Narsingdi Sadar Upazila

Narsingdi Sadar Upazila (narsingdi district) area 213.44 sq km, located in between 23°46' and 23°58' north latitudes and in between 90°36' and 92°50' east longitudes. It is bounded by palash, shibpur and raipura upazilas on the north, araihazar upazila on the south, bancHharampur and Raipura upazilas on the east, Palash and rupganj upazilas on the west.

Population Total 578563; male 304643, female 273920; Muslim 532854, Hindu 45460, Buddhist 93, Christian 60 and others 96.

Water bodies Main river: meghna.

Administration Narsingdi 'Thana, now an upazila, was formed in 1930. Narsingdi Municipality was formed in 1972.

Upazila
Municipality	Union	Mouza	Village	Population		Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
				Urban	Rural		Urban	Rural
2	14	154	275	174320	404243	2711	59.0	36.0

	Narsingdi Municipality
Area (sq km)	Ward	Mahalla	Population	Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
9.14	9	33	124204	13589	52.31
	Madhabdi Municipality
Area (sq km)	Ward	Mahalla	Population	Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
5.10	9	13	22732	4457	57.6

Upazila Town
Area (sq km)	Mouza	Population	Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
6.92	7	27384	2957	42.4

Union
Name of union and GO code	Area (acre)	Population		Literacy rate (%)
		Male	Female
Amdia 21	5008	19220	18191	36.70
Alokbali 20	4923	12747	11683	22.41
Karimpur 41	3031	11869	11090	23.16
Kanthalia 47	2961	17789	16917	29.72
Char Dighaldi 23	4985	8765	8228	19.94
Chinishpur 25	1085	18967	17180	55.75
Nazarpur 77	6577	15740	14739	26.10
Nurallapur 53	3132	19197	17837	43.40
Paikar Char 83	3455	17595	16445	25.46
Panchdona 89	3124	13369	12739	38.66
Mahishasura 59	3508	17414	16729	28.04
Meher Para 65	2305	18455	15884	44.04
Silmandi 95	3580	20305	18185	48.17
Hajipur 29	1421	12546	11802	46.28

Source Bangladesh Population Census 2001, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistic.

Archaeological heritage and relics Copperplate inscription of Bhoj Barmadeva discovered at village Belabo (eleventh century), Stone statue (Sena period), silver coin of Giasuddin Azam Shah at village Algi, silver coin (Sultani period) at Panchdona, Tomb of Kabul Shah, Tomb and Mosque of Hazrat Shah Osman, 29 silver coins (1011 AH) discovered at Laskar Para.

Historical events Satish Pakrashi was imprisoned for 20 years for direct involvement in the swadeshi movement. On 5 April 1971, three persons were killed on the spot and hundreds of shops were burned to ashes by a rocket bomb of the Pak army. A number of skirmishes were held between the freedom fighters and the Pak army at Panchdona and Madhabdi. Narsingdi was liberated on 12 December.

Marks of the War of Liberation Mass grave 3; memorial monument 1 (adjacent to the Deputy Commissioner's office).

Religious institutions Mosque 512, temple 45, tomb 3. Noted religious institutions: Narsingdi Bazar Jami Mosque, Duttapara Jami Mosque, Chinishpur Kali Bari.

Literacy rate and educational institutions Average literacy 24%; male 25.03%, female 21.05%. Educational institutions: college 7, law college 1, homeopathy college 1, secondary school 39, primary school 131, madrasa 28. Noted educational institutions: Satir Kalikumar High School (1901), Balapur Nabin High School (1905), Sir KG Gupta High School (1919), Brahmandi Government High School (1930).

Newspapers and periodicals Daily: Narsingdir Bani, Uttap, Grameen Darpan; weekly: Khorak; Narsingdir Khabar, Sandesh,' Khoj Khabor, Otikram, Narsingdir Kagoz.

Cultural organisations Library 2, club 30, cinema hall 3, music academy 5, auditorium 3, theatre group 25, cultural organisation 11, literary organisation 5, shishu academy 5, stadium 5, women's organisation 3, playground 40.

Important installations' Swadhinata Chattar (adjacent to Narsingdi Paurasabha Office), Payra Chattar (turn of the Kauriapara), Mukti Chattar (Natun Bus Stand), Sapla Chattar (Basail), Sikkha Chattar (turn of the Brahmandi).

Amusement centres Arshinagar Park.

Main sources of income Agriculture 55.47%, non-agricultural labourer 2.92%, industry 2.21%, commerce 12.74%, transport and communication 3.01%, service 11.39%, construction 1.67%, religious service 0.22%, rent and remittance 2.55% and others 7.82%.

Ownership of agricultural land Landowner 45.38%, landless 54.62%; agricultural landowner: urban 37.20% and rural 49%.'

Main crops Paddy, wheat, mustard, jute, potato, garlic, vegetables.

Extinct or nearly extinct crops Sesame, linseed, tobacco.

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

Fisheries, dairies and poultries Fishery 225, dairy 25, poultry 511.

Communication facilities Pucca road 244.11' km, semi-pucca road 170.50 km, mud road 270 km; railway 7.5 km; waterway 28 nautical miles.

Extinct or nearly extinct traditional transport Palanquin, horse carriage, bullock cart.

Noted manufactories Flour mill, jute mill, textile mill, ice factory.

Cottage industries Goldsmith, blacksmith, weaving, potteries, wood work, bamboo work.

Hats, bazars and fairs Hats and bazars are 27, fairs 3, most noted of which are Madhabdi Hat, Shekherchar Bazar, Karimpur Bazar, Baul Mela, Kabul Shah Mela and Panchdona Mela.

Main exports Paddy, jute, mustard, potato, banana, garlic.

Access to electricity All the wards and unions of the upazila are under rural electrification net-work. However 64.17% of the dwelling households have access to electricity.

Natural resources Natural Gas, mineral oil.

Sources of drinking water Tube-well 91.94%, tap 3.76%, pond 0.37% and others 3.93%.

Sanitation 52.65% (rural 40.18% and urban 80.84%) of dwelling households of the upazila use sanitary latrines and 34.06% of dwelling households use non-sanitary latrines; 13.29% of households do not have latrine facilities.

Health centres Hospital 2, upazila health complex 1, upazila health centre 1, eye hospital 1, diabetic hospital 1, satellite clinic 4, family welfare centre 14, community clinic 4, clinic 36, mother and child welfare centre 1, charitable dispensary 1, diagnostic centre 72, veterinary hospital 1.

NGO activities Operationally important NGOs are Red Crescent Society, brac, asa, CARE. [Md. Mosharraf Hossain Sarkar]

References Bangladesh Population Census 2001, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics; Cultural survey report of Narsingdi Sadar Upazila 2007.