Saidpur City

Saidpur, Bangladesh
City
Saidpur, Bangladesh

Location of Saidpur, Bangladesh

Coordinates: 25°46′41″N 88°53′51″E / 25.77806°N 88.89750°E
Country Bangladesh
Division Rangpur Division
District Nilphamari
Upazila Saidpur
Incorporated 1958
Time zone DST (UTC+6)

Saidpur (Syedpur) (bn:সৈয়দপুর) is a city of Nilphamari district in Rangpur Division of Bangladesh . The city becomes a very important communication hub for adjoining major district headquarters. Saidpur Airport is one of the domestic airports in Bangladesh. The Saidpur Railway Workshop, established in 1870, is the largest railway workshop in Bangladesh and was the major railway workshop for Assam-Bengal railway.[1] The city has historically been an Urdu-speaking community with close ties to Bihar, from which many residents originate, particularly the town of Munger. Since Bangladeshi independence, Urdu has declined as the Bihari community either integrated into Bangladeshi society, adopting Bengali, or fled to India or Pakistan.

History

The city of Saidpur was established around the Saidpur Railway Workshop established in 1870 by the British Colonial regime. Nothing is definitely known about the origin of the upazila name. It is learnt that in the long past there came a Sayed family from Koch Bihar of India and settled in this area and started preaching Islam. It is generally believed that the upazila might have derived its name Saidpur after the name as that Sayed family. Saidpur became Thana in 1915.

Civic administration

The city of Saidpur was incorporated in 1958.The city is divided into 15 wards and 43 mahallas. A city mayor is elected every 5 years.


It a view of Saidpur

Economy

The city is the commercial hub for the surrounding districts. The biggest Railway workshop of Bangladesh is here. The city never sleeps, it is also known as city of night. Business always runs here night and day. The city centre has a number of government and private banks, insurance companies, residential hotels, Chinese and Indian restaurants, fast food, sweet shops, gift shop and many more. It is an important economic zone in Bangladesh. Recently local businessmen have invested in the ready-made garments sector, and they have succeeded in capturing a good market position in India, Nepal, Bhutan. By the help and initiative taken by SME foundation these garments are now exporting there goods in Europe, USA etc. There are some medium and heavy industries growing here specially of Agricultural Industry, Crockery, Organic Fertilizer, Oil form recycled tire, light metal industry etc. There are also some good markets, shopping malls here. Communication is so good here to run a business.The pottery is also very beautiful and unique. It has captured a good market nationally and internationally. There are 24 private and government banks in Saidpur - most of them have online banking facilities. There are huge number of ATM booths in the city and near it to facilitate online transaction 24/7.

Saidpur Plaza, it is a shopping mall in Saidpur

Culture

The city has officers' club and two other clubs and institutes where cities various drama, musical takes place. There also a cultural club 120 years old called Silpo Sahitto Shongshod.Every year people celebrate Eid-ul-fitr, Eid-ul-azha, Bengali New Year Pohela Baishak, English new year etc. with enthusiasm and festive environment. Night life in this city is very festive, the city markets hardly sleeps at night.

Education

The city is famous for its educational institutions.Saidpur College Saidpur Government Technical School and College Saidpur Cantonment Public School and College Bangladesh Army University Of Science And Technology, Saidpur Lions school and college, Saidpur and Sunflower School and College Saidpur Pilot High SchoolCantonment Board High School are the seven renowned Schools and Colleges in northern Bangladesh. Besides them there are 9 more colleges and more than 50 secondary and primary schools in the city. The city has three colleges which offer various bachelor and honors degree courses under Bangladesh National University. Among them Saidpur College is a coed college. In recent, four or five schools as well as colleges become top on the merit in the Dinajpur board.[1]

Transport

The city is well connected to the major cities of the country by Rail, Bus and Airplane. Saidpur Airport is the only airport in north Bengal.The services of United Airways and US Bangla Airline is available on Saidpur Airport .There are many intercity train services from Saidpur to capital city and Rajshahi and Khulna division every day. The Neel Shagor Express enhanced the train transportation. There are more than 300 buses for Saidpur to Dhaka or Chittagong or other big cities.It is a very important commercial city of Bangladesh.[1]

Sports

There are four big sports stadium and play grounds are available to meet the cities sports loving people. Many divisional and district level cricket, football, festival sports take places during the year.

Some extra information relating Saidpur

  1. Up until 1971 Saidpur was the third largest city in the country and employees of Saidpur used to get city allowance.
  2. Saidpur is the one of the postal districts of the country.
  3. District offices of various labour and transport organizations are in Saidpur.
  4. Revenue collected form Nilphamari district, 85% of them comes form Saidpur Upazila only.
  5. Due to the fact that Nilphamari is a District the District Bus Terminal was built in Nilphamari spending crores of taka even though there is hardly any bus travels to and from Nilphamari. Actually the number of vehicles passes through Saidpur within 5 minutes could be double or even more than the number of vehicles travels through Nilphamari district in a day.
  6. All the commercially important persons (CIP) of Nilphamari District are always from Saidpur.
  7. In 2004 Saidpur’s revenue was ranked 11th in the entire country.
  8. In 2008 Saidpur’s revenue was ranked 3rd within the Rajshahi and Rangpur Division.
  9. Saidpur has 24 Banks (out of which 16 with on line banking facilities).
  10. Sadipur is a Railway Division of Bangladesh.
  11. Saidpur has one Brigade Army in the Saidpur Cantonment.
  12. Saidpur has One modern airport.
  13. Most of the local papers published in Nilphamari and other districts of that region are actually printed in Saidpur.

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Article on Saidpur, Banglapedia.

External links

Coordinates: 25°47′N 88°54′E / 25.783°N 88.900°E