Bhanga Upazila HQ

 township, subdistrict, fourth-level administrative division, local government

Bhanga Upazila (Faridpur district) with an area of 216.34 sq km, is bounded by Sadarpur and Nagarkanda upazilas on the north, Muksudpur and Rajoir upazilas on the south, Shibchar and Sadarpur upazilas on the east, Nagarkanda and Muksudpur upazilas on the west. Main rivers are Arial Khan, Kumar and old Kumar; Beels 2, Jalmahal (water front) 15.

The location of the Bhanga town is 23.3884185N 89.9810878E. Bhanga (Town) is situated on the north and south banks of the Kumar river. It consists of 9 wards and 27 mahallas with an area of 20.38 sq km. The population of the town is 30426; male 52.13%, female 47.87%. The literacy rate among the town people is 35.2%. The town has two dakbungalows.

Bhanga thana was established in 1908 and was turned into an upazila in 1983. The upazila consists of one municipality, 12 union parishads and 227 villages.

Archaeological heritage and relics: Mosque (1493-1519), dighi (tank) and tomb of saint Majlish Abdullah Khan at Pathrail (Dighirpar), Basudeva temple at Khatra, Sidweshwari Theatre Stage at Bhanga.

Religious institutions: Mosque 376, temple 35, sacred place 1, tomb 1, most noted of which is Pathrail Mosque.

As of the 1991 Bangladesh census: Population 214702; male 50.23%, female 49.76%; Muslim 90.35%, Hindu 9.52%, others 0.13%.

Literacy and educational institutions: Average literacy 25.7%; male 33.2%, female 18.1%. Educational institutions: college 3, high school 18, junior high school 2, madrasa 10, primary school 73, orphanage 3. Noted Educational institutions: Bhanga Pilot School (1889), Kalamridha Govinda High School.

Cultural organisations: Cinema hall 1, women's organisation 1, theatre group 1, fine art 1.

Main occupations: Agriculture 40.38%, fishing 1.54%, agricultural labourer 20.68%, wage labourer 3.17%, commerce 11.72%, hawker 3.48%, transport 2.02%, service 4.74%, others 12.27%.

Land control: Among the peasants 36.56% are landless, 25.31% small, 28.25% intermediate and 9.88% rich.

Communication facilities- Roads: pucca 54 km and mud road 310 km; waterways 17 nautical mile.

Manufactories: Fertiliser factory 1, saw mill 10, flour mill 2, oil mill 10, ice factory 3, rice mill 200.

Cottage industries: Weaving 1117, bamboo work 141, goldsmith 19, blacksmith 38, wood work 121, tailoring 200, umbrella repairing 200.

NGO activities: Operationally important NGOs are brac, proshika, asa, Shova, grameen bank.

Health centres: Upazila health complex 1, union health centre 3, family planning centre 8, satellite clinic 2, community clinic 27.