Gopalganj Sadar Upazila
Gopalganj Sadar Upazila (gopalganj district) area 389.61 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 344008; male 172991, female 171017; Muslim 251406, Hindu 90685, Buddhist 19, Christian 1532 and others 366.
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 | 125 | 197 | 53778 | 290230 | 883 | 69.1 (2001) | 58.8 |
| Municipality | ||||||||
|
Area |
Ward |
Mahalla |
Population |
Density |
Literacy rate (%) | |||
| 14.24 | 9 | 47 | 51346 | 3606 | 78.6 | |||
| Upazila Town | ||||||||
|
Area |
Mouza |
Population |
Density |
Literacy rate | ||||
| 2.56 (2001) | 2 | 2432 | 870 (2001) | 58.4 | ||||
| Union | ||||
| Name of union and GO code | Area (acre) | Population | Literacy rate (%) | |
| Male | Female | |||
| Urafi 94 | 2656 | 5098 | 5156 | 60.4 |
| Ulpur 90 | 4789 | 8149 | 8088 | 53.1 |
| Karpara 47 | 6921 | 9861 | 10580 | 54.2 |
| Kajulia 43 | 6089 | 7407 | 6889 | 60.0 |
| Kati 51 | 4586 | 5364 | 5505 | 53.4 |
| Gopinathpur 30 | 6680 | 5827 | 6208 | 59.1 |
| Gobra 21 | 4277 | 6168 | 6257 | 64.5 |
| Chandra Dighalia 15 | 2714 | 8459 | 7200 | 63.0 |
| Jalalabad 38 | 4213 | 7465 | 7792 | 58.3 |
| Durgapur 17 | 4212 | 8806 | 8614 | 55.7 |
| Nizra 64 | 2827 | 3617 | 3902 | 58.1 |
| Paikkandi 69 | 3963 | 8138 | 8414 | 61.7 |
| Borasi 11 | 2075 | 6136 | 6188 | 58.0 |
| Baultali 13 | 4043 | 5406 | 5490 | 58.6 |
| Majhigati 60 | 2770 | 5934 | 5895 | 55.5 |
| Raghunathpur 73 | 5792 | 8427 | 8125 | 58.4 |
| Latifpur 56 | 2930 | 8875 | 8321 | 65.5 |
| Suktail 86 | 5295 | 6724 | 7016 | 50.5 |
| Satpar 82 | 8707 | 9321 | 9220 | 62.3 |
| Sahapur 77 | 4479 | 5163 | 5080 | 63.4 |
| Haridaspur 34 | 2738 | 6277 | 6100 | 60.3 |
Source Bangladesh Population Census 2001 and 2011, 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 Hindu and the Muslim at villages Karpara, Balakoir and Targram of Baultali Union in which many people of both communities were killed.
War of Liberation 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 Paikkandhi 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. Mass killing sites have been discovered at two places (Paikkandi and Urafi) of the upazila.
For details: See গোপালগঞ্জ সদর উপজেলা, বাংলাদেশ মুক্তিযুদ্ধ জ্ঞানকোষ (Encyclopedia of Bangladesh War of Liberation), বাংলাদেশ এশিয়াটিক সোসাইটি, ঢাকা ২০২০, খণ্ড ৩।
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 61.8%; male 64.4%, female 59.2%. 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 206 km, semi-pucca road 103 km, mud road 383 km; waterway 163 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 60.2% of the dwelling households have access to electricity.
Natural resources Pit coal been discovered in the Chandar Beel of the upazila.
Sources of drinking water Tube-well 82.3%, tap 14.7% and others 3.0%.
Sanitation 86.6% of dwelling households of the upazila use sanitary latrines and 12.0% of dwelling households use non-sanitary latrines; 1.4% 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 and 2011, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics; Cultural survey report of Gopalganj Sadar Upazila 2007.
