Bakerganj Upazila HQ

 township, subdistrict, fourth-level administrative division, local government

Bakerganj Upazila (Barisal district) with an area of 417.21 sq km is bounded by Barisal sadar upazila on the north, Patuakhali sadar, Mirzaganj and Bauphal upazila on the south, Bauphal and Bhola sadar upazila on the east, Nalchity, Betagi and Rajapur on the west. Notable rivers are Tentulia, Barisal, Khairabad, Karkhana, Pando, Pandab, Chara Muddi.

The location of Bakerganj town is 22.5382647N 90.3452298E. Bakerganj (Town) The town is now a municipality with an area of 14.01 sq km and population 16050; male 50%, female 50%. It has 9 wards and 15 mahallas. Literacy rate among the town people is 55.4%. It has one dakbungalow.

Bakerganj thana was established in 1874 and was turned into an upazila in 1983. It consists of 15 union parishads, 156 mouzas, 171 villages.

Archaeological heritage and relics: Mehendiganj Jami Mosque (Mughal period).

As of the 1991 Bangladesh census: Population 336706; male 49.64%, female 50.36%; Muslim 87.87%; Hindu 11.76%, Christian 0.33%, others 0.04%.

Literacy and education institutions: Average literacy 47.2%; male 52.7%, female 41.6%. Educational institutions: government college 2, non-government college 5, high school 66, government primary school 157, non-government primary school 77, madrasa 72, cadet school 1. Noted educational institutions: Kalaskathi Government Primary School (1882), Dakkhin Darial Government Primary School (1904), Charsamojdi Government Primary School (1820), Kalaskathi BM Academy (1882).

Religious institutions: Mosque 869, temple 121, church 2, tomb 2, noted of which are Bakergnj Bandar Jami Mosque, Govindapur Hariram Samkirtan Mandir, Bara Aoulia Mazar.

Cultural organisations: Club 60, public library 1, cinema hall 3, women's organisation 3, theatre group 4, playground 32.

Main occupations: Agriculture 36.5%, agricultural labourer 13.27%, wage labourer 5.44%, commerce 13.48%, service 10.99%, fishing 2.58%, transport 1.63%, industry 1.16%, others 14.95%.

Land use: cultivable land 34327.20 hectares; fallow land 9114.73 hectares; single crop 29.02%, double crop 62%, treble crop 8.98%.

Land control: Among the peasants 30.8% are landless, 20.25% small, 32.08% marginal, 14.18% intermediate, 2.69% rich.

Fisheries, dairies and poultries Fishery 487, poultry 20, dairy 20, hatchery 3.

Communication facilities- Roads: pucca road 25.5 km, semi pucca 69 km and mud road 700 km; waterways 128 km.

Manufactories: Rice mill 75, flour mill 1, ice factory 2, saw mill 50, brick field 28.

Cottage industries: Weaving 15, bamboo work 176, goldsmith 44, blacksmith 72, potteries 97, wood work 195, tailoring 179, welding 12.

NGO activities: Operationally important NGOs are brac, CARE, asa, caritas, proshika, grameen bank.

Health centres: Private hospital 1, upazila health complex 1, family planning centre 7, union satellite clinic 7.