Birampur

 subdistrict, fourth-level administrative division, local government

Birampur Upazila (Dinajpur district) with an area of 211.81 sq km, is bounded by Phulbari and Nawabganj upazilas on the north, Hakimpur upazila and West Bengal (India) on the south, Nawabganj and Hakimpur upazilas on the east, West Bengal and Phulbari upazila on the west. Main river is the jamuna; Ahsoolar Beel is notable.

Birampur town is located at 24.8464618N 92.0181829E. Birampur (Town) has an area of 11.22 sq km. Birampur was turned into a municipality in 1995. The town has a population of 34587; male 51.02%, female 48.98%. It has 9 wards and 29 mahallas. The literacy rate among the town people is 43.1%.

Birampur thana was turned into an upazila in 1983. It consists of 7 union parishads, 171 mouzas and 189 villages.

As of 1991 Bangladesh census, Population 134778; male 51.6% and female 48.4%; Muslim 88.27%, Hindu 7.16% Christian 2.32% and others 2.25%. There are about 400 santal households in the upazila.

Religious institutions Mosque 298, Hindu temple 12, church 3, tomb 4.

Main occupations Agriculture 47.05%, agricultural labourer 27.39%, wage labourer 1.73%, commerce 11.27%, service 3.68%, others 8.88%.

Land use Cultivable land 17905 hectares; fallow land about 300 hectares; single crop 11%, double crop 79% and treble crop 10%. Land under irrigation 85%.

Land control Among the peasants 24% are landless, 31% small, 36% medium and 9% rich; per capita cultivable land 0.18 hectare.

Literacy and educational Institutions Average literacy 29.8%; male 37.4%, female 21.7%. Educational institutions: college 4, high school 24, government primary school 58, non-government primary school 104, madrasa 26, vocational (textiles) institute 1. Noted Educational institutions are Birampur Pilot High School and Kochgram Government Primary School.

Fisheries, dairies, poultries Poultry 15, dairy 12.

Communication facilities Roads: pucca 51.35 km, semi-pucca 40.45 km and mud road 370 km; railway 12.56 km.

Manufactories There are a few automatic rice mills.

Cottage industries Goldsmith 30, blacksmith 25, potteries 15, wood work 50, bamboo work 15, tailoring 60.

NGO activities Operationally important NGOs are brac, asa, Gram Manab Unnayan Sangstha, Bangladesh Gram Sampad Unnayan Sangstha, Al-Falah Gram Unnayan Sangstha, Pallisri, thengamara mahila sabuj sangha, NAMCO, Gram Bikash.

Health centres Upazila health complex 1, union health and family planning centre 4.