Pirganj Upazila, Rangpur

Pirganj
পীরগঞ্জ
Upazila
Pirganj

Location in Bangladesh

Coordinates: 25°24.9′N 89°19′E / 25.4150°N 89.317°ECoordinates: 25°24.9′N 89°19′E / 25.4150°N 89.317°E
Country  Bangladesh
Division Rangpur Division
District Rangpur District
Area
 • Total 409.37 km2 (158.06 sq mi)
Population (1991)
 • Total 303,384
 • Density 741/km2 (1,920/sq mi)
Time zone BST (UTC+6)
Website www.pirganj.com

Pirganj (Bengali: পীরগঞ্জ) is an Upazila of Rangpur District in the division of Rangpur, Bangladesh.

Geography

Pirganj is located at 25°24′55″N 89°19′00″E / 25.4153°N 89.3167°E. It is the southernmost upazilla of Rangpur district. It is surrounded by Mithapukur upazilla of Rangpur to the North, Sadullahpur upazilla of Gaibndha to the east, Palashbari upazilla to the south and Ghoraghat and Nawabganj upazillas of Dinajpur to the west. It has approximately 62,172 units of household and total area 409.37 km².

Politics and representations

Pirganj was one of the three constituencies from where the current Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was elected as an MP in the ninth parliamentary election of the country in 2008. She was also elected in the tenth parliamentary election in 2014 from the same constituency. Later in the by-election, Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury, the current speaker of Bangladesh parliament was elected unopposed from the constituency.

Demographics

As of the 1991 Bangladesh census, Pirganj has a population of 303384. Males constitute 50.72% of the population, and females 49.28%. This Upazila's eighteen up population is 154333. Pirganj has an average literacy rate of 26.5% (7+ years), and the national average of 32.4% literate.[1]

Famous personalities

Famous personalities from Priganj include Shah Ismail Gazi, an Islamic saint, whose shrine is located in Baro Dargah, Poet Heyat Mamud and Dr M. A. Wazed Miah.

Heyat Mamud: Heyat Mamud, an 18th-century Bangla poet, was born in the village of Jharbishila under Chitrakol union in Pirganj within the period of 1680-90.. His father, Shah Kabir, the Dewan of the Ghoraghat administration, was also a poet. From the childhood the poet was very intelligent and gifted. After completion of traditional education at ghoraghat he started to study and research in his own style. His father died at 1723 and he was appointed as Kazi of Bagduar Pargana under Murshid Kuli Khan. Heyat Mamud's poetic talent was hereditary. He composed poems between his duties as kazi of the Ghoraghat administration. He wrote different kinds book in Islamic religious ethics. From his creation so far four books of poems: Janganama (1723), Sarbabhedavani (1732), Hitajnanavani (1753) and Ambiyavani (1758) was found. The Janganama is based on the tragic story of Karbala and was influenced by Persian poetry on the same theme. Sarbabhedavani is a book of didactic poems, and is based on Mofrehul-Kulub, the Persian translation of Panchatantra. Hitajnanavani discusses religious ethics and principles of Islam as well as Sufism Ambiavani contains stories of the prophets' lives, starting with Hazrat Adam to Hazrat Muhammad (Sm). This voluminous book is considered Heyat Mamud's masterpiece. Heyat Mamud is the last representative of the medieval style of poetic composition. Heyat Mamud was most talented and pioneer Bengali poet of the eighteenth century. He was famous for his work in Islamic Religious Ethics. As per Dr. Mazharul Alam in this sector he was not comparable with other poet at the similar period. He also mentioned that in some cases Lalon Shah and Rabindranath Tegore were influenced by Heyat Mamud. This great poet died in 1760.

Dr. M A Wazed Miah (1942–2009), an eminent Nuclear Scientist and former Chairman of Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission was born in Pirganj. His son Mr. Sajeeb Ahmed Wazed, an IT professional by training and a graduate from Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government, has been selected as a young global leader by World Economic Forum, Davos, Switzerland.

Among the political figures, Late Motiur Rahman, an ex MP from the constituency was a senior leader of Bangladesh Awami League and a cabinet minister in charge of Ministry of Rural Development in the first government of independent Bangladesh. He was elected as an MP from the joint constituency of Pirganj and Mithapukur in the historic election of 1970. In mid 90s he left Awami League and joined BNP. Moni Krishna Sen, a well educated person and a famous leader in the movement of rights of peasants (tebhaga andolon), was born and had his early upbringing in Pirganj. He was a central leader of Bangladesh Communist Party. There is a college in his name at Bishnupur.

Administrative units

Pirganj has 15 unions, 45 wards, 308 Mauzas/Mahallas, and 331 villages.

The unions are

1. Chaitrakol 2. Vendabari 3. Baro Dargah 4. Kumidpur 5. Madonkhali 6. Tukuria 7. Baro Alampur 8. Raipur 9. Pirganj 10. Shanerhat 11. Panchgachi 12. Mithipur 13. Ramnathpur 14. Chatra 15. Kabilpur.

Tourist attractions

The major tourist attractions in Pirganj are Baro Bila (a large lake), Nil Daria (a village surrounded by a lake), Kadirabad forest (a large forest created by Bangladesh Forest Department), Hatibanda (Dareapur) Mosque, an old mosque with beautiful architectural design, Khalashpir Mosque, Anandonagar amusement park near Khalashpir and Raipur Zamider Bari. There are remnants of the palace of King Nilambor in Patgram. The shrine of Kazi Heyat Mamud is located in Jharbishla near Vendabari.

Culture, religion and ethnicity

Pirganj is a culturally rich and vibrant locality. There are some cultural organizations and theater groups based in Pirganj proper. An annual fair, known as mela locally, takes place in Baradargah in the Islamic month of Muharram. Annual fairs also take place in few other locations during winter or on the eve of Bengali new year. Sharadiya Durga puja is celebrated in Pirganj, Chatra and few other localitities.

Islam is the predominant religion in Pirganj, with almost 90% of its people belonging to the faith. There is a significant Hindu population scattered over the Upzilla. Concentration of Hindu population is high in Panchgachi Union. There is a large indigenous Santal population in Chatra area.

A cultural organization named Angon " is located in the village Boger Bari in Kumidpur union. They arrange varies seasonal programs such as cultural activities and sports competitions.

'==Major educational institutions==''

Colleges (1) Shah Abdur Rouf College (2) Pirganj Mohila College (3) Chatra Degree College (4) Khalashpir Bangobondhu Degree College (5) Pirganj Karigori College (6) Motherganj College (7) Chatra Karigori College (8) Vendabari Women's College (9) Monikrishan Sen College, Bishnupur (10)Kadirabad Women's College

High Schools (1)Pirgang Government High School (2)Maderganj High School (3)Pirganj Kasimonnessa Girls High School (4)Kadirabad High School (5)Rasulpur High School (6)Chander Bazer High School (7)Hazi Boyan Uddin High School (8)Pirganj Bangobandhu high School (9)Chatra High School (10)Panbazer High School (11)Eklimpur high school (12)Chatra girls highs chool (13)Nildorea High school (11)Pirganj Adarsha School (12)Vendabari High School (13)Raipur High School (14)Khedmotpur High School (15)Abdullahpur Jahan Mhamud High School (16)Vimshahar High School (18)Chak Karim High School (19)Laldighi High School (2o)Doshmouza High school (21)Rasulpur High school (22)Bishnupur Beni Madhab Sen High School (23)Hitabanda KMT High School (24)Shanerhat High school (25)Laldighi mela Adhorso High School (26)Khataber Para PMA High School (27)Jahangirabad High School (28) Akota Bajar High School (29)Kanchon Bajar High School (30) Patnichara High School (31) Jafor Para High School

Madrasas (1)Jafar Para Kamil Madrasha (2)Chatrahat Alim Madrasah (3)Kumedpur Madrasha (4)Sharolia Madrasha (5)Maderganj Kamil Madrasha (6)shahapur madrasha (7)Khalashpir Senior Fazil Madrasha (8)Shaner hat Islamia Dakhil Madrasha (9) Pirganj Senior Fazil Madrasha (10)Radhakrisna pur Nezamia Dhakhil Madrasha

Economic activities and major commercial centers

Pirganj is an economically backward locality. Agriculture is the predominant economic activity in Pirganj. In addition to Rice, the main crop, a lots of vegetables and bananas are produced in Pirganj. Local traders as well as traders from Dhaka, Chittagong and other parts of the country purchase the surplus agricultural products from the area and sell them to major urban centres in the country. Fishing is also a major economic activity in the area. Karotoa, a pretty large river, which flows through the western border of the Upazilla is famous for some tasty variety of fishes. There are numerous lakes (known as beel locally) and couple of small rivers in Pirganj. Commercial fishery in ponds is also becoming popular.

Major Commercial centers are Pirganj, Chatra, Balua, Khalashpir, Vendabari, Motherganjhat is big commercial area and Shanerhat. There are branches of Sonali Bank in Pirganj, Chatra and Khalashpir. There are also branches of Rashahi Krishi Bank in Pirganj, Rupali Bank in Vendabari, Agrani Bank in Shanerhat and Janata Bank in Motherganj.

Natural resources

Pirganj is endowed with one of the largest coal discoveries in Bangladesh. The high quality coal deposit is located at a low depth near Khalashpir.

Road communication

One can travel from Dhaka to Pirganj by bus. Rangpur-bound buses start from Kallyanpur in Dhaka. One should board in a Rangpur-bound bus and get dropped at Pirganj bus station. It takes about six hours. Pirganj is about 60 kilometers towards to the north from Bogra. It is on the way from Bogra to Rangpur (the distance from Bogra to Rangpur is about 100 kilometers). The nearest airport is at Saidpur, Nilphamari. Communication from Rangpur town is very easy. It takes about 40 minutes by bus.

There have been some improvements in road communication within Pirganj Upazila in the recent years. All major commercial centers are connected by pacca roadas. One can start journey from Dhaperhat and have a circular trip covering Chatra, Khalashpir, Vendabari, Baro Dargah, Shanerhat and Motherganj and come back to Dhaperhat.

A bridge name Wazed Mia Bridge on the river Karotoa near Kanchdah ghat in Pirganj has been opened recently. The bridge has made the communication between Rangpur and Dinajpur districts much easier.

Accommodation

Travelers may not find good hotels/accommodations in Pirganj. Rangpur and Bogra, the nearest large towns, have good accommodations for international and domestic travelers.

News Site

pirganj24.com Is the first and only one news site in Pirganj.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Population Census Wing, BBS.". Archived from the original on 2005-03-27. Retrieved November 10, 2006.