Matlab Uttar Upazila

Matlab Uttar Upazila (chandpur district) area 277.53 sq km, located in between 23°19' and 23°30' north latitudes and in between 90°34' and 90°45' east longitudes. It is bounded by daudkandi and gazaria upazilas on the north, matlab dakshin and chandpur sadar upazilas on the south, Daudkandi and Matlab Dakshin upazilas on the east, munshiganj sadar and bhedarganj upazilas' on the west.

Population Total 299935; male 135290, female 132515; Muslim 279951, Hindu 19939, Buddhist 17 and others 28.

Water bodies Main rivers: meghna, gumti, Dhonagoda.

Administration Matlab Thana, now an upazila, was formed in 1918. On 30 April 2000 Matlab upazila was divided into two such as Matlad Uttar and Matlab Dakshin upazilas.

Upazila
Municipality	Union	Mouza	Village	Population		Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
				Urban	Rural		Urban	Rural
1 (Sengarchar)	14	147	248	32130	267805	1081	50.2	47.7

Municipality
Area (sq km)	Ward	Mahalla	Population	Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
27.25	9	41	32130	1179	50.19

Union
Name of union and GO code	Area (acre)	Population		Literacy rate (%)
		Male	Female
Islamabad 25	3155	6701	6911	45.76
Eklaspur 21	8697	11291	9892	47.09
Kalakanda 32	2977	5021	4873	50.55
Gajra	692	1621	1488	50.37
Jahirabad 30	2966	6445	6045	44.96
Durgapur 15	6224	14967	14865	54.89
Paschim Fatehpur 94	5110	13863	13658	47.64
Purba Fatehpur 21	3984	9825	10553	45.44
Farajikandi 13	5704	18273	17563	42.74
Baganbari 11	3992	9575	9912	46.84
Mohanpur 38	3565	13150	11293	49.42
Satnal 73	3865	7001	7648	45.07
Sadullapur 64	4262	9526	9501	50.39
Sultanabad 90	3856	8031	8313	47.72

Source  Bangladesh Population Census 2001, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics.

Archeological heritage and relics Ludhua Zamindar Bari, Al-Wayesia Mosque at Farajikandi, Kalakanda Mosque, Mazar of Lengta Fakir at Badarpur, Mandir and Rath at Naori.

History of the War of Liberation In 1971, northern part of former Matlab upazila (now Matlab Uttar) was completely under the control of the freedom fighters. A few encounters were held between the freedom fighters and the Pak army attempting to enter into the upazila. During the war of liberation a hospital was established in this upazila to give medical treatment to the wounded freedom fighters.

Marks of the War of Liberation Mass grave 1 (Horina), memorial monument 1 (Chandrakandi).

Religious institutions Mosque 401, temple 69, tomb 1.

Literacy rate and educational institutions Average literacy 47.9%; male 50.8%, female 45.1%. Educational institutions: college 5, secondary school 40, primary school 152, madrasa 7. Noted educational institutions: Ludhua School and College, Nischintapur High School and College, Kalipur High School and College, Charkalia High School (1921), Dhonagoda Taltali High School, Eklaspur High School, Nauri Ahamadia High School, Jibangaon General Hoque High School, Sengarchar High School, Baganbari Ideal Academy, Farajikandi Al Waeasia Madrasa (Nedaye Islam).

Cultural organisations Library 1, theatre group 2, cinema hall 1, club 150.

Main sources of income Agriculture 50.40%, non-agricultural labourer 1.68%, industry 0.70%, commerce 15.42%, transport and communication 2.12%, service 16.42%, construction 1.02%, religious service 0.26%, rent and remittance 3.58% and others 8.40%.

Ownership of agricultural land Landowner 66.82%, landless 33.18%; agricultural landowner: urban 75.72% and rural 65.65%.

Main crops Paddy, wheat, potato, jute, sugarcane, mustard seeds, linseed.

Extinct or nearly extinct crops Sesame.

Main fruits Mango, blackberry, jackfruit, guava, coconut, papaya, jamrul, amra and kamranga.

Fisheries,dairies and poultries Fishery 2090, dairy 20, poultry 30, hatchery 1.

Communication facilities Pucca road 120 km, semi-pucca road 8, mud road 454 km; waterway 26.99 nautical miles, launch ghat 16.

Extinct or nearly extinct traditional transport Palanquin, bullock cart.

Manufactories Cold storage 3.

Cottage industries Goldsmith, blacksmith, potteries, weaving, bamboo works.

Hats, bazars and fairs Hats and bazars are 22, fairs 8, most noted of which are Kalikur Bazar, Kalir Bazar, Dasher Bazar, Naya Bazar, Sengarchar Mela, Beltali Mela, Boalia Rath Mela and Badarpur Mela.

Main exports Potato, fish, jute.

Access to electricity All the wards and unions of the upazila are under rural electrification net-work. However 18.39% (urban 20.68% and rural' 18.09%) of the dwelling households have access to electricity.

Sources of drinking water Tube-well 92.33%, tap 0.60%, pond 3.07% and others 4%.

Sanitation 50.77% (urban 49.86% and rural 50.89%) of dwelling households of the upazila use sanitary latrines and 43.96% (urban 43.75% and rural 43.99%) of dwelling households use non-sanitary latrines; 5.27% (urban 6.39% and rural 5.27%) of households do not have latrine facilities.

Health centres Upazila health complex 1, union satellite clinic 6, family welfare centre 14, clinic 4.

NGO activities Operationally important NGOs are brac, asa. [Masum Patwari]

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