Gopalganj Sadar Upazila

Gopalganj Sadar Upazila (gopalganj district) area 391.35 sq km, located in between 22°54' and 23°13' north latitudes and in between 89°40' and 89°58' east longitudes. It is bounded by lohagara, kashiani and muksudpur upazilas on the north, tungipara and mollahat upazilas on the south, kotalipara and rajoir upazilas on the east, Mollahat, kalia and Lohagara upazilas on the west.

Population Total 321934; male 164810, female 157124; Muslim 228780, Hindu 91718, Buddhist 1286, Christian 9 and others 141.

Water bodies Main rivers: gorai-madhumati, kumar, Madhupur; Basarater Canal and Gopalganj Beel are notable.

Administration Gopalganj Sadar 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	21	127	197	42449	279485	823	69.1	52.2

Municipality
Area (sq km)	Ward	Mahalla	Population	Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
14.38	9	49	40222	2797	70.3

Upazila Town
Area (sq km)	Mouza	Population	Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
2.56	2	2227	870	48.6

Union
Name of union and GO code	Area (acre)	Population		Literacy rate (%)
		Male	Female
Urafi 94	2947	5027	5006	44.22
Ulpur 90	4789	8554	7784	47.01
Karpara 47	6921	10131	10495	51.52
Kajulia 43	8473	5853	5715	56.08
Kati 51	4586	5171	5262	47.72
Gopinathpur 30	4066	6045	6262	49.50
Gobra 21	4465	5747	5526	57.77
Chandra Dighalia 15	2714	7558	6286	57.34
Jalalabad 38	3969	7704	7928	53.72
Durgapur 17	4602	8774	8362	50.08
Nizra 64	4827	3991	3896	47.77
Paikkandi 69	3808	8304	8148	52.18
Borasi 11	1570	5795	5570	50.10
Baultali 13	4104	5892	5588	56.52
Majhigati 60	2662	5990	5653	55.20
Raghunathpur 73	5797	8082	7577	56.75
Latifpur 56	3242	7021	6553	54.74
Suktail 86	5176	6709	6833	47.31
Satpar 82	7696	8785	8678	54.83
Sahapur 77	4479	5295	5013	59.19
Haridaspur 34	3232	6728	6421	43.00

Source Bangladesh Population Census 2001, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics.

Archaeological heritage and relics St Mathuranath AG Church (1875), Asram of Shukh Deva (1802), Gayebi Mosque at Khagail.

Historical events In 1368 BS a riot was held between the Hindus and the Muslims at villages Karpara, Balakoir and Targram of Baultali union in which many people of both communities were killed. Two freedom fighters were killed in an encounter with the Pak army on 7 April 1971. The Pak army brutally killed 13 persons at village Paikkandi in May. An encounter was held between the freedom fighters and the Pak army at village Shasabaria under Urafi union of the upazila in which 10 freedom fighters were killed. Besides, the Pak army in collaboration with the local razakars, killed nearly 150 persons at village Paikkandi.

Marks of the War of Liberation Mass killing site 2 (Paikkandi and Urafi).

Religious institutions Mosque 400, temple 181, church 7. Noted religious institutions: Court Mosque' (1949), Thanapara Jami' Mosque (1920/1921), Kali Temple (1918).

Literacy rate and educational institutions Average literacy 54.5%; male 58.2%, female 50.7%. Educational institutions: college 7, secondary school 47, primary school 213, kindergarten 18, madrasa 5. Noted educational institutions: Government Bangabandhu College, Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Government Women's College, MH Khan College, Government Technical School and College (1965), Gopalganj Polytechnic Institute' (2001), Ulpur PC High School (1900), Gopinathpur Secondary School (1911), Baultali Sahapur Sammilani High School (1928), SM Model Government Boys' High School, Sarnakali High School, Chandra Dighalia High School, Gopalganj SK Kamil Madrasa.

Newspapers and periodicals Daily: Jugakatha, Bhorer Bani, Sheren, Banglar Sanket, Bishwa Darpan, Surjasha, Juger Sathi;, weekly: Janapader Katha; defunct: Gopalganj Barta, Gopalganj Sahitya Patra, Alor Disheri; periodical: Durba.

Cultural organisations Library 2, club 98, cinema hall 2, shilpakala academy 1, stadium 2, cultural organisation, soprts organisations 35, theatre group 1, youth organisation 47.

Amusement centers Akramuzzaman Park.

Main sources of income Agriculture 53.27%, non-agricultural labourer 2.49%, industry 0.47%, commerce 14.42%, transport and communication 4.33%, service 14.33%, construction 1.81%, religious service 0.40%, rent and remittance 1.27% and others 7.21%.

Ownership of agricultural land Landowner 67.24%, landless 32.76%; agricultural landowner: urban 55.84% and rural 68.96%.

Main crops Paddy, wheat, peanut, sugarcane, mustard, linseed, sesame, pulse, sweet potato, vegetables. Extinct or nearly extinct crops china, kaun, jute, barley.

Main fruits Mango, coconut, betel nut, banana.

Fisheries, dairies and poultries Fishery 25, dairy 254, poultry 230, hatchery 3, nursery 16, shrimp cultivation 1398, artificial breeding centre 3.

Communication facilities Pucca road 127 km, semi-pucca road 51 km, mud road 490 km.'

Extinct or nearly extinct traditional transport Palanquin, horse carriage.

Noted manufactories Saw mill, oil mill, flour mill, rice mill, biscuit factory.

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

Hats, bazars and fairs Gopalganj, Baultali, Satpar, Betgram, Golabaria, Kajulia, Boalia, Bhera, Chandra Dighalia, Raghunathpur, Manikhar and Gopinathpur hats; Madhumati Bazar; Gopalganj, Baultali, Golabaria, Satpar, Tutamandra, Sanpukuria and Ulpur mela are notable.'

Main exports Prawn, paddy, leather, vegetables.

Access to electricity All the wards and unions of the upazila are under rural electrification net-work. However 23.67% of the dwelling households have access to electricity.

Natural resources Pit coal has been discovered in the Chandar Beel of the upazila.

Sources of drinking water Tube-well 90.38%, tap 5.63%, pond 1.60% and others 2.39%.

Sanitation 45.53% (rural 39.70% and urban 84.07%) of dwelling households of the upazila use sanitary latrines and 48.01% (rural 53.13% and urban 14.13%) of dwelling households use non-sanitary latrines; 6.46% of households do not have latrine facilities.

Health centres Upazila health complex 1, satellite clinic 4, hospital 4, maternity hospital 1, community clinic 31, clinic 8.

Natural disasters The cyclone of 1919 damaged about 80% of the settlements of the upazila. Besides, a number of people were killed and many more wounded in the cyclone of 1977; it also caused heavy damages to settlements and other properties of the upazila.

NGO activities brac, asa, caritas, Christian Service Society, Swanirvar Bangladesh, Ganaunnayan Prachesta, Legal Aid. [Swapan Gain]

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