Kalai Upazila HQ

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

Kalai Upazila (Joypurhat district) with an area of 166.30 sq km is bounded by Panchbibi and Gobindaganj upazilas on the north, Shibganj and Gobindaganj upazilas on the east, Khetlal and Shibganj upazilas on the south and Khetlal and joypurhat sadar upazilas on the west. Main rivers are Harabati and Nagor.

The location of Kalai town is 25.0617186N 89.16987E. Kalai (Town) consists of two mouzas. Its area is 5.36 sq km. The town has a population of 5904; male 53%, female 47%. The density of population is 1101 per sq km. The literacy rate among the town people is 36.8%. It has one dakbungalow.

Kalai thana, now an upazila, was established in 1981. It consists of 5 union parishads, 109 mouzas and 158 villages.

As of the 1991 Bangladesh census, Population 114183; male 50.86%, female 49.14%; Muslim 95.06%, Hindu 4.76%, Tribal and others 0.18%.

Religious institutions Mosque 365, temple 18, tomb1.

Literacy and educational institutions Average literacy 23.6%; male 34.4%, female 11.8%. Educational Institutions: college 4, high school 22, junior school 2, government primary school 42, non-government primary school 12, madrasa 17, technical training centre 1. Noted educational institution: Kalai Mainuddin High School (1913).

Main occupations Agriculture 59.55%, agricultural labourer 21.32%, wage labourer 1.45%, commerce 8.07%, transport 1.57%, service 2.18%, others 5.86%.

Land use Cultivable land 13017 hectares, fallow land 3625 hectares; single crop 1%, double crop 75% and treble crop 24%; cultivable land under irrigation 98%.

Land control Among the peasants 29% are landless, 44% small, 23% intermediate and 4% rich.

Fisheries, dairies and poultries Fishery 1318, dairy 146, poultry 184.

Communication facilities Roads: pucca 52 km, semi pucca 5.3 km, mud road 161.28 km.

Cottage industries Weaving 620, bamboo work 44, goldsmith 20, wood work 15, sewing 25, blacksmith 40, potteries 18, welding 54, madur (mat) making 33, jute goods 33.

NGO activities Operationally important NGOs are brac, asa, proshika, thengamara mahila sabuj sangha, ITCL, HEED Bangladesh.

Health centres Hospital 1, upazila health complex 1, union health centre 3.