Kapasia Upazila

Kapasia Upazila (gazipur district) area 356.98 sq km, located in between 24°02' and 24°16' north latitudes and in between 90°30' and 90°42' east longitudes. It is bounded by gaffargaon and pakundia upazilas on the north, kaliganj (gazipur), shibpur and palash upazilas on the south, monohardi upazila on the east, sreepur upazila on the west.

Population Total 342162; male 165864, female 176298; Muslim 322725, Hindu 18609, Christian 574, Buddhist 3 and others 251. Indigenous communities such as santal, Koch (rajbangshi) and Mandi belong to this upazila.

Water bodies Main rivers: shitalakshya, old brahmaputra, banar; Buri Beel, Machha Beel, Nail Beel, Baniar Beel and Suti canal are notable.

Administration Kapasia Thana, now an upazila, was formed in 1947.

Upazila
Municipality	Union	Mouza	Village	Population		Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
				Urban	Rural		Urban	Rural
-	11	165	231	12986	329176	958	65.7	55.9

Upazila Town
Area (sq km)	Mouza	Population	Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
4.54 (2001)	3	12986	2416 (2001)	65.7

Union
Name of union and GO code	Area (acre)	Population		Literacy rate (%)
		Male	Female
Karihata 51	6823	10638	11757	56.0
Kapasia 43	9598	21542	22367	61.7
Ghagotia 34	5469	12642	13384	55.4
Chandpur 17	8812	12630	13472	54.3
Toke 94	9478	19970	20765	48.4
Targaon 86	8284	15242	15923	59.9
Durgapur 25	8928	16579	17971	59.2
Barishaba 13	9801	18649	20297	48.0
Rayed 60	8821	12247	12808	58.0
Sanmania 69	5829	14380	15644	63.4
Singasree 77	6370	11345	11910	56.7

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

Archaeological heritage and relics Ekdala Fort, Dardaria Fort, Tok Fort, Karnapur Fort, Jora Dighi (joint tanks), Dargapara Shahi Jami Mosque (Tok), Asrama of Bangshi Babaji at Safaisree, Raniganj Neelkuthi (1800), ruins of the capital of Shishupal and the dighi, Dakbungalow of Lakhpur.

Historical events The combined force of the bara-bhuiyans led by isa khan built up resistance in the area against mansingh, the general of Emperor akbar resulting a number of encounters.

War of Liberation During the war of liberation the Pak army burnt down the whole Kapasia Bazar in May. They also conducted mass killing at different places of village Taragaon. The freedom fighters attacked Kapasia Police Station and captured arms and ammunitions. An encounter between the freedom fighters and the Pak army was held at village Najai of Raniganj and at a place adjacent to the Raonat Bridge. On 13 August the freedom fighters attacked the CO (Circle Officer) office with grenades. In October encounters were held between the freedom fighters and the Pak army at village Taragaon and at Kheyaghat. There is a tomb on the grave of martyr Sajjad in Targaon village and a memorial monument has been built at a place in front of the office of Muktijoddha Sangsad.

For details: See কাপাসিয়া উপজেলা, বাংলাদেশ মুক্তিযুদ্ধ জ্ঞানকোষ (Encyclopedia of Bangladesh War of Liberation), বাংলাদেশ এশিয়াটিক সোসাইটি, ঢাকা ২০২০, খণ্ড ২।

Religious institutions Mosque 594, temple 41.

Literacy rate and educational institutions Average literacy 56.3%; male 56.2%, female 56.4%. Educational institutions: college 6, technical college 3, secondary school 79, primary school 181, madrasa 66. Noted educational institutions: Kapasia Degree College (1965), Taraganj HN High School and College (1919), Toke Ranendra High School (1908), Toke Sarjubala Girls' High School (1914), Kapasia Pilot' High School (1938), Begunhati Fazil Madrasa (1932).

Newspapers and periodicals Weekly: Shitalakshya; periodical: Raktakta Lash, Attik, Hridayer Prattay. Cultural organisations Library 38, club 39, cinema hall 1, theatre group 3, women's society 8, cultural organisation 11, most noted of which are Kapasia Public Library, Tajuddin Ahmed Library, Udichi Shilpigosthi (1983).

Tourist spots Angona Amusement Centre, Dhadarchar (confluence of Sitalakshya and Brahmaputra rivers), house of tajuddin ahmed at Durdaria (the first Prime Minister of Bangladesh), Kamra Ecopark, Fakir Majnu Shah Bridge.

Main sources of income Agriculture 64.48%, non-agricultural labourer 2.49%, commerce 12.14%, transport and communication 4.23%, service 7.30% and others 9.36%.

Ownership of agricultural land Landowner 77.77%, landless 22.23%; agricultural landowner: urban 72.28% and rural 77.95%.'

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

Extinct or nearly extinct crops Betel leaf, aus paddy, kaun.

Main fruits Jackfruit, papaya, mango, guava, banana, pineapple, date, palm, litchi.

Fisheries, dairies and poultries Fishery 9, dairy 98, poultry 2176.

Communication facilities Pucca road 185 km, semi-pucca road 15 km, mud road 439 km; waterway 12 km.

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

Noted manufactories Rice mill, oil mill, biscuit factory, saw mill.

Cottage industries Goldsmith, blacksmith, potteries, embroidery, weaving, Bidi factory, nakshi kantha, bamboo work, cane work, jute work.

Hats, bazars and fairs Hats and bazars are 39, fairs 9, most noted of which are Kapasia, Dasyunarayanpur, Raithhat, Nayabazar, Raniganj, Ghatkuri, Ukhadi and Adal bazars; Dardaria hat; Targaon Baruni Nababarsha mela, Panbaraid Kali Bari mela, Ghighot Austami Snan mela, Nasra Bat-tala mela.

Main exports Jute, sugarcane, mustard.

Access to electricity All the unions of the upazila are under rural electrification net-work. However 50.0% of the dwelling households have access to electricity.

Natural resources Pit coal has been discovered in village Dasshu Narayanpur (adjacent to the Sitalakshya River). Besides, natural gas has been discovered at village Belashi of Bayed Union, village Kuriadi of Singasree Union and at village Rajapur of Barishaba Union. The total area of forest land of the upazila is about 1239 hectors (3.5% of the total area of the upazila).

Sources of drinking water Tube-well 93.4%, tap 2.4% and others 4.2%. The presence of arsenic at an intolerable level has been detected in 175 shallow tube-well water of Sanmania, Ghagotia and Barishaba Unions of the upazila.

Sanitation 57.2% of dwelling households of the upazila use sanitary latrines and 35.5% of dwelling households use non-sanitary latrines; 7.3% of households do not have latrine facilities.

Health centres Upazila health complex 1, satellite clinic 2, union health centre 3, family planning centre 9, NGO conducted health centre 7, community clinic 20.

Natural disasters The earthquake of 16th century caused formation of char land in the Brahmaputra River on the eastern side of Kapasia. The Tornado of 2003 caused huge damages to settlements and other properties of village Kamargaon. The landslides of 22 February 2004 at village Dasshu Narayanpur caused heavy damages to settlements and properties of the area.'

NGO activities Operationally important NGOs are asa, Grameen Samaj. [Md Nazrul Islam]

References Bangladesh Population Census 2001 and 2011, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics; Field report of Kapasia Upazila 2007.