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| GOSAIRHAT UPAZILA |
Geography & History:Gosairhat is located between 23°05' and 23°10' north latitudes and between 90°20' and 90°34' east longitudes, on the western banks of the Meghna river. Total area of this upazila is 177.86 square kilometer along with last incorporated Kuchaipatty union. It is bounded on the north by Damudya Upazila and Bhedarganj Upazila, on the east by Haimchar Upazila of Chandpur District, on the south by Muladi Upazila and Hizla Upazila of Barisal District and on the west by Shariatpur Sadar Upazila and Kalkini Upazila of Madaripur District. Main rivers are Meghna, Jayanti and Dharmaganj.
Along with the rest of Bengal, Gosairhat came under the rule of the British East India Company after the defeat of the Nawab Siraj-ud-Daula to the company at the Battle of Plassey in 1757. The area was administered as Madaripur subdivision which was established in 1854 under the then Bakerganj District. Madaripur subdivision was separated from Bakerganj district and annexed with Faridpur District in 1873. Gosairhat came into existence as a thana in 1921. Gosairhat was a big thana until 1975, when a segment of this thana was converted to Damudya thana and lately Upazila. In 1978 six thanas along with Gosairhat was separated from Madaripur subdivision and formed Shariatpur Subdivision while in 1983 Gosairhat was elevated to upazila which worked under newly created Shariatpur District in 1984.
Nothing is definitely known about the origin of the name Gosairhat. It is said that, in the past there lived a religious man of Hindu community named "Brommonanda Geeri" in the present place of the upazila headquarters. He was very pious and well known to all as Goshai (meaning: spiritual man). In course of time a weekly trading center (hat in Bengali) was developed around the heritage of that Goshai and become popularly known as Gosairhat.
Gosairhat upazila is well known for Potty Launch station[1], which is one of the oldest launch stations of Bangladesh, where south bound launches stop. Potty was a prominent steamer station during British Raj and Pakistan regime. In British India Idilpur pargana was one of the 8 remaining parganas of that time. It's headquarter was in Haturia of present Gosairhat upazila where a tehsil office and zamindar house are also still exists. Presently Idilpur is the largest union of Gosairhat upazila with 31,612 populations.
Demographics:According to the census of 2001,[2] Gosairhat upazila had a population of 140,061 in 28,295 households (average household size is 4.9), including 70,223 men and 69838 women. The sex ratio is 99 females per 100 males. The population ratio by religion in 2001 was 95% Muslim and 5% Hindu and others. The average population size of each union is 17507, for a mouza it is 1387 and 556 for a village reported by the census. Out of the 101 mouzas, 11 have less than 50 households, while 11 have more than 600 households. Of the villages, 71 have a population of less than 250, while 9 have more than 2,500. As of 2001, the population density of Gosairhat upazila was 787 inhabitants per square kilometer (2,038 /sq mile). Most populated mouza is Dasherjangal (3,213 inhabitants per square kilometer). In 2006 Kuchaipatty union from adjacent Hizla Upazila of Barisal District was separated and annexed with Gosairhat Upazila.
The urban area of Gosairhat upazila encompasses upazila headquarters. The headquarters spreads over Dhipur and Dasherjangal mouzas occupied an area of 4.33 km2 where 9277 people live in 1839 households and literacy rate is 48.22%.
Administrative:There is an Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) who administers the upazila for the central government. Gosairhat upazila is organized into 8 Union Parishads, namely Idilpur, Nagerpara, Nalmuri, Goshairhat, Goriber Char, Kodalpur, Shamantasar and Kuchaipatty. Each Union are managed by a Union Parishad Chairman. The area is divided into 101 mauzas and 252 villages. There is an Upazila Health Complex consists of a 31 bedded hospital and 7 family planning clinics.
Gosairhat Upazila makes with Damudya and Bhedarganj upazila the 223th electoral constituency of Bangladesh, identified as Shariatpur-3. In the 2008 parliamentary elections, Abdur Razzak of Bangladesh Awami League was elected as the Member of Parliament. His main opposition came from K.M. Hemayet Ullah Awrangajeb of the Bangladesh Nationalist Part.
Economy:Paan cultivation. 13 September 2008
Agriculture is the main sources of economy which contribution is almost 70.86% as of 2001 census. Other sources are livestock, forestry, fishery, business, hawking, rural transport and non-agricultural labor. Main crops are paddy, chilly, jute, paan (betel leaf) and (Bengali: খেজুরের গুড়) (date tree molasses). Paan is mostly exported to capital city Dhaka and abroad also.
Rural economy of Gosairhat are operated by local 13 big hats and bazaars of which most noted are Dasherjangal bazaar, Kodalpur bazaar, Nagerpara bazaar and Jushirgaon hat and Kacharir hat, Goriber Char hat, Shamantasar hat and Kuchaipatty hat. Peasants come with their products for sale in hats which sit twice in a week.
Education:As of 2001 census average literacy rate of Gosairhat upazila is 32.0%, where national average is 46.2%.[2] The male literacy rate is 34.3% and female is 28.3%. There are 45 government primary schools and 28 non-government primary schools (from grades 1 to 5), 9 non government high schools (from grades 6 to 10), one degree college (from grades 11 to tertiary) and 8 madrasahs in this upazila. The Idilpur Pilot High School (established in 1894) is the oldest institution of education in the upazila. Education is mainly offered in Bangla. English is also taught as a compulsory subject. A large number of Muslim families send their children to attend part-time courses or even to pursue full-time religious education, which is imparted in Bangla and Arabic in Madrasahs and Maktabs.
1.Notable educational institutions:
2.Idilpur Pilot High School
3.Idilpur Secondary Girls' High School
4.Shamsur Rahman College
5.Idilpur Dakhil Madrasha
6.Ikrakandi Dakhil Madrasha
7.Gariberchar High School
8.Kodalpur High School
9.Nagerpara ML High School
10.Khalilur Rahman Islamia Alim Madrasha
11.Haturia Secondary School
12.Samantasar High School
13.Char Samontasar Mohsenia Alim Madrasha
14.Dasherjangal Government Primary school
15.Idilpur Model Primary School
16.Borokalinogor Senior Madrasa (The highest academic institution in this upazila.)
Culture:Independence Day (March 26), International Mother Language Day (February 21) and Victory Day (December 16) are celebrated across the Upazila with due honor followed by cultural functions. Many schools organize fair and festivals which are enjoyed by citizens from all level of society. All educational institutions arrange annual sports competition and cultural functions which held generally in the winter.
Pohela Baishakh (Bengali: পহেলা বৈশাখ Nôbobôrsho নববর্ষ ) is popularly celebrated by baisakhi mela (fair) and cultural programs across the upazila. The traders renew their business relationship with customers by halkhata where a newly purchased accounting book opens and closed the old one. The customers are invited and offered sweets, paan and gift in this occasion. In Eid-ul-Fitr, Eid-ul-Azha large numbers of Muslims attend prayers in masjids, eidgahs and visit the homes of relatives and friends. The Durga Puja is the most important Hindu festival of the year, where large processions of Hindus perform devotional songs, dances, prayers and ceremonies for Goddess. The most popular dress for women is sari or salwar kameez while men usually prefer traditional shirt-pant, panjabi and lungi.
Major national newspapers published in Dhaka, including the Daily Ittefaq, Prothom Alo, Naya Diganta, Inqilab, Janakantha and Amar Desh are available in Gosairhat. There is also a press club in Gosairhat. Satellite television channels like NTV, Channel i, ATN Bangla, Channel One, Ekushey Television, RTV, Boishaki TV[3], Banglavision TV as well as terrestrial television channel Bangladesh Television are available in the upazila. Radio programs are also very popular to the farmers. There are 18 clubs, one public library and one cinema hall in the upazila. The Royal Sporting Club is noted for its participation in soccer. Football, volleyball, kabbadi, cricket are widely played by the students and young people of Gosairhat.
Dal-Bhat is the main food of the people of Gosairhat. Fish, meat, mixed vegetables are also eaten with bhat. Some people also take roti, pôroţa, bread, bhaji in the breakfast. Panta bhat and alu vorta (mashed potato) with dal and pora morich (burn chilly) is a popular dish which is taken as breakfast by most of the village people. Biryani and chicken roast or polow, korma and meat rejala are commonly offered to visiting bridegrooms and as well as in wedding and birthday celebrations.
Rasgulla, sandesh, cham cham, mishti doi, kalo jaam, amerti and bundia[4] are available in sweetmeat stalls. Pithas like bhapa piţha (steamed), puli pitha, pati sapta pitha, pakan piţha (fried), and chitai piţhas are eaten in winter season and nabanna. Jatra, circus, puppet shows are also arranged for entertainment in winter season.
Notable personalities:Mohammad Shamsul Alam, a civil servant is famed for huge infrastructural development (200 miles metallic road including road connection with capital city, extended hospital facilities, new telephone exchange, development of bazaars, embankments, school buildings construction, deep tube wells for purified water and rural electrification) in Gosairhat during last decade. He is well known for consecutive 15 years private secretarial job with Bangladeshi Prime Minister Khaleda Zia. He is the son of late Dr. Md. Yousuf Ali and Azufa Khatun of Dasherjangal village.
Dr. Jogesh Chandra Ghosh (Late), founder of Sadhana Aushadhalaya in 1914, Dhaka and Kolkata, Ayurvedic Medicine Industry.
Hazrat Sha Sufi Abdul Aziz Nuri(Late) (Religious Person),his mazer is situated at Kodalpur Union. Every year(3,4 & 5 February) a religious program is held on the occasion of his death anniversary at his mazer premises. Follower of Abdul Aziz Nuri participate in this occasion from different part of the country.
Alhaj Maolana Abdur Rashid was the founder Principal of Borokalinogor Senior Madrasa (the first highest educational institute of Goshairhat).He established Borokalinogor High School, Madrasa Bazar,Borokalinogor Govt. Primary School, Post office and a big pond on his father's own land for the welfare of the people.
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