Dinajpur Sadar Upazila

Dinajpur Sadar Upazila (dinajpur district) area 354.73 sq km, located in between 25°28' and 25°48' north latitudes and in between 88°34' and 88°46' east longitudes. It is bounded by kaharole and khansama upazilas on the north, west bengal state of India on the south, chirirbandar upazila on the east and biral upazila on the west.

Population Total 484597; male 247792, female 236805; Muslim 398155, Hindu 78018, Buddhist 61, Christian 5392 and others 2971. Indigenous community such as santal belongs to this upazila.

Water bodies punarbhaba and atrai rivers and ramsagar Dighi are notable.

Administration Dinajpur Sadar Thana was formed in 1899 and it was turned into an upazila in 1984.

Upazila
Municipality	Union	Mouza	Village	Population		Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
				Urban	Rural		Urban	Rural
1	10	207	207	191329	293268	1366	68.5 (2001)	56.9

Municipality
Area (sq km)	Ward	Mahalla	Population	Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
19.23 (2001)	12	80	186727	6734 (2001)	75.4

Upazila Town
Area (sq km)	Mouza	Population	Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
4.02 (2001)	3	4602	2353 (2001)	62.2

Union
Name of union and GO code	Area (acre)	Population		Literacy rate (%)
		Male	Female
Auliapur 17	8313	24122	22803	55.0
Askarpur 16	7503	10923	10602	59.4
Uthrail 94	8463	12532	12043	60.5
Kamalpur 43	8443	10863	10223	61.0
Chehelgazi 25	9109	22629	21068	53.4
Fazilpur 34	8511	13887	13685	68.4
Shankarpur 60	8959	11817	11541	58.1
Shashara 69	6820	13537	13306	56.0
Sekhpura 77	7364	16382	15975	50.8
Sundarban 86	8968	14961	14971	54.3

Source Bangladesh Population Census 2001 and 2011, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics.

Archaeological heritage and relics Ramsagar Dighi (excavated in 1750), Gora Shahid Mosque, Singha Duar Palace, Kanta Nagar Fort, Sree Chandrapur Fort, Mazar of Chehelgazi, Dinajpur Rajbari, Jor (twin) Mandir at Golapganj, Dighan Mashan Kali Mandir, ancient Mandir at Chauliapatti, Mahish Mardini Mandir at Ganeshtala, Nimtala Kali Mandir, Kalitala Mashan Kali Mandir.

War of Liberation Freedom fighters of the upazila had encounters with the Pak army at Kutorgram of Dakhsmin Kotwali, Lalmatia, Ghugudanga, Baragram, Khanpur and some other places. A few days after the independence of Bangladesh in December 1971, about 500 freedom fighters were killed on 6 January 1972 in an explosion of mines, while they gather to return this arms and ammunitions to the authorities of the new government at the temporary camp located in the Maharaja Girijanath High School. About 100 deformed bodies of the freedom fighters were buried near the Mazar of Chehelgazi with state honor. A memorial monument has been built in the upazila.

For details: see দিনাজপুর সদর উপজেলা, বাংলাদেশ মুক্তিযুদ্ধ জ্ঞানকোষ (Encyclopedia of Bangladesh War of Liberation), বাংলাদেশ এশিয়াটিক সোসাইটি, ঢাকা ২০২০, খণ্ড ৪।

Literacy rate and educational institutions Average literacy 64.3%; male 67.4%, female 61.0%. Educational institutions:' University 1, veterinary college 1, college 27, secondary school 72, primary school 174, madrasa 36. Noted educational institutions: Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University (1999), William Carey Junior Secondary School (1799), Dinajpur Zila School (1854), Dinajpur Government Girl's High School (1869), Jubilee High School (1887), Maharaja Girijanath High School (1913), Saradeshwari Girls' High School (1927), Dinajpur High School (1930), Academy High School (1933), St. Philips High School, Nurjahan Alia Madrasa.

Newspapers and periodicals Daily: Uttara, Pratidin, Tista, Janamat, Uttar Banga, Ajker Protibha, Patralap; Weekly: Atapar, Ajker Barta; Monthly: Noaroj (defunct).

Cultural organisations Club 305, library 6, museum 1, cinema hall 7, theatre group 3, literature study group 15, women's organisation 1, literary organisation 13, Santal Academy 1.

Tourist spots Dinajpur Rajbari, Ananda Sagar, Sukhsagar, Matasagar, Ramsagar Dighi.

Main sources of income Agriculture 33.25%, non-agricultural labourer 3.32%, industry 1.01%, commerce 16.02%, transport and communication 6.01%, service 14.73%, construction 12.89%, religious service 0.21%, rent and remittance 0.65% and others 11.91%.

Ownership of agricultural land Landowner 42.15%, landless 57.85%; agricultural landowner: urban 35.05% and rural 46.55%.

Main crops Paddy, wheat, sugarcane, potato, mustard, vegetables.

Extinct or nearly extinct crops Jute, sesame, kaun.

Main fruits Mango, banana, litchi.

Fisheries, dairies and poultries Fishery 42, dairy 15, poultry 125.

Communication facilities Pucca road 222.64 km, semi-pucca road 10 km, mud road 618.87 km; railway 8 km; waterway 22 km.

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

Noted manufactories Rice mill, cotton mill, ice factory, brick-field, oil industry, chemical industry, welding factory.

Cottage industries Goldsmith, blacksmith, potteries, embroidery, wood work.

Hats, bazars and fairs Hats and bazars are 20, fairs 8, most noted of which are Railbazar, Bahadur Bazar,' Shikdarganj, Gadabari, Sahebganj, Sahebdanga, Fasila, Panchbari, Khanpur, Nasipur and Lakshmitalar hats and Cheradangi, Muradpur and Goalerhat melas.

Main exports Rice, litchi, mango.

Access to electricity All the wards and unions of the upazila are under rural electrification net-work. However 64.5% of the dwelling households have access to electricity.

Sources of drinking water Tube-well 93.2%, tap 4.7% and others 2.1%.

Sanitation 54.2% of dwelling households of the upazila use sanitary latrines and 23.0% of dwelling households use non-sanitary latrines; 22.8% of households do not have latrine facilities.

Health centres Hospital 6, union health and family planning centre 10, community health centre 3, diabetic hospital 1, satellite clinic 2, eye hospital 1, child hospital 1, heart foundation and research centre 1, blood transfusion centre 1, veterinary hospital 1.

Natural disasters The earth quake of 1897 caused heavy damages to life and properties including' settlements of the upazila. The flood of 1968 caused damages to 95% settlements and 90% crops. Besides, it completely disrupted the railway communications.

NGO activities Operationally important NGOs are brac, asa, caritas, thengamara mahila sabuj sangha. [Zubayerur Rahman]

References Bangladesh Population Census 2001 and 2011, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics; Cultural survey report of Dinajpur Sadar Upazila 2007.