Puthia Upazila

Puthia Upazila (rajshahi district) area 192.63 sq km, located in between 24°20' and 24°31' north latitudes and in between 88°42' and 88°56' east longitudes. It is bounded by durgapur (Rajshahi) and baghmara upazilas on the north, charghat and bagatipara upazilas on the south, natore sadar upazila on the east, paba and Durgapur upazilas on the west.

Population Total 207490; male 105071, female 102419; Muslim 194904, Hindu 10926, Christian 998 and others 662. Indigenous communities such as santal, oraon and Mahali belong to this upazila.

Water bodies Main rivers: Hoja, Barnai.

Administration Puthia Thana was formed on 12 March 1869 and it was turned into an upazila in 1984.

Upazila
Municipality	Union	Mouza	Village	Population		Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
				Urban	Rural		Urban	Rural
1	6	123	183	25761	181729	1077	55.37 (2001)	48.4

Municipality
Area (sq km)	Ward	Mahalla	Population	Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
-	9	16	20610	-	59.2

Upazila Town
Area (sq km)	Mouza	Population	Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
7.83 (2001)	3	5151	1657 (2001)	51.2

Union
Name of union and GO code	Area (acre)	Population		Literacy rate (%)
		Male	Female
Jeopara 54	8267	14780	14634	50.2
Puthia 67	3885	7559	7225	50.7
Baneshwar 13	6361	18045	17407	53.6
Belpukuria 27	6958	18881	17951	48.8
Bhalukgachhi 40	8378	16846	16542	46.3
Silmaria 81	10414	18570	18440	43.2

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

Archaeological heritage and relics Syed Karam Ali Shah Mosque and Mazar, Puthia Rajbari, Jhulan Mandir in the Rajbari, Ahnik Mandir (Chhoto Ahnik Mandir and Baro Ahnik Mandir, built either in the last part of eighteenth century or in the first part of nineteenth century), Chauchala (pyramid shaped), Mandir (Chhoto Govinda Mandir and Chhoto Shiva Mandir, built either in the last part of eighteenth century or in the first part of nineteenth century), Ratna Mandir (Ek Ratna or Pran Gopal Mandir, built in the nineteenth century, Pancha Ratna Mandir built in 1895, and Pancha Ratna Shiva Mandir built in 1813), Flat Roof Mandir (Gopal Mandir and Tarapur Mandir), Octagonal Rath Mandir, Dochala or Ek Bangla Mandir (built in the nineteenth century), Dol Mandir or Dol Mancha (built in 1895); besides, this upazila has two ancient dighis' named Shiva Sagar and Gobinda Sagar.

Historical events In the 16th century, when Afghan Jagirdar Laskar Khan was defeated to the Mughal Commander Mansingh, Pitambar, the son of Bathsacharya (Brahmin) was awarded the zamindari of the region. The Pitambar dynasty became known as a king’s clan after the death of Pitambar, when his brother Nilambar was awarded the title Raja. This dynasty of Puthia was the oldest royal dynasty of the Rajshahi Zamindari.

War of Liberation Freedom fighters were active in the upazila since the beginning of the War of Liberation and carried out a number of operations against the Pak army and their local collaborators.

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

Religious institutions Mosque 397, temple 30, church 11, tomb 1. Noted religious institutions: Biraldaha Mosque, tomb of Hazrat Karam Ali Shah at Biraldaha.

Literacy rate and educational institutions Average literacy 49.6%; male 52.2%, female 46.9%. Educational institutions: college 14, secondary school 48, primary school 91, madrasa 14. Noted educational institutions: Baneshwar College (1964), PN Technical High School (1865), Dhokrakul High School (1949), Syed Karam Ali Darus Sunnat Fazil Madrasah at Biraldaha (1963).

Cultural organisations Library 5, club 41, cinema hall 1.

Main sources of income Agriculture 67.11%, non-agricultural labourer 2.88%, industry 0.80%, commerce 13.24%, transport and communication 4.24%, service 4.80%, construction 0.77%, religious service 0.13%, rent and remittance 0.35% and others 5.68%.

Ownership of agricultural land Landowner 58.30%, landless 41.7%; agricultural landowner: urban 44.97% and rural 59.26%.

Main crops Paddy, jute, wheat, maize, potato, sugarcane, onion, garlic, chilli, mustard, sesame, pulse, vegetables.

Extinct or nearly extinct crops Sweet potato, kaun, linseed, aus paddy.

Main fruits Mango, jackfruit, litchi, banana, papaya, pulm, guava, date, coconut, palm.

Fisheries, dairies and poultries Fishery 14, poultry 18, hatchery 2.

Communication facilities Pucca road 215 km, semi-pucca road 13 km, mud road 520 km; railway 8 km.

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

Noted manufactories Rice mill 16, ice factory 2, saw mill 4, printing press 2, welding factory 30, battery manufacturing 10.

Cottage industries Blacksmith 45, potteries 10, bamboo work 300.

Hats, bazars and fairs Hats and bazars are 10, fair 1, most noted of which are Mollapara Bazar, Zalmalia Bazar, Sadhanpur Bazar, Baneshwar Hat and Rath Mela at Puthia Rajbari.

Main exports Paddy, jute, wheat, molasses, potato, onion, garlic, mango, jackfruit, banana, papaya.

Access to electricity All the unions of the upazila are under rural electrification net-work. However 59.3% of the dwelling households have access to electricity.

Sources of drinking water Tube-well 93.0%, tap 3.8% and others 3.2%. Out of 17372 tube-wells, the presence of arsenic has been detected in 581.

Sanitation 62.2% of dwelling households of the upazila use sanitary latrines and 30.1% of dwelling households use non-sanitary latrines; 7.7% of households do not have latrine facilities.

Health centres Upazila health complex 1, satellite clinic 1, family planning centre 6, clinic 5.

NGO activities Operationally important NGOs are brac, proshika, asa, caritas, CARE, thengamara mahila sabuj sangha. [AKM Kaisaruzzaman]

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