Pirganj is an Upazila of Rangpur District

Rangpur District

The district of Rangpur have 4924 mosques, 480 temples, 43 churches and six tombs.In an anthropologic view most people of Rangpur are having Rajbagshi blood in their veins...

 in the Division of Rangpur, Bangladesh

Bangladesh

Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...

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Geography

Pirganj is located at 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 current Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was elected as an MP in the ninth parliamentary election of the country. Later in the by-election, Mr. Abul Kalam Azad of Bangladesh Awami League was elected MP. Mr. Motiar Rahman Chowdhury, an ex MP and a veteran local politician who has passed away recently, was elected as the Chairman of Pirganj Upazilla Council.

Demographics

As of the 1991 Bangladesh census

1991 Bangladesh census

In 1991, the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, conducted a national census in Bangladesh. They recorded data from all of the districts and upazilas and main cities in Bangladesh including statistical data on population size, households, sex and age distribution, marital status, economically active...

, Pirganj has a population of 303384. Males constitute are 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.

Famous Personalities

Famous personalities from Priganj include Shah Ismail Gazi, an Islamic saint, whose shrine is located in Baro Dargah, and Poet Hyat Mamud.

Dr. M A Wazed Miah

M. A. Wazed Miah

Dr. M. A. Wazed Miah was a reputed Bangladeshi nuclear scientist, the writer of a number of well-known texts in physics and some political history books, a former Chairman of the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission and husband of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina....

 (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. It was reported that Mr. Joy formally joined Bangladesh politics on February 25, 2010, by taking a membership of Rangpur district Awami League.

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. Shanerhut
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, Khalashpir) and Raipur Zamider Bari. There are remnants of the palace of King Nilambor in Patgram. The shrine of Kazi Hayat Mamud is located in Jharbishla near Vendabari.

Culture, Religion, and Ethnicity

Pirganj is a culturally rich an 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.

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

High Schools
(1)Maderganj High School
(2)Pirgang Government 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)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
Madrasas
(1)Jafar Para Madrasha
(2)Chatrahat Alim Madrasah
(3)Kumedpur Madrasha
(4)Sharolia Madrasha
(5)Maderganj Senior Fazil Madrasha
(6)shahapur madrasha

The 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, Motherganj 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 kilometer towards north from Bogra. It is on the way from Bogra to Rangpur (the distance from Bogra to Rangpur is about 100 kilometer). The road condition is very good. The nearest airport is at Saidpur. 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 on the river Karotoa is being constructed near Kanchdah ghat in Pirganj. The bridge will make the communication between Rangpur and Dinajpur districts much easier.

Accommodation

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