Barisal Sadar Upazila

Barisal Sadar Upazila (barisal district) area 324.40 sq km, located in between 22°37' and 22°43' north latitudes and in between 90°16' and 90°32' east longitudes. It is bounded by babuganj, muladi and mehendiganj upazilas on the north, bakerganj and nalchity upazilas on the south, Mehendiganj and bhola sadar upazilas on the east, jhalokati sadar and Nalchity upazilas on the west.

Population Total 527017; male 267207, female 259810; Muslim 483218, Hindu 40475, Buddhist 72, Christian 3238 and others 14.

Water bodies Main rivers: kirtankhola, Kalijira, Nayabhanga, tentulia.

Administration Barisal Thana was formed on 18 January 1923. Barisal Paurasabha was formed in 1957 and it was turned into a city corporation in 2000.

Upazila
Municipality	Union	Mouza	Village	Population		Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
				Urban	Rural		Urban	Rural
1	10	103	110	339308	187709	1625	69.6 (2001)	59.3

City Corporation
Area (sq km)	Ward	Mahalla	Population	Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
-	30	225	328278	-	75.3

Upazila Town
Area (sq km)	Mouza	Population	Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
22.98 (2001)	3	11030	1827 (2001)	60.3

Union
Name of union and GO code	Area (acre)	Population		Literacy rate (%)
		Male	Female
Kashipur 69	2791	8148	8262	61.7
Chandpura 32	5967	8132	8632	63.8
Chandra Mohan 33	5735	7836	7484	51.6
Char Kowa 43	9346	15078	15154	59.7
Char Baria 34	4860	11510	11394	62.9
Char Monai 51	11755	14163	14627	53.9
Jagua 60	1897	3092	3417	78.2
Tungibaria 94	5025	9491	10330	56.7
Roy Pasha Karapur 77	4638	9025	9709	68.9
Shayestabad 86	11318	11257	11998	51.1

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

Archaeological heritage and relics Kalibari of mukundadas, Shankar Math.

Historical events Many people were killed or wounded when the British Police conducted lathi charge in 1906 in the Conference of the Bangiya (Bengal) Provincial Parishad. Following the event, anti British movement spread over the whole of India. Armed rebellion started in this region with the establishment of Shankar Math in 1912.

War of Liberation Freedom fighters carried out operations on Pakistani soldiers and also at places near the bridges at Jhunahar and on Sauder Khal at Gournadi, Uzirpur, Babuganj and Mehendiganj upazila. Barisal was liberated on 8 December 1971. There is a mass killing site in the upazila.

For details: see বরিশাল সদর উপজেলা, বাংলাদেশ মুক্তিযুদ্ধ জ্ঞানকোষ (Encyclopedia of Bangladesh War of Liberation), বাংলাদেশ এশিয়াটিক সোসাইটি, ঢাকা ২০২০, খণ্ড ৬।

Newspapers and periodicals Daily: Shahnama, Probashi, Gram Samachar, Ajker Barta, Ajker Kantha; periodicals: weekly Lokabani, Bakerganj Parikrama, Chirantan Bangla, Upakul, Samachar, Dipolo;' weekly: Paira, the River, Etibriti; extinct: Barisal Bartabaha (1870), Hitasadhini (1871), Banglar Ranjika (1873), Kashipur Nibasi (1881), Swadesh (1885), Bharat Hitoishi (1882), Barisal Hitoishi (1885), Bikash (1900), Sahayogi (1885), Praddip (1927).

Religious institutions Mosque 210, temple 30, church 5. Noted religious institutions: Baptist and Oxford Church, Saiyedunnesa Mosque (Jami Kasai).

Literacy rate and educational institutions Average literacy 69.3%; male 70.5%, female 68.1%. Educational institutions: university 1, polytechnic institute 1, medical college 1, physical education college 1, teachers' training centre 2, nursing institute 1, cadet college 1, college 15, secondary school 70, primary school 350. Noted educational institutions: Sher- Bangla Medical College, B M College (1889), Oxford Mission High School, Barisal Zila School.

Cultural organisations Library 3, circus party 2, theatre group 4, women's organisation 5, cinema hall 4, Shilpakala Academy 1, playground 11.

Main sources of income Agriculture 20.24%, non-agricultural labourer 5.53%, industry 1.10%, commerce 23.85%, transport and communication 6.44%, service 22.79%, construction 4.16%, religious service 0.42%, rent and remittance 2.56% and others 12.91%.

Ownership of agricultural land Landowner 50.60%, landless 49.40%; agricultural landowner: urban 43.19% and rural 58.10%.

Main crops Paddy, wheat, betel leaf, oil seed.

Extinct or nearly extinct crops Balam paddy, sugarcane, sesame.

Main fruits Coconut, Mango, litchi, betel nut, banana, amra.

Fisheries, dairies and poultries Dairy 5, poultry 160, hatchery 20.

Communication facilities Pucca road 162 km, semi-pucca road 117 km, mud road 514; waterway 148 km; airport 1.

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

Manufactories Ice factory, flour mill, textile mill, oil mill, biscuit factory, pharmaceutical industry, welding factory, spinning factory.

Cottage industries Goldsmith, blacksmith, potteries, weaving, bidi factory, wood works.

Noted Hats, bazars and fairs Chandra Mohan Natun Bazar, Tungibaria Bazar, Lahar Bazar, Singher Kathi Bazar, Kanaipur Bazar, Maulvir Bazar, Talukdar Bazar, Goper Bazar, Steemarghat Bazar, Durgapur Bazar, Bangla Bazar, Saheber Hat, Chandra Mohan Hat, Aratdari Hat and Chawkbazar.

Main exports Hilsha fish, medicine, bidi, handicraft.

Access to electricity All the unions and wards of the upazila are under electrification net-work. However 79.5% dwellings have access to electricity.

Sources of drinking water Tube-well 91.8%, tap 6.0% and others 2.2%.

Sanitation 80.4% of dwelling households of the upazila use sanitary latrines and 18.6% of dwelling houses use non-sanitary latrines; 1.0% of households do not have latrine facilities.

Health centers Medical college hospital 1, hospital 2, upazila health complex 1, chest diseases hospital 1, clinic 10, nursing home 9.

NGO activities care, brac, caritas, asa, proshika. [Ushasi Eashika Khan]

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