Sundarganj

 fourth-level administrative division, local government

Sundarganj Upazila (Gaibandha district) with an area of 426.52 sq km, is bounded by Pirgachha, Ulipur and Chilmari upazilas on the north, Gaibandha sadar and Sadullapur upazilas on the south, Chilmari and Char Rajibpur upazilas on the east, Pirgachha, Mithapukur and Sadullapur upazilas on the west. Main rivers are Tista, Bhramaputra and Ghaghat. Noted depressions are Kalsar Beel, Kumlia Beel, Nalbari Beel and Haldi Doba Beel.

The location of Sundarganj town is 25.5647436N 89.5211144E. Sundarganj (Town) consists of two mouzas. The town became a municipality in 2003. The area of the town is 5 sq km. It has a population of 9940; male 51.84% and female 48.16%; population density per sq km 1988. Literacy rate among the town people is 34.3%. The town has one dakbungalow.

Sundarganj thana was established in 1875. It became an upazila 1983. It consists of 15 union parishads, 110 mouzas and 178 villages.

Archaeological heritage and relics: Dhakuabari Jami Mosque at Dharmapur.

As of the 1991 Bangladesh census, Population 360676; male 51.17%, female 49.83%; Muslim 89.99%, Hindu 9.30% and others 0.71%.

Religious institutions Mosque 481, temple 69, sacred place 1.

Literacy and educational institutions Average literacy 24.1%; male 31.9% and female 16.5%. Educational institutions: college 12, secondary school 66, madrasa 48, government primary school 140, non-government primary school 79, community school 9, satellite school 37, technical college (proposed). Noted educational institutions: Haripur BSM Government Primary School (1814), Khamar Moniram Government Primary School (1910), Belka MC High School (1918), Bamandanga MN High School (1917), Shibram Adarsha Government Primary School.

Main occupations Agriculture 48.57%, agricultural labourer 29.64%, wage labourer 2.06%, commerce 6.63%, service 2.59%, fishing 1.25%, others 9.26%.

Land use Total cultivable land 33234.09 hectares, fallow land 404.69 hectares; single crop 12.29%, double crop 74.29% and treble crop land 13.42%; cultivable land under irrigation 70%.

Land control Among the peasants, 38% are landless, 29% small, 23% intermediate and 10% rich; cultivable land per head 0.10 hectare.

Fisheries, dairies, poultries Poultry 25, dairy 7, fishery 175, hatchery 1.

Communication facilities Roads: pucca 46 km, semi pucca 3 km and mud road 650 km; railways 8 km; waterways 8 nautical mile.

Manufactories Ice factory 6.

Cottage industries Weaving 15, bamboo work 135, goldsmith 41, blacksmith 95, potteries 15, wood work 155, tailoring 312.

NGO activities Operationally important NGOs are brac, asa, CARE, Swabalambi Sangstha, Swanirvar Bangladesh, Muktir Path, Sonar Bangla, Adarsha Janakalyan Uddag.

Health centres Upazila health complex 1, family planning centre 8, satellite clinic 7 and community clinic 55.