Araihazar Upazila

Araihazar Upazila (narayanganj district) area 183.35 sq km, located in between 23°40' and 23°53' north latitudes and in between 90°35' and 90°45' east longitudes. It is bounded by narsingdi sadar upazila on the rth, homna upazila on the south, banchharampur upazila on the east and rupganj and sonargaon upazilas on the west.

Population Total 331566; male 171482, female 160084; Muslim 319854, Hindu 116553, Buddhist 22, Christian 28 and others 9.

Water bodies Main rivers: meghna and brahmaputra.

Administration Araihazar Thana was formed in 1921 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	182	317	12532	319034	1808	56.7	36.6

Upazila Town
Area (sq km)	Mouza	Population	Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
7.50	4	12532	1671	56.7

Union
Name of union and GO code	Area (acre)	Population		Literacy rate (%)
		Male	Female
Araihazar 07	2105	11426	10805	43.00
Uchitpur 94	2198	9934	9269	29.67
Kala Paharia 55	5432	12653	12098	19.58
Khagakanda 63	3698	13032	12436	27.41
Duptara 31	4130	16940	15289	53.56
Fatehpur 39	1824	9152	8730	33.44
Bishnandi 15	4469	17350	16312	26.48
Brahmandi 23	4122	20282	18425	47.20
Mahmudpur 71	2406	12302	11473	25.42
Satgram 87	4843	18643	17541	45.95
Sadasardi 79	2991	17648	15847	45.95
Haizadi 47	3762	12120	11859	34.58

Source Bangladesh Population Census 2001, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics.

Archaeological heritage and relics Two-storied building with 108 rooms (Sadasardi), mazars of Hazrat Garibullah Shah (R) and Jangali Shah (R) at Haizadi, coloured glass decorated Durga Mandir, house of Zamindar Birendra Roy Chowdhury, Dighipar Math (Araihazar), single-domed' Jami Mosque (Uchitpur).

History of the War of Liberation During the War of Liberation in 1971 Araihazar was under Sector 2. On 4 August the freedom fighters destroyed the Dargaon bridge in order to disrupt the communication with Dhaka. On 5 August they destroyed the Panchrukhi-Dhaka bridge. On 28 August they captured two rajakars with arms. On 30 August the freedom fighters attacked Araihazar Thana and killed the collaborators of Pak army including a Police Sub Inspector; they also captured all arms and ammunitions of the Thana. On 11 September the freedom fighters attacked the Pak army camp at Kamrangirchar and killed 5 Pak soldiers and six rajakars. On 16 October the Pak army attacked the camp of the freedom fighters at village Agli of Narshingdi Thana and killed one freedom fighter of this upazila. In November an encounter was held between the freedom fighters under Freedom Fighter Makbul Hossain, and the Pak army at Saoghat of Galakandhail. Many Pak soldiers were killed in abattle between the freedom fighters, under S. M Shafi and the Pak army on 7 November. In this battle freedom fighter Kazi Manzur Hossain was killed. Araihazar Thana was liberated on 14 November 1971.

Religious institutions Mosque 356, temple 7.

Literacy rate and educational institutions Average literacy 37.4%; male 41.2%, female 33.4%. Educational institutions: college 4, technical college 2, secondary school 24, primary school 104, madrasa 51. Noted educational institutions: Araihazar Pilot School (1897), Satgram Govt. High School (1910), Duptara C.C High School (1912), Central Coronation High School (1912), Sadasardi High School (1913), Gopaldi High School (1919).

Tourist spots Biman bandar (Araihazar), Noa Sadur Tomb (Shibpur), Hazrat Garibullah Shah (R) Tomb, Jangali Shah (R) Tomb (Haizadi).

Main sources of income Agriculture 28.48%, n-agricultural labourer 8.29%, commerce 20.19%, transport and communication 4.84%, industry 15.13%, service 5.96%, construction 1.40%, religious service 0.26%, rent and remittance 3.44% and others 12.01%.

Ownership of agricultural land Landowner 50.89%, landless 49.11%; agricultural landowner: urban 54.11% and rural 50.76%.

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

Extinct or nearly extinct crops Betel leaf.

Main fruits Mango, jackfruit, litchi, black berry, papaya.

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

Extinct or nearly extinct traditional transport Palanquin, dulki, bazra boat.

Manufactories Welding factory.

Cottage industries Weaving, Goldsmith, Blacksmith, wood work.

Hats, bazars and fairs Hats and bazars are 34; most ted of which are Gopaldi Bazar, Araihazar Bazar, Adarsha Bazar (former name Kalibari), Kamrangir Char Bazar, Jangalia Bazar and Radhanagar Bazar.

Main exports Broad cloths, sari.

Access to electricity All the unions of the upazila are under rural electrification net-work. However 60.90% dwellings have access to electricity.

Sources of drinking water Tube-well 94.02%, tap 0.40%, pond 0.21% and others 5.37%. The presence of arsenic has been detected in tube-well water of the upazila but it is of tolerable limit.

Health centers Hospital 1, satellite clinic 5, family planning clinic 7, health and family welfare center 4, union health centre 7, clinic 1.

NGO activities brac, asa, proshika, SIDA, Sofa. [Mokammel Hossain Bhuiyan]

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