Shibganj Upazila HQ

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Shibganj Upazila (Nawabganj district) with an area of 537.24 sq km, is bounded by Bholahat and West Bengal of India on the north, Nawabganj sadar and West Bengal of India on the south, Bholahat, Gomastapur, Nachole and Nawabganj sadar upazilas on the east, West Bengal on the west. Main rivers are Ganges, Mahananda and Pagla.

The location of the Shibganj town is 24.6833°N 88.1667°E. Shibganj (Town) a municipal town, consists of 9 wards and 31 mahallas. The area of the town is 22.20 sq km. It has a population of 35352; male 50.82%, female 49.18%; density of population is 1592 sq km. Literacy rate among the town people is 29%. There are two rest houses.

Shibganj thana was established in 1913 and was turned into an upazila in 1984. The upazila consists of one municipality, 15 union parishads, 199 mouzas, 446 villages.

Archaeological heritage: Chota Sona Mosque (constructed by Sultan Alauddin Hossain Shah, 1493-1519), Darashbari Mosque and Madrasa (established by Sultan Yusuf Shah, 1479), Dhanaichak Mosque and Khanjandighi Mosque (c 15th century), Dakhil Darwaza, Kachari Bari (Toha Khana) of Shah Suja (1639-58), Tohakhana Mosque and Mazar of Shah Niamatullah (1668-1669).

Main tourist's attraction among them is Choto Sona Masjid is a remarkably fine architectural specimen of the Sultante Period. Built by Wali Muhammad son of Ali during the reign of Sultan Hossain Shah (1493-1519). It has fifteen gilded domes including three chauchala domes in the middle row. Chief attractions of the Mosque are its intricate stone carvings and decoration.

As of the 1991 Bangladesh census, Population 422347; male 51.25%, female 48.75%; Muslim 96.52%, Hindu 3.48%; ethnic nationals: Dom 105 families.

Religious institutions Mosque 116, temple 6, tomb 1, sacred place 2.

Literacy and educational institutions Average literacy 28.1%; male 30.8% and female 25.4%. Educational institutions: government college 1, private college 10, PTI 1, secondary school 64, junior high school 3, government primary school 120, private primary school 107. Notable educational institutions: Nayalabhanga Government Primary School (1870), Konsat High School (1917), Dadanchack HM High School (1919), Adina Fazlul Haque Government College (1938) and Harinagar High School (1959).

Main occupation Agriculture 39.73%, agricultural labourer 20.3%, wage labourer 5.84%, commerce 18.42%, service 2.71%, industry 1.77%, construction 1.28%, others 9.95%.

Land use Total land 40506 hectares, fallow 660 hectares; single crop 3.74%, double crop 72.81% and triple crop 23.45%; mango garden about 4050 hectares.

Land control Among the peasants, 19.57% are landless, 21.52% marginal, 29.35% small, 18.80% intermediate and 10.76% rich.

Dairies, poultries Poultry 28, dairy 59.

Communication facilities Roads: pucca 69 km, semi pucca 52 km and mud road 409 km; waterways 47 nautical mile.

Manufactories Flour mill 35, ice factory 13 and sawmill 12.

Cottage industries Weaving 2000, bamboo work 4,000, lakha work 250, goldsmith 50, blacksmith 200, potteries 50, wood work 4000, welding 30, silk printing factory 4, tailoring 250.

NGO activities Operationally important NGOs are brac, proshika, asa, grameen bank, BAIS, BAIK, BAIDS, Ideal, MITS, Disha, Aarter Asha, CCDP, Samaj Unnyan Sangstha, Bangladesh Arthanaitic Unnyan Sangstha.

Health centres Upazila health complex 1, union health centre 8, health and family welfare centre 2, satellite clinic 128, family welfare centre (FWC)s 5, union clinic 11, mother and child health centre 1, private clinic 4.