelling households use non-sanitary latrines; 8.73% of households do not have latrine facilities.

Health centres Upazila health complex 1, family planning centre 8, clinic 5, union health centre 3.

Natural disasters Many people were victims of the cyclones of 1970 and 1988; these also caused heavy damages to settlements, livestock and crops of the upazila.'

NGO activities Operationally important NGOs are brac, asa, Sushilan. [Sachhida Nanda De]

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