Fenchuganj
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Fenchuganj () is an
upazila An ''upazila'' ( pronounced: ), formerly called ''thana'', is an administrative division in Bangladesh, functioning as a sub-unit of a district. It can be seen as an analogous to a county or a borough of Western countries. Rural upazilas ...
of
Sylhet District Sylhet District (), located in north-east Bangladesh, is one of the four districts in Sylhet Division, which contains Sylhet, the regional capital. History Sylhet District was established on 3 January 1782, and until 1878 it was part of Benga ...
in
Sylhet Division Sylhet Division () is a northeastern Divisions of Bangladesh, division of Bangladesh, renowned for its lush tea gardens, rolling hills and vibrant cultural heritage. Covering an area of approximately 12,298 square kilometres, it is bordered by t ...
,
Bangladesh Bangladesh, officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, eighth-most populous country in the world and among the List of countries and dependencies by ...
.


Etymology

There are many theories behind the naming of the upazila. Some say that Fenchuganj is named after Penchu (or Fenchui) Shah, a guardian of
Shah Malum Junayd Gujarati (, ), popularly known as Shāh Ma'lūm (, ) was a 14th-century Sufi Muslim figure in the Sylhet region. Ma'lum's name is associated with the propagation of Islam and establishment of Muslim rule in Fenchuganj. In 1303, he took pa ...
's
dargah A Sufi shrine or dargah ( ''dargâh'' or ''dargah'', Turkish: ''dergâh'', Hindustani: ''dargāh'' दरगाह درگاہ, ''dôrgah'') is a shrine or tomb built over the grave of a revered religious figure, often a Sufi saint or dervi ...
, who had a habit of sitting at the
ghat Ghat (), a term used in the Indian subcontinent, to refer to the series of steps leading down to a body of water or wharf, such as a bathing or cremation place along the banks of a river or pond, the Ghats in Varanasi, Dhobi Ghat or the Aap ...
of the
Kushiyara River The Kushiyara () is a transboundary river in Bangladesh and Assam, India. It forms on the India-Bangladesh border as a branch of the Barak River, when the Barak separates into the Kushiyara and Surma. The waters that eventually form the Kushiyar ...
during the evening every day. One day, he decided to open up a shop in the
ghat Ghat (), a term used in the Indian subcontinent, to refer to the series of steps leading down to a body of water or wharf, such as a bathing or cremation place along the banks of a river or pond, the Ghats in Varanasi, Dhobi Ghat or the Aap ...
, which eventually expanded into Fenchuganj or Fenchu's neighbourhood.


History

After the Conquest of Gour in 1303, some disciples of
Shah Jalal Shāh Jalāl Mujarrad Kunyāʾī (), popularly known as Shah Jalal (), was a celebrated Sufi Saint, conqueror and historical figure of Bengal. His name is often associated with the Muslim conquest of Sylhet and the Spread of Islam into the ...
migrated and settled in present-day Fenchuganj where they preached Islam to the local people.
Shah Malum Junayd Gujarati (, ), popularly known as Shāh Ma'lūm (, ) was a 14th-century Sufi Muslim figure in the Sylhet region. Ma'lum's name is associated with the propagation of Islam and establishment of Muslim rule in Fenchuganj. In 1303, he took pa ...
and Shah Mohabbat migrated to Mahurapur/Mourapur. In 1907, the Fenchuganj thana was established. Before 1907, it was a part of the Balaganj Thana. During the
1950 East Pakistan riots The 1950 East Pakistan riots (, ) took place between Hindus and Muslims in East Pakistan, which resulted in several thousands of Hindus being killed in pogroms. Background In August 1947, British India was partitioned into the Dominions of ...
, the factory of a steamer company was looted and set on fire. Pulin De was murdered near Ilashpur village. under Fenchuganj police station, the houses of Ambika Kabiraj and Makhan Sen were looted and set on fire. On March 23, 1971, at the Fenchuganj Fertilizer Factory Police Camp, under the leadership of Sheikh Tajmul Ali Chairman, one of the key organizers of the Bangladesh War of Separation, the Pakistani flag was lowered and the flag of independent Bangladesh was hoisted. During the
Bangladesh War of Independence The Bangladesh Liberation War (, ), also known as the Bangladesh War of Independence, was an War, armed conflict sparked by the rise of the Bengali nationalism, Bengali nationalist and self-determination movement in East Pakistan, which res ...
, The
Pakistan army The Pakistan Army (, ), commonly known as the Pak Army (), is the Land warfare, land service branch and the largest component of the Pakistan Armed Forces. The president of Pakistan is the Commander-in-chief, supreme commander of the army. The ...
shot two gardeners at the gate of the Fenchuganj Fertiliser Factory in May 1971. The army then proceeded to the Manipuri Tea Garden, killing another two tea labourers. Dala Bridge (Ilash Pur) and Kaiyer Warehouse is recognised as a mass killing site during the war and the Ghilachhora Monument stands out to commemorate the tragedies of the war. In 1980, Fenchuganj Thana was upgraded to an
upazila An ''upazila'' ( pronounced: ), formerly called ''thana'', is an administrative division in Bangladesh, functioning as a sub-unit of a district. It can be seen as an analogous to a county or a borough of Western countries. Rural upazilas ...
.


Administration

Fenchuganj Upazila is divided into five
union council Union council may refer to: *Union Council of Ministers The Union Council of Ministers is the Cabinet (government), principal executive organ of the Government of India, which serves to aid and advise the President of India in execution of t ...
s. The five unions are further subdivided into 29
mouza In Bangladesh, Pakistan and parts of India, a mouza or mauza (also mouja) is a type of administrative district, corresponding to a specific land area within which there may be one or more settlements. Before the 20th century, the term referred to a ...
s and 89 villages: #Fenchuganj Sadar: Fenchuganj, Islampur, Qazibari, Rajanpur, Pathantila, Mughalpur, K. M. Tillah, Chhattish, Nij Chhattish, New Tillah, Tafadar Tillah, Golagat, Pitaitikar, Baghmara #Maijgaon: Kachuabahar, Karmadha, Nizampur, Faridpur, Nurpur, Moinpur, Fakirpara, Maijgaon, Kayasthagram, Old Bazar #Ghilachhara: Manipur, Mahurapur, Moomin Cherra, Dalichhara, Ashighar, Nij Ghilachhara, Judhistipur, Badedeuli, Dharon, Gazipur, Barabari, Qurbanpur, Mirzapur, Jafarabad #North Kushiara: Danaram, Rokanpur, Noagaon, Narayanpur, Chanpur, Ilashpur, Salehpur, Purbakandi, Gazipur, Khilpara, Dinpur, Atghar, Konapara, Katalpur, Dandi, Majhpara, Muhipur, Terakuri, Fakirpara #North Fenchuganj: Mallickpur, Kutubpur, Lamagangapur, Gayasi, Ujangangapur, Sultanpur, Manikkona, Khatkhal (Bhelkona), Surikandi, Shailkandi


Geography

Fenchuganj is located at . It has 18,859 households and total area 114.09 km2. It is bordered by
Golapganj Upazila Golapganj Upazila (), previously known as Gulabganj, is an upazila of Sylhet District in Sylhet Division, Bangladesh. Geography Golapganj Upazila (Sylhet District) area 278.33 km2, located in between 24°41' and 24°55' north latitud ...
to the north,
Barlekha Upazila Barlekha () is an upazila (sub-district) of Moulvibazar District, located in Sylhet Division, Bangladesh. Etymology Barlekha Upazila is named after Barlekha (formerly 'Barlikha') which means Great ''Likha''. ''Likha'' was an area historically un ...
to the east,
Kulaura Kulaura (), is the largest upazila (sub-district) of Moulvibazar District in north-eastern Bangladesh. The total area of this upazila is 545 km2. Hakaluki Haor, the largest marsh wetland in Sylhet Division and one of the largest in Bangladesh ...
and Rajnagar upazilas in the south via Tajmul Ali Chattar & Tajmul Ali Chattar-Maijgaon Rd and
Balaganj Upazila Balaganj () is the third largest upazila of Sylhet District in Sylhet Division, Bangladesh. History The area presently known as Balaganj was formerly designated Kushiyarakul, a name derived from the abundance of sugarcane historically cultivat ...
to the west.


Demographics

According to the
2011 Census of Bangladesh In 2011, the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics conducted a national census in Bangladesh, which provided a provisional estimate of the total population of the country as 142,319,000. The previous decennial census was the 2001 census. Data were r ...
, Fenchuganj Upazila had 18,859 households and a population of 104,741. 27,132 (25.90%) were under 10 years of age. Fenchuganj had a literacy rate (age 7 and over) of 50.47%, compared to the national average of 51.8%, and a sex ratio of 1051 females per 1000 males. 21,841 (20.85%) lived in urban areas. Ethnic population was 872 (0.83%). As of the
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 a ...
, Fenchuganj has a population of 81605. Males constitute are 51.07% of the population, and females 48.93%. This Upazila's eighteen up population is 40383. Fenchuganj has an average literacy rate of 39% (7+ years), and the national average of 32.4% literate. Religions: Muslim 88.72%, Hindu 11.25%, Buddhist and Christian 0.03%.


Economy

Fenchuganj Upazila has seven
power plant A power station, also referred to as a power plant and sometimes generating station or generating plant, is an industrial facility for the electricity generation, generation of electric power. Power stations are generally connected to an electr ...
s, two urea
fertilizer A fertilizer or fertiliser is any material of natural or synthetic origin that is applied to soil or to plant tissues to supply plant nutrients. Fertilizers may be distinct from liming materials or other non-nutrient soil amendments. Man ...
factories A factory, manufacturing plant or production plant is an industrial facility, often a complex consisting of several buildings filled with machinery, where workers manufacture items or operate machines which process each item into another. Th ...
, three
tea garden A tea garden is an outdoor space where tea and light refreshments are served, or any garden with which the drinking of tea is associated. Especially in India, it is also a common term for a tea plantation. The tea garden was a part of early Eng ...
s, three
rubber Rubber, also called India rubber, latex, Amazonian rubber, ''caucho'', or ''caoutchouc'', as initially produced, consists of polymers of the organic compound isoprene, with minor impurities of other organic compounds. Types of polyisoprene ...
garden A garden is a planned space, usually outdoors, set aside for the cultivation, display, and enjoyment of plants and other forms of nature. The single feature identifying even the wildest wild garden is ''control''. The garden can incorporate bot ...
s, one
gas field A petroleum reservoir or oil and gas reservoir is a subsurface accumulation of hydrocarbons contained in porous or fractured rock formations. Such reservoirs form when kerogen (ancient plant matter) is created in surrounding rock by the presenc ...
,
Hakaluki Haor Hakaluki Haor () is a marsh wetland ecosystem of north-eastern Bangladesh. It is one of Bangladesh's largest and one of Asia's large marsh wetland resources. The haor is bounded by the Kushiara river as well as a part of the Sonai Bardal river t ...
(largest Haour in
South Asia South Asia is the southern Subregion#Asia, subregion of Asia that is defined in both geographical and Ethnicity, ethnic-Culture, cultural terms. South Asia, with a population of 2.04 billion, contains a quarter (25%) of the world's populatio ...
) and many more.


Farms and industries

**''Fertilizer Factories are'' * Natural Gas Fertilizer Factory Ltd. 1.6 KM East of Tajmul Ali Chattar, Kochuabahar, Fenchuganj (First fertilizer factory planted in
Asia Asia ( , ) is the largest continent in the world by both land area and population. It covers an area of more than 44 million square kilometres, about 30% of Earth's total land area and 8% of Earth's total surface area. The continent, which ...
) (Producer: Ammonia, Ammonium sulphate, Urea) * Shahjalal Fertilizer Factory Ltd 1.5 KM East of Tajamul Ali Square (The biggest fertilizer factory planted in
Bangladesh Bangladesh, officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, eighth-most populous country in the world and among the List of countries and dependencies by ...
) ** ''Power Plants are'' * Fenchuganj Combined Cycle Gas (170 MW), Tajmul Ali Chattar-Jetyghat Rd *Barakatullah Electro Dynamics Limited (51 MW), Tajmul Ali Square-Jetighat Rd *Energy prima Ltd (50 MW), Tajmul Ali Chattar-Jetyghat Rd *Liberty Power US (60 MW) *Kushiara Power Plant Fenchuganj (50 MW), Tajmul Ali Chattar-Jetighat Rd * Build Own Opora (BOO) 170 MW ** ''Tea gardens are'' *Monipur Tea Garden *Muminchara Tea Garden ** ''Gas field'' * Fenchuganj Gas Field


Transport

Fenchuganj has good communication with the rest of the country because it has river, road and rail links. During British rule river and rail travel were popular, following that roads became more used, and more currently the A2 (Asian Highway) road built through Fenchuganj, connecting Sylhet-Dhaka and other parts of the country. Established there is a market place on the bank of River Kushiara, with Tuesday and Saturday being the main trading days. People from the surrounding 10–15 miles come to the market to trade and shop. Now there are many local markets which sit every day. Among the views from Fenchuganj are both bridges over Kushiara. Hills around degree college, lake near degree college, Fertiliser factory 1.5 Km East of Tajamul Ali Square, tea estates, Delwar Hussain mosque, sunset from ilashpur (dhala) bridge and boat trip down the river are very enjoyable.


Education

Fenchugonj Upazila is performing 5.6% above the Bangladesh national average in education. The average rate of education is 68% in Fenchuganj. There are many educational institutions some of these are,


Education

** Colleges are *Fenchuganj Degree College *Fenchuganj Business Management College *Mahmud us Samad Farzana Chowdhury Girls School and College *ManikKuna high school and college ** Schools are * Kasim Ali Model High School *Fariza Khatun Girls High school *Mahmud us Samad Farzana Chowdhury Girls high School *PPM (Puran Bazar Public Model) High School *NGFF (Natural Gas Fertiliser Factory ltd) School *Syed Riyasod Ali high school *Donaram high school *Uttar Kushiara High School *Manikkuna high school *Syed Afruz Firuz Academy *Hero Child pre-cadet Academy *Ghilachora high school *Jomirun Nessa Academy *Khilpara Primary School ** Madrasas are * Fenchuganj Mohammadia Kamil Madrasha *Hatuvanga Darussunna Dakhil Madrsah *Ishak Ali madrasha *Moshahid Ali Mohila Madrasha *khil para madrasha


See also

* Islampur, Fenchuganj *
Hakaluki Haor Hakaluki Haor () is a marsh wetland ecosystem of north-eastern Bangladesh. It is one of Bangladesh's largest and one of Asia's large marsh wetland resources. The haor is bounded by the Kushiara river as well as a part of the Sonai Bardal river t ...
*
Nurpur, Fenchuganj Nurpur is a village at Fenchuganj Upazila in Sylhet, Bangladesh. It is about four miles long and 3 miles wide. It is the biggest village in Fenchuganj Upazila. It is not far from Upazila and Police Station. Populations and Religious Nearly ten t ...


References

{{Upazilas of Sylhet Division