Patgram Upazila HQ

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

Patgram Upazila (Lalmonirhat district) with an area of 261.51 sq km, is bounded by India on the north, east and west, and Hatibandha upazila and part of India on the south. Noted rivers of the upazila are Dharla, Saniajan, Singimari and Tista; depressions 4.

Patgram is located at 26.3667°N 89.0000°E. It has 30271 units of house hold. Patgram (Town) consists of 9 wards and 22 mahallas. The area of the town is 2.39 sq km. As of the 1991 Bangladesh census, it has a population of 23896; male 50.64%, female 49.36%; population density 9998 per sq km. Literacy rate among the town people is 40.6%.

Patgram thana, now an upazila, was established in 1801. The upazila consists of one municipality, 7 union parishads, 74 mouzas, 56 villages and 27 enclaves. Dahagram is the largest enclave of the country.

Relics and monuments: Dhabalsati Mosque, Janagram Mosque; Pateshwari Temple and Mota (fat) Statue.

Noted places: Dahagram Union of Patgram upazila is mainly an enclave of Bangladesh located in India. The Bangladeshis living in the enclave during the period from 1947 to 1992 were captives. In 1992, under a treaty with India, 'Tin Bigha Corridor' was established through which people in the enclave are entitled to pass through the corridor to the mainland during certain hours a day. The distance of the enclave from the main territory of Bangladesh is three bighas. These three bighas have been used as the corridor; this is why the corridor is known as Tin Bigha Corridor. In 2010, Bangladesh Govt and Indian Govt signed agreement to keep the gate open 24 hours for the people of enclave.

The other important place is Burimari land port. This is one of the biggest land ports of Bangladesh. Through this port various goods such as fruit, rice, stone, wood, plywood and ceramics are imported from India, Bhutan and Nepal.

As of the 1991 Bangladesh census, Population 189077; male 51.45%, female 48.55%; Muslim 91.29%, Hindus 8.33%; others 0.38%.

Average literacy 25.2%; male 33%, female 16.7%, Educational institutions: government college 1, non-government college 2, government girl's high school 1, non-government high school 13, government primary school 66, non-government primary school 47, madrasa 25, vocational training school 1, computer training centre 2.

Religious institutions Mosque 228, temple 23, most noted is tomb of Rasul Pir.

Main occupations Agriculture 53.97%, agricultural labourer 25.44%, commerce 6.77%, wage labourer 4.1%, services 2.36%, others 7.36%.

Land use Cultivable land 24705 hectares, land under cultivation 21322 hectares, single crop land 23%, double crop land 62.62%, treble crop land 11.35%, land under irrigation 47%. Average distribution of cultivable land per head 0.13 hectare.

Manufactories: Flour mill 1, ice factory 3, toffee factory 2.

Cottage industries: Goldsmith 14, blacksmith 20, wood work 50, welding 10 and tailoring 175.

Communication facilities Roads: pucca 76.5 km, semi pucca 4 km and mud road 395 km; railway 26 km.

Fisheries, dairies, poultries Fishery 20, poultry 32, dairy 34.

Health centres Upazila health complex 1, family planning 4, health project 1.

NGO activities brac, RDRS, proshika, Grameen Krishi Foundation, Kandari, Ganabima, Swanirvar Bangla and Palli Unnayan Sangshta.