About Narayanganj District

Narayanganj (Bengali: নারায়ণগঞ্জ Naraeongônj) is a city in central Bangladesh. It is located in the Narayanganj District, near the capital city of Dhaka and has a population of 220,000. The city is on the bank of the Shitalakshya River. The river port of Narayanganj is one of the oldest in Bangladesh. It is also a center of business and industry, especially the jute trade and processing plants, and the textile sector of the country. It is nicknamed the Dundee of Bangladesh due to the presence of lots of jute mills. Dundee was the first industrialised Juteopolis in the world.

Narayanganj District with an area of 759.57 sq km, is bounded by narsingdi and gazipur districts on the north, munshiganj districts on the south, brahmanbaria and comilla districts on the east, dhaka districts on the west. Average maximum temperature 36°C, minimum 12.7°C; annual total temperature 2376 mm. Physically the zila is characterised by alluvial formations caused by several rivers such as, shitalakshya, meghna, old brahmaputra, buriganga, balu and dhaleshwari.

Narayanganj (Town) a municipal town (estd. in 1876), consists of 8 wards and 76 mahallas. The area of the town is 18.7 sq km. It has a population of 230294; male 53.51%, female 46.49%. The density of population is 12315 per sq km. The literacy rate among the town people 60.2%.

Administration Narayanganj subdivision was established in 1882 and was turned into a district in 1984. The district consists of five upazilas, 49 union parishads, 881 mouzas, 1374 villages, 2 municipalities, 12 wards and 115 mahallas. The upazilas are araihazar, bandar, narayanganj sadar, rupganj, and sonargaon.

Archaeological heritage Tomb of Sultan Giasuddin Azam Shah (1389-1411 AD), Baba Saleh Mosque (1481 AD), Goaldi Mosque (1519 AD), three domed mosque of Sultan Jalaluddin Fateh Shah (1484 AD), Hajiganj Fort, Sunakanda Fort, Pagla Bridge, Kadam Rasul Dargah, Bandar Shahi Mosque.

Historical events sonargaon of the district was an important historical place from the ancient time. It was the capital of Bengal during the reign of isa khan. During the War of Liberation, the Pak army killed 139 people in Fatullah Thana on 29 November 1971.

Population 2138492; male 52.60% and female 47.40%; Muslim 92.59%, Hindu 6.43%, others 1.07%.

Religious institutions Mosque 2006, temple 82, church 4, sacred place 4 and monastery 1.

Literacy rate and educational institutions Average literacy 39.84%; male 46.23% and female 32.24%. Educational institutions: art college 1, physical education institute 1, marine technology centre 1. government. high school 2, non-government high school 127, madrasa 76, government. primary school 376, non-government primary school 47, kindergarten school 12, satellite school 24, community school 65, NGO operated school 285. The noted educational institutions are Narayanganj High School (1885), Tolaram College (1937) and Sonargaon J R institute (1900).

Newspapers The Daily Sitalakhya, Khaborer Pata; weekly Fair House; extinct: weekly Sakal Barta, Ganadak.

Cultural organisations Club 125, museum 1, public library 15, theatre group 15, literacy organisation 12, theatre spot 2, cinema hall 32, dakbungalow 6, shilpakala academy 1, shishu academy 1, community centre 8, Islamic foundation 1, mohila sangstha 2. Most reputed cultural institutions are the Folk Arts and Crafts Foundation at Sonargaon and Narayanganj Rifle Club.

Main occupations Agriculture 13.37%, agricultural labourer 8.61%, wage labourer 4.07%, commerce 19.9%, service 23.36%, weaving 5.49%, transport 4.09%, fishing 1.21%, industries 2.74%, construction 1.48%, others 15.68%.

Land use Cultivable land 55956.29 hectares, fallow land 20721.61 hectares; single crop 18.94%, double crop 61.44% and treble crop 19.43%; under irrigation land 52%.

Land control Among the peasants 34.17% are landless, 40.42% marginal, small peasants, 20.96% and 4.45% rich.

Main crops Paddy, jute, wheat, mustard seed, vegetables.

Extinct or nearly extinct crops Betel leaf and aus paddy.

Main fruits Mango, Jam (black bury kind), litchi, guava and banana.

Fisheries, poultries and dairies Dairy 636, poultry 860, hatchery 4, nursery 31.

Communication facilities Roads: pucca 225.98 km, mud road 748 km; railway 18 km; waterways 111 nautical mile.

Traditional transport Palanquin, bullock cart, horse carriage, gaina and bazra boats. These means of transport are either extinct or nearly extinct.

Manufactories Adamjee Jute Mills (closed in 2002), Chittaranjan Cotton Mills, Lakshmi Narayan Cotton Mills, Dhakeshwari Mills, Star Particle Board Mills, Dhaka Vegetable Oil Mills, Husain Paper Mills, Moula Textile, RM Steel Mill, Haripur Electricity Centre, Hosiery Industries, Dying Mill, Aluminum Factory. Besides, Kachpur has become as an industrial town.

Cottage industries Weaving is traditionally the most important cottage industry. Rupashi and Kazipara are famous for Jamdani sari production. Narayanganj is also famous for hosiery products.

Hats Bazar and fair Hats and bazars are 162, most noted hats and bazars are Kadam Rasul Dargah, Langalbandha, Bardi and Lakshminarayan Akhra; fairs 22, most important of which are Hamdadir Pagla Mela, Charak Mela and Brahmachari Mela.

Main exports Fruits and fruit products, jute and jute products, jamdani saris and hosiery products.

NGO activities brac, grameen bank, asa, proshika, SIDA.

Health centres Hospital 4, upazila health complex 7, family welfare centre 34, union health centre 19, satellite health centre 4, clinic 12.