Mirzapur Upazila

Mirzapur Upazila (tangail district) with an area of 373.89 sq km, is bounded by sakhipur and basail upazilas on the north, kaliakair and dhamrai upazilas on the south, Kaliakair upazila on the east, delduar and nagarpur upazilas on the west. Main rivers are bangshi and Elangjani; the upazila has Salban (shoria forest).

Mirzapur (Town) consists of 9 wards and 16 mahallas. The area of the town is 13.81 sq km. The town has a population of 24219; male 48.81%, female 51.19%; density of population is 1704 per sq km.

Administration The upazila consists of 1 municipality, 13 union parishads, 207 mouzas and 219 villages.

Archaeological heritage A three-dome mosque at Pakulla (built in the eighteenth century).

Historical events The first military resistance against the Pakistan army was made at village Goran-Satiachara on 3 April 1971. In the battle many people including some EPR forces were killed and so were many Pakistan soldiers.

Marks of War of Liberation A mass grave at Goran-Satiachara and a mass killing site at Pakulla.

Religious institutions Mosque 306, temple 105.

Population 337496; male 50.3%, female 49.7%; Muslim 85.29%, Hindu 14.61%, Christian 0.05% and others 0.05%.

Literacy and educational institutions Average literacy 32.9%; male 40.3%, female 25.5%. Educational institutions: college 5, high school 39, madrasa 77, government primary school 113, non-government primary school 24 and madrasa 12.

Newspapers and periodicals Weekly Bangshai (irregular).

Cultural organisations Club 60, theatre stage 1, playground 50.

Main occupations Agriculture 50.13%, fishing 1.45%, agricultural labourer 15.98%, wage labourer 3.04%, industry 1.34%, commerce 8.57%, service 9.73%, others 9.76%.

Land use Cultivable land 27872 hectares; single crop 34%, double crop 55% and treble crop land 11%; land under irrigation 75%.

Land control Among the peasants, 35% are landless, 25% small, 20% medium and 20% rich.

Value of land The market value of the land of the first grade is Tk 15000 per 0.01 hectare.

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

Extinct and nearly extinct crops Sesame, sweet potato and varieties of dal.

Main fruits Mango. jackfruit, banana, litchi and papaya.

Fisheries, dairies, poultries Fishery 60, poultry 22 and hatchery 2.

Communication facilities Roads: pucca 30 km, semi pucca 5 km and mud road 200 km; waterways 32 nautical mile.

Traditional transport Palanquin, horse carriage, bullock cart, dhuli and pathal nauka. These means of transport are either extinct or nearly extinct.

Manufactories Tangail Cotton Mills, Uttara Spinning Mills, Uttara Cycle Mills, Riaz Biscuit Factory, Islam Jute Mills and Sun Light Battery are notable.

Cottage industries Goldsmith 200, blacksmith 50, potteries 700, carpenter 300, sewing 200 and welding 60.

Hats, bazars and fairs Main hats and bazars are Hatu Bhanga, Sohag Para, Deohata, Mirzapur, Janurki, etc. Most noted fairs are Maghi Purnima Mela at Guntia and Baishaki Mela at Jamurki.

Main exports Jute, sugarcane molasses and potato.

NGO activities Operationally important NGOs are brac, proshika, grameen bank and SDS.

Health centres Upazila health complex 1, family planning centre 13 and sub health centre 2.