Pirojpur District
Pirojpur District (barisal division) area 1277.80 sq km, located in between 22'09' and 22'52' north latitudes and in between 89'52' and 90'13' east longitudes. It is bounded by gopalganj and barisal districts on the north, barguna district on the south, jhalokati district on the east, bagerhat district on the west.
Population Total 1113257; male 548228, female 565029; Muslim 925895, Hindu 186865, Buddhist 210, Christian 216 and others 71.
Water bodies Main rivers: Baleshwari, Swarupkati, katcha, Kaliganga; Chatar Beel and Jujkhola Canal are notable.
Administration Pirojpur district was formed in 1984 and the Municipality was formed in 1886. Of the seven upazilas of the district mathbaria is the largest (353.25 sq km, it occupies 27.01% of the total area of the district) and kawkhali is the smallest (79.65 sq km).
| District | |||||||||
| Area (sq km) | Upazila | Municipality | Union | Mouza | Village | Population | Density (per sq km) | Literacy rate (%) | |
| Urban | Rural | ||||||||
| 1277.80 | 7 | 3 | 51 | 391 | 648 | 182631 | 930626 | 871 | 64.9 |
| Others Information of District | ||||||||
| Name of Upazila | Area (sq km) | Municipality | Union | Mouza | Village | Population | Density (per sq km) | Literacy rate (%) |
| Kawkhali | 79.56 | - | 5 | 45 | 59 | 70130 | 881 | 64.6 |
| Zianagar | 91.78 | - | 3 | 29 | 48 | 77217 | 816 | 61.2 |
| Nazirpur | 228.69 | - | 8 | 69 | 171 | 180408 | 789 | 59.3 |
| Nesarabad | 200.33 | 1 | 10 | 80 | 134 | 211032 | 1053 | 68.6 |
| Pirojpur Sadar | 166.81 | 1 | 7 | 64 | 98 | 163470 | 980 | 73.3 |
| Bhandaria | 163.56 | - | 7 | 37 | 45 | 148159 | 906 | 67.7 |
| Mathbaria | 344.23 | 1 | 11 | 67 | 93 | 262841 | 764 | 61.7 |
Source Bangladesh Population Census 2011, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics.
Historical events Peasant rebellion was held at Singkhali in Bhandaria upazila in 1857. Peasant leaders Gagan and Mohan Miah revolted against the British rule and the local zamindars in which 17 revolutionaries were killed. In consequent of adopting the resolution of continuing Non-cooperation Movement and Khilafat Movement simultaneously in a conference in 1920 in Kolkata, its reaction was visible in Pirojpur. In 1927 a movement was held in Pirojpur under Lawyer Mofizuddin of Chakhar and Syed Habibur Rahman in protest of ‘Kulkati Killing’.
War of Liberation In August 1971, the freedom fighters led by Subedar Aziz Shikder attacked the Bhandaria Police Station in which a number of razakars were killed. On 29 November the Pak army sacked the Bhandaria Bandar and left Bhandaria Upazila. During the war of liberation the freedom fighters of Kawkhali upazila established a strong base at village Keundia. In the month of August the freedom fighters raided the Kawkhali Police Station and captured arms and ammunitions. In a battle at Keundia of this upazila in September 1971, the freedom fighters killed 17 Pak soldiers and razakars. The Pak army killed 30 innocent persons of Amrajuri and burnt a number of houses of the upazila. The Pak army raped and brutally killed a women named Bhagirathi (Birangana) for supply of information abou Pak military to the freedom fighters. The Pak army tied her alive with a motor cycle and drugged her until death; her dead body was later thrown in the Baleshwari River. In the month of May the razakars killed 12 freedom fighters at a place called Jhutipunia of Mathbaria upazila. On 15 May the Pak army conducted mass killing in Dirgha union of Nazirpur upazila; they also set many houses of the union on fire. On 3 December the Pak army, in collaboration with the local razakars, killed 7 persons at villages Satkachhemia and Bainkathi of this upazila. The Pak army launched attack on Nesarabad upazila on 11 May for the first time. During the period from May to June, the Pak army, in collaboration with the local razakars, conducted heavy plundering in different villages including Miar Hat and Inder Hat ports; they also set many housed and shops of these areas on fire. Besides, they also killed about 100 persons in this upazila. The Pak army killed 7 persons at a time of the same family at village Barajkati under Sohagdal union. On 10 November the Pak army and their local collaborators tied 18 innocent persons together with rope and tortured them to death in front of Barajkati Kachhari. During the War of Liberation the Pak army, in collaboration with their local agents, killed about one thousand people of the upazila. They conducted the most brutal killing at Peara Bagan (guava garden) of Atghar Kuriana. After the end of the War of Liberation about 300 human skulls were collected from a ditch located behind the Kuriana College compound. Mass killing sites have been discovered at 2 places and there is a mass grave in the district; a sculpture was built at Shargabani and a memorial monument at Baleshwari Kheyaghat.
Literacy rate and educational institutions Average literacy 64.9%; male 65.0%, female 64.7%. Noted educational institutions: Pirojpur Shaheed Suhrawardy Government College, Bhandaria Government College, Kawkhali Degree College, Mathbaria Government Degree College, Swarupkati College (1965), Pirojpur Government Boys' School (1909), Pirojpur Government Girls' High School (1893), Pirojpur Government High School (1909), Parerhat Rajlakshmi Secondary School (1915), Kadamtala Goerge Secondary School (1912), Pirojpur Town Secondary School (1917), Bhandaria Bihari Lal High School (1913), Bara Kanua Abdul Majid Secondary School (1927), Sutiakati Union High School (1909), Khanakuniari PE Fazil Madrasa (1920).
Main sources of income Agriculture 50.82%, non-agricultural labourer 5.75%, industry 0.78%, commerce 18.71%, transport and communication 2.16%, service 7.69%, construction 1.36%, religious service 1.61%, rent and remittance 0.95% and others 10.17%.
Newspapers and periodicals Daily: Janagan (1992), weekly: Bhandaria Barta, Pirojpur Muktabarta (1998), Pirojpur Darpan (1985), Baleshwari (1998), Pirojpur Bani (1993), fortnightly Mathbaria Samachar (1997); defunct: Upokul Samachar, Pirojpur Hitoishi, Parichiti, Mukul, Jhumketuz, Janamat, Dakishin Desh, Bangladesh, Lalbarta, Onnotomo, Pradwip, Dhaleshwari.
Folk culture The most notable folk tales of the district are Gunai Bibi gan and the pala of Asman Singh. Other folk songs prevalent in the district include Pala song of Amina Bibi and Nasar Malume, Adhar Moni Vaishnabi song, song of Anath Bandhu, song of Abdul Ghani Bayati, song of Kalu Molla, song of Khoas Khizr, Gazir Gan (song), Krishna Lila, etc. Folk songs include Bhatiali, Sarigan, Marfati, song of Mukunda Das, Palli Geeti and song of Abdul Latif. [Ranjan Baksi Nupu]
See also The upazilas under this district.
References Bangladesh Population Census 2001 and 2011, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics; Cultural survey report of Pirojpur District 2007; Cultural survey report of upazilas of Pirojpur District 2007.
