Madhupur Upazila

Madhupur Upazila (tangail district) with an area of 500.70 sq km, is bounded by jamalpur sadar upazila on the north, gopalpur and ghatail upazilas on the south, muktagachha and fulbaria upazilas on the east. sarishabari and gopalpur upazilas on west. Main rivers are Jhinai, bangshi, banar and atrai.

Madhupur (Town) consists of 9 wards and 22 mahallas. The area of the town is 14.36 sq km. The town has a population of 54706; male 59.79%, female 40.21%; density of population is 3810 per sq km. Literacy rate among the town people is 37.1%.

Administration Madhupur thana, now an upazila, was established in 1898. The upazila consists of two municipalities (Madhupur and Dhanbari),18 wards, 47 mahallas, 10 union parishads, 242 mouzas and 343 villages. 

Historical events The wreckage of the Ananda Math (the office of the Sannyas movement) is located in Madhupur. Bankim Chandra wrote the novel Ananda Math after this. Madhupur forests were the shelter places for the members of the Fakir and Sannyas movements. During the War of Liberation in 1971 a battle was fought between the Muktibahini and the Pakistan army in which five persons including a Pak Captain were killed and seven wounded from both sides.

Population 375295; male 51.13%, female 48.87%; Muslim 89%, Hindu 7%, Christian 4% and others 0.31%. Ethnic nationals: Garo and Koch.

Literacy and educational institutions Avergae literacy 25.3%; male 30.2%, female 20.1%. Educational institutions: college 5, high school 30, madrasa 137, government primary school 156, non-government primary school 53, missionary high school 3, missionary primary school 13, kindergarten 13, NGO managed primary school 57. Noted educational institution: Dhanbari Nawab Institute and Rani Babhani High School (1939).

Cultural organisations Public library 1, rural club 73, cinema hall 6, playground 29.

Main occupations Agriculture 52.29%, agricultural labourer 22.8%, wage labourer 2.82%, commerce 8.42%, transport 2.11%, service 2.79%, others 8.77%.

Land use Total land cultivable 32900 hectares, fallow land 2000 hectares; land under irrigation 65%.

Value of land The market value of the land of the first grade is Tk 10000 per 0.01 hectare.

Main crops Paddy, jute, wheat, cotton, potato, patal, ginger, betel leaf, kasava and vegetables.

Extinct and nearly extinct crops Indigo, varieties of pulses and aman paddy.

Main fruits Mango, jackfruit, litchi, papaya, pineapple and olive.

Fisheries, dairies, poultries Fishery 18, dairy 28, poultry 103, hatchery 1.

Communication facilities Roads: pucca 150 km, semi pucca 19 km; waterways 32 nautical mile.

Traditional transport Palanquin (extinct).

Manufactories Silk mill 1, rice and flour mill 53, ice factory 17, lathe & welding 63, saw mill 109, bakery 7 and bidi factory 1.

Cottage industries Weaving 27, goldsmith 103, blacksmith 26, bamboo work 320, potteries 43, wood work 42, tailoring 216; apiculture by private initiative.

Hats, bazars Hats and bazars are 45, most noted of which are Madhupur, Dhanbari and Garo Hat; fairs 2 (Sholakudi Mela and Dhanbari Baishakhi Mela).

Main exports Pineapple, silk, cotton, jackfruit and honey.

NGO activities Operationally important NGOs are brac, asa, proshika and caritas, World Tourist Mission, Family and Child Welfare Centre.

Health centres Upazila health complex 1, family welfare centre 11, satellite clinic 6, charitable dispensary 1, missionary hospital 1, leprosy hospital 1.