Gaibandha Sadar Upazila

Gaibandha Sadar Upazila (gaibandha district) area 320.25 sq km, located in between 25°13' and 25°27' north latitudes and in between 89°26' and 89°41' east longitudes. It is bounded by sundarganj and char rajibpur upazilas on the north, palashbari, saghatta and fulchhari upazilas on the south, dewanganj and Fulchhari upazilas and brahmaputra river on the east, sadullapur and Palashbari upazilas on the west.

Population Total 392311; male 198726, female 193585; Muslim 362471, Hindu 29105, Buddhist 34, Christian 39 and others 683.

Water bodies Main rivers: Brahmaputra, ghaghat, bangali, jamuna.

Administration Gaibandha Thana was formed in 1857 comprising parts of the former Bhabaniganj and Sadullapur thanas; the thana was turned into an upazila in 1984.

Upazila
Municipality	Union	Mouza	Village	Population		Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
				Urban	Rural		Urban	Rural
1	13	128	140	78697	313614	1225	61.2	34.0

Municipality
Area (sq km)	Ward	Mahalla	Population	Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
10.60	9	34	59289	5593	67.60

Upazila Town
Area (sq km)	Mouza	Population	Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
10.22	6	19408	1899	40.22

Union
Name of union and GO code	Area (acre)	Population		Literacy rate (%)
		Male	Female
Kamarjani 51	7935	5693	5570	18.82
Kuptala 65	5125	14060	13765	35.44
Kholahati 58	3977	17895	17013	35.54
Gidari 43	5880	12899	13534	31.93
Ghagoa 36	3950	8946	9154	30.77
Ballamjhar 14	7360	20925	20390	37.28
Badiakhali 12	5748	13199	12756	32.58
Boali 21	6443	16359	15360	36.64
Malibari 80	5118	12628	11854	30.36
Mollar Char 85	7734	3986	4355	19.57
Ramchandrapur 87	5251	14559	14432	38.17
Lakshmipur 73	5574	15618	15255	34.45
Sahapara 94	4683	11509	11308	41.26

Source Bangladesh Population Census 2001,Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics.

Archaeological heritage and relics Mirer Bagan Mosque (1308) at village Khagoa, tomb of Pir Ibn Sharfuddin, Bhabaniganj Post Office (1858), Baguria Tahshil (revenue) Office (nineteenth century).

History of the War of Liberation Gaibandha was liberated on 9 December 1971 by about 150 freedom fighters headed by Mahbub Elahi Ranju (Bir Pratik) defeating the Pak occupation army. The freedom fighters hoisted the Bangladesh flag at the Swadhinata Prangan (former SDO playground).

Marks of the War of Liberation Mass killing site 1 (Helal Park); mass grave 1 (Kamarjani); Shaheed Samadhi (martyr memorial) 2 (Tulshighat and Ballamjhar); memorial monument 3 (War of Liberation victory statue at Gaibandha Paura [municipal] Park, Paschimpara, Matri Bhandar).

Religious institutions Mosque 518, temple 36, tomb 1.

Literacy rate and educational institutions Average literacy 39.7%; male 44.5%, female 34.8%. Educational institutions: college 10, law college 1, secondary school 48, primary school 196, NGO primary school 12, satellite 12, kindergarten 16, vocational training institute 1, teachers' training centre 1, agriculture training centre 1, others Training institute 6, madrasa 261. Noted educational institutions: Gaibandha College (1947), Agricultural Training Institute (1954), Gaibandha Government Boys' High School (1885), Gaibandha Islamia High School (1914), Gaibandha Government Girls' High School (1916), Pearapur High School (1917), Chapadaha BL High School (1919), Tulshighat Kashinath High School (1921).

Newspapers and periodicals Daily: Ghaghat, Sandhan, Palash, Bhorer Surya, Janasanket, weekly: Ganaprahari, Gaibandha, Palash, Ganauttaran, Katakhali; defunct: Weekly Kanthashwar, Weekly Ganadut, Weekly Agradut, Fortnightly Purbadiganta, Monthly Tista.

Cultural organisations Library 2, club 37, theatre group 5, cultural organisation 23, women organisation 8, cinema hall 3, theatre stage 6.

Amusement centres Mirer Bagan, Gaibandha Pauro Park.

Main sources of income Agriculture 55.23%, non-agricultural labourer 2.80%, industry 0.95%, commerce 15.73%, transport and communication 5.48%, service 7.84%, construction 2.42%, religious service 0.24%, rent and remittance 0.33% and others 5.48%.

Ownership of agricultural land Landowner 50.70%, landless 49.30%; agricultural landowner: urban 42.49% and rural 52.60%.

Main crops Paddy, jute, wheat, potato, mustard, masur pulse, peanut, maize, vegetables.

Extinct or nearly extinct crops Aus paddy, sugarcane, sweet potato, kaun.

Main fruits Mango, jackfruit, banana, papaya, melon, litchi.

Fisheries, dairies and poultries Fishery 52, dairy 44, poultry 90, hatchery 8.

Communication facilities Pucca road 50.69 km, mud road 364.20' km; railway 35 km; waterway 8 nautical miles.

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

Noted manufactories Flour mill, ice factory, rice mill, chira mill, saw mill, soap factory, plastic pipe factory.

Cottage industries Goldsmith, blacksmith, potteries, bamboo and cane work, wood work, fishing-net work.

Hats, bazars and fairs Hats and bazars are 22, fairs 3, most noted of which are Dariapur, Lakshmipur, Sahapara, Ghagoa, Kamarjani hats and Thakurbari Mela.

Main exports Paddy, jute, vegetables.

Access to electricity All the wards and unions of the upazila are under rural electrification net-work. However 14.14% of the dwelling households have access to electricity.

Sources of drinking water Tube-well 86.28%, tap 5.11%, pond 0.20% and others 8.41%.

Sanitation 13.93% (rural 8.04% and urban 39.40%) of dwelling households of the upazila use sanitary latrines and 36.58% (rural 36.47% and urban 37.05%) of dwelling households use non-sanitary latrines; 49.49% of households do not have latrine facilities.

Health centres Hospital 2, satellite clinic 6, community clinic 49.

NGO activities Operationally important NGOs are brac, CARE, asa, thengamara mahila sabuj sangha, Swanirvar Bangladesh, Ahsania Mission, Gana Unnayan Kendra, Ekata, Chinnamul Mahila Samity, Ganaunnayan and Paribar Kallan Kendra, Uddipan, Paribarik Sahastha Seba Kendra. [Abu Jafar Sabu]

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