Ranisankail Upazila

Ranisankail Upazila (thakurgaon district) area 287.59 sq km, located in between 25°48' and 26°04' north latitudes and in between 88°08' and 88°21' east longitudes. It is bounded by baliadangi and thakurgaon sadar upazilas and west bengal state of India on the north, West Bengal state of India on the south, pirganj and Thakurgaon Sadar upazilas on the east, haripur upazila on the west.

Population Total 222284; male 112195, female 110089; Muslim 174163, Hindu 45870, Buddhist 47, Christian 1074 and others 1130.

Water bodies Main rivers: Kulic, nagar, Tirnai.

Administration Ranisankail Thana, now an upazila, was formed in 1837.

Upazila
Municipality	Union	Mouza	Village	Population		Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
				Urban	Rural		Urban	Rural
1	8	124	124	17762	204522	773	59.8	45.4

Municipality
Area (sq km)	Ward	Mahalla	Population	Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
9.15	9	18	17762	1941	59.8

Union
Name of union and GO code	Area (acre)	Population		Literacy rate (%)
		Male	Female
Kashipur 55	7085	11767	11578	41.7
Dharmagarh 31	9756	13754	13643	38.3
Nonduar 71	8923	13619	13504	52.1
Nekmarad 79	9346	13477	13169	50.4
Bachor 15	8567	14781	14693	44.1
Raton 87	8252	9723	9598	50.9
Lehemba 63	8843	13971	13451	45.9
Hossain Gaon 47	8033	11991	11803	40.2

Source Bangladesh Population Census 2011, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics.

Archaeological heritage and relics Palace of Raja Tonkonath at Malduar, palace of Raja Birendranath at Jagadal, tomb of Nekmarad Pir Shah Nasiruddin (R), Goraksanath Mandir, Ramrai Dighi, Bangla Garh, Rani Dighi, Shiva Dighi.

Historical events The people of this upazila actively took part in the tebhaga movement.

War of Liberation During the war of liberation the Pak army conducted mass killing and plundering in the upazila; they also set many houses on fire. Freedom fighters of the upazila had been vigilant and active throughout the period of the War of Liberation in resistance to the Pak army. A mass killing site has been discovered at Khuniar Dighi.

For details: see রানীশংকাইল উপজেলা, বাংলাদেশ মুক্তিযুদ্ধ জ্ঞানকোষ (Encyclopedia of Bangladesh War of Liberation), বাংলাদেশ এশিয়াটিক সোসাইটি, ঢাকা ২০২০, খণ্ড ৯।

Religious institutions Mosque 463, temple 20, church 5, tomb 1. Noted religious institutions: Mahal Bari Mosque, Nekmarad Pir Nasiruddin (R) Tomb and Mosque, Goraksanath Mandir.

Literacy rate and educational institutions Average literacy 46.6%; male 50.2%, female 42.9%. Educational institutions: college 12, technical college 6, secondary school 60, primary school 139, community school 10, madrasa 11. Noted educational institutions: Ranisankail Degree College (1972), Ranisankail Pilot High School (1914), Nekmarad Alimuddin High School (1932), Ranisankail Model Government Primary School (1917), Abad Takia Fazil Madrasa (1976).

Newspapers and periodicals Defunct: Uttar Hath, Asomai.

Cultural organisations Library 63, club 84, theatre group 1, jatra group 1, auditorium 1, cinema hall 4.

Tourist spots Nekmarad, Gorakai, Zamindar Bari at Jagadal, Palace of Raja Tonkonath, Banglagarh.

Main sources of income Agriculture 78.93%, non-agricultural labourer 2.59%, industry 0.51%, commerce 9.1%, transport and communication 1.9%, service 3.24%, construction 0.5%, religious service 0.11%, rent and remittance 0.21% and others 2.91%.

Ownership of agricultural land Landowner 56.95%, landless 43.05%; agricultural landowner: urban 41.14% and rural 58.61%.

Main crops Paddy, wheat, sugarcane, maize, pulse, potato.

Extinct or nearly extinct crops Kaun, barley, jute.

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

Fisheries, dairies and poultries Dairy 32, poultry 21.

Communication facilities Pucca road 126 km, mud road 700 km.

Extinct or nearly extinct traditional transport Palanquin, bullock cart.

Noted manufactories Husking mill 350, oil mill 2, saw mill 8, chira mill 3, ice factory 2, biscuit factory 5, chanachur factory 2, shoe factory 1, welding 11.

Cottage industries Goldsmith, blacksmith, wood work, bamboo work, jute work, tailoring.

Hats, bazars and fairs Hats and bazars are 20, fairs 18, most noted of which are Ranisankail Hat, Nekmarad Hat, Balidara Hat, Bharnia Hat, Maharaj Hat, Bagradangi Hat, Council Hat, Sidhar Hat, Gazir Hat, Nekmarad Mela, Gorakai Bannir Mela and Katihar Maghi Mela.

Main exports Paddy, rice, pulse, potato, mango, jackfruit, watermelon, litchi.

Access to electricity All the unions of the upazila are under rural electrification net-work. However 27.7% of the dwelling households have access to electricity.

Sources of drinking water Tube-well 98.3%, tap 0.3% and others 1.4%.

Sanitation 29.6% of dwelling households of the upazila use sanitary latrines and 45.4% of dwelling households use non-sanitary latrines; 25.0% of households do not have latrine facilities.

Health centres Upazila health complex 1, satellite clinic 10, union health and family welfare centre 8.

NGO activities Operationally important NGOs are brac, rdrs. [Abu Md. Iqbal Rumi Shah]

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