Debiganj Upazila HQ

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

Debiganj Upazila (Panchagarh district) with an area of 309.04 sq km, is bounded by Boda and Panchagarh sadar upazilas on the north, Birganj, Khansama and Nilphamari sadar upazilas on the south, Domar upazilas and West Bengal of India on the east, Thakurgaon sadar and Boda upazilas on the west. Main rivers are Karatoya, Atrai, Patharia.

Debiganj town is located at 26.1170676N 88.7572713E. Debiganj (Town) stands on the eastern bank of the Karatoya. It consists of two mouzas with an area of 8.76 sq km. It has a population of 9320; male 51.14%, female 48.86%. The density of population is 1064 per sq km. The literacy rate among the town people is 43.4%. The town has one dakbungalow.

Debiganj thana, now an upazila, was established in 1928. It consists of 10 unions, 108 mouzas and 101 villages.

As of the 1991 Bangladesh census, Population 159902; male 51.02%, female 48.98%; Muslim 72.07%, Hindu 27.55%, others .38%; ethnic nationals- Santals 68 families.

Religious institutions Mosque 343, temple 26, church 1.

Literacy and educational institutions Average literacy 24.8%; male 33.1%, female 16%. Educational institutions: college 4, government high school 2, non-government high school 36, government primary school 72, non-government high school 53, madrasa 8, agricultural research institute 1. Old institutions: Pirafata Primary School (1904), Binoypur Primary School (1905), Debiganj Nripendra Narayan Government High School (1906).

Cultural organisations Rural club 32, public library 1, cinema hall 3, playground 50, women's organisation 1.

Main occupations Agriculture 54.45%, commerce 6.49%, agricultural labourer 26.87%, wage labourer 2.4%, service 2.82%, others 6.97%.

Land use Cultivable land 25359 hectares, fallow land 288 hectares; single crop 15%, double crop 64%, treble crop 21%. Arable land under irrigation 39%.

Land control Among the peasants, 45% are landless, 15% small peasant, 25% marginal, 10% intermediate and 5% rich; cultivable land per head 0.19 hectare.

Communication facilities Highway 23 km, pucca road 59 km, semi pucca road 5 km., mud road 500 km.

Manufactories Husking mill 25, saw mill 8.

Cottage industries Weaving 40, bamboo work 60, wood work 30, welding 5, goldsmith 8, blacksmith 11, potteries 40, tailor 60.

NGO activities: Operationally important NGOs are brac, asa, CARE, grameen bank, Gonosahajya Sangstha, Gram Unnayan Sangstha.

Health centres: Upazila health complex 1, satellite clinic 4, community clinic 9, family planning centre 8.

Enclave: The Indian enclaves in the upazila are Behula-danga, Balapara, Kot-bhajani, Dahla Khagra bari.