Bhangura Upazila

Bhangura ভাঙ্গুড়া
Upazila
Bhangura Location in Bangladesh
Coordinates: 24°13.5′N 89°24′E / 24.2250°N 89.400°ECoordinates: 24°13.5′N 89°24′E / 24.2250°N 89.400°E
Country	Bangladesh
Division	Rajshahi Division
District	Pabna District
Area
• Total	120.2 km^2 (46.4 sq mi)
Population (1991)
• Total	81,624
• Density	679/km^2 (1,760/sq mi)
Time zone	BST (UTC+6)

Bhangura (Bengali: ভাঙ্গুড়া) or Bhangoora is an Upazila of Pabna District in the Division of Rajshahi, Bangladesh.^[1]

History

Bhangura thana was established in 1980 and was turned into an upazila in 1981. Once Bhangura upazila was a noted jute growing area. For this reason a jute trading company called Chittagong Jute Company established business house on the bank of the river adjacent to the Baral Bridge. Still there exist a house of the extinct company.

Liberation War

During the liberation war several encounters were made between Pakistan Army & Razakars and Mukti Bahini at Baral Bridge and Dilpashar Bridge. A number of Razakars were surrendered. Commandar Hannan, Aslamul led the Mukti Bahini.

Geography

Bhangura is located at 24°13′30″N 89°24′00″E / 24.2250°N 89.4000°E. It has 14,201 households and total area 120.2 km². It is bounded by Tarash upazila on the north, Faridpur (Pabna) upazila on the south, Ullapara upazila on the east, Chatmohar upazila on the west. The upazila is criss-crossed by two rivers named the Baral and the Gumani. The western part of this upazila is relatively higher than the eastern part which comprises a part of the great Chalan Bil. A very large number of small bills are also available in this area. The people here like the simple life.

Demographics

At the 2001 Bangladesh census, Bhangura had a population of 99,474 of which 50,486 were male and 48,988 were female. Average density of population was 731 per square kilometre. It had an average literacy rate of 38.3% (7+ years).

Main Occupations Agriculture but, agricultural labourer, wage labourer, commerce, service, fishing and others also present.

Administrative

Bhangura has one Municipality, 6 Unions, 70 Mauzas, 110 villages and Khana 20576. The unions are Per Bhangura, Bhangura, Dilpashar, Khanmorich, Ashtomonisha ang মন্ডোতোষ নতুন ইউনিয়ন পরিষদ।

Administration

Member of the Parliament (MP): Mokbul Hossain (Pabna-3 constitution)

Chairman: Nur Muzahid Shopon

Vice Chairman: Jafor Iqbol Herok

Woman Vice Chairman: মোছাঃ জোসনা খাতুন

Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO): মোঃ শামছুল আলম

Bhangura Paurashava Mayor: Md.Golam Hasnain Rasel

Union Parishad Chairmans: Hedhayeatul Haque (Per Bhangura), Mohammad Belal Hossain (Bhangura), বকুল (অষ্টমনিষা) Md. asadur rahman ( খানমরিচ) প্রনো ( দিলপাশার) ও

আব্দুর রশিদ ( মন্ডোতোষ)

Literacy and educational institutions

Average literacy 26.1%; male 31.7%, female 20.2%. Educational institutions: college 7, collegiate school 0, secondary school 11, madrasa 2, government primary school 47, non-government primary school 00, satellite school 13, community school 3. Noted educational institutes are Bhangura Union High School, Bhangura Jarina Rahim Girls High School, Hazi Jamal Uddin College, Bhangura Girls College, Sharatnagar Fazil Madrasa, Bharamara Udayan Academy, and Kashipur Government Primary School, Patulipara High School, Baral Kindergarten, Shishu Tirtho, Bhangura Biggan School & College, Momotaz Mostafa Ideal School & College,.

Religious institutions

Mosque 160, temple 15

Remarkable places

Three-domed mosque at Kazipara (Chandipur), Baral Bridge, Boro Bil, Pathorghata four-storied Jame Mosque, Patul Playground.

Newspapers and periodicals

• Sachetan

ভাঙ্গুড়া বার্তা. www.bbarta.net

Cultural organizations

Rural club 82, public library 1 (Shacheton Shahittya Shangshad), theatre group 1 (kalatan shilpa goshti), cinema hall 2, literary society 2, women's organisation 1, cecab- a non political organisation ^[2]

Land

Total cultivable land 10,460 hectares, fallow land 2,786 hectares; single crop 36%, double crop 40% and treble crop 24%. The market value of the land of the first grade is about 7500 Taka per 0.01 hectare.

Agriculture

Main crops are Paddy, jute, wheat, onion, garlic, green chilly, khesari, musur and patal. Main fruits are Banana, mango, jackfruit, black berry, papaya and litchi. Extinct or nearly extinct crops are barley, chhola, kaun, china and bhura.

Other agriculture activities dairy 312, poultry 60, fishery 2. Bhangura upazila is notable for its milk and milk products. A number of people are involved in production of milk products that include butter, chern, chhana, sweets, etc. These products as well as raw materials are sent to different parts of Bangladesh. Several milk collection and chilling centres of different companies such as Milk Vita, BRAK, Amomilk, Akiz are actively present in this upazila.

Communication

Roads pucca 13 km, semi pucca 4 km and mud road 210 km; waterways 17-nautical-mile (31 km); railways 11 km. Bus and train is the most popular means of transport for communication with other parts of the country. There are three railway stations in this upazila: Baral Bridge, Bhangura and Sharatnagar of them Baral Bridge is the most prominent one where several intercity trains have stoppage, which are: Silk City, Lalmoni, Dhumketu, Sundarban, Chitra etc. Bus services are: Shahzadpur Travels (Bhangura-Dhaka), Syamoli Paribahan (Bhangura-Chittagong), Uttara Paribahan (Bhangura-Rajshahi), B-Nagar (Bhangura-Bogra) and direct bus services also exist from Bhangura to Pabna, Ishurdi, Kushtia, Baghabari (Sirajgonj) etc. Traditional transport Palanquin, dhuli, horse carriage and bullock cart. These means of transport are either extinct or nearly extinct.

Commercial activities

Bank, 3 Sonali, Agrani and Rajshahi Krishi Unnayan Manufactories Jute press 5, flour mill 18, oil mill 7, saw mill 12 and welding 12. Cottage industries Bamboo work 50, blacksmith 18, goldsmith 25, potteries 25, wood work 70, tailoring 175. Hats, bazars and fairs Total number of hats and bazars are 8, the most noted of which are Bhangura, Sharatnagar, Bheramara, Baralbridge. Main exports Paddy, wheat, fish, milk, onion, garlic, patal, poultries.

Healthcare

Health centres 31 bed Upazila Health Complex 1, Health Centre 9 and private health clinic 10. Vhangura Health Care Ltd is one of the Private Health Clinics.

References

1. Md Nuruzzaman Musafir (2012), "Bhangura Upazila", in Sirajul Islam and Ahmed A. Jamal, Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh (Second ed.), Asiatic Society of Bangladesh
2. https://www.facebook.com/pages/CECAB/766376506791811?ref=bookmarks)