Golapganj Upazila (), previously known as Gulabganj, 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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

Geography

Golapganj Upazila (

) area 278.33 km², located in between 24°41' and 24°55' north latitudes and in between 91°55' and 92°06' east longitudes. It is bounded by

Sylhet Sadar Sylhet Sadar () is an upazila of Sylhet District in the Division of Sylhet, Bangladesh. Geography Sylhet Sadar is located at . It has 158,233 households and a total area of 301.80 km2. The city of Sylhet is located within central of Sylhet ...

Jaintiapur Jaintiapur () is an upazila of Sylhet District in the Division of Sylhet, Bangladesh. Jaintiapur is widely recognized as a significant upazila within the Sylhet division of Bangladesh. It aptly earns its reputation as a convergence point for archa ...

and Kanaighat upazilas on the north, Fenchuganj and

Barlekha 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 und ...

upazilas on the south,

Beanibazar Beanibazar () is an upazila (sub-district) of Sylhet District in northeastern Bangladesh, part of the Sylhet Division. The area is the successor of the territory of Panchakhanda, formerly ruled by the aristocratic Pal family. History Beanibazar ...

and Barlekha on the east, Sylhet Sadar and

Dakshin Surma upazila Dakshin Surma (), also known as South Surma, is an upazila of Sylhet District in Sylhet Division, Bangladesh. History After the Conquest of Gour in 1303, many disciples of Shah Jalal settled in the Jalalpur, Godhrail and Renga parganas in modern- ...

on the west.

''Water bodies'' Main rivers

Surma, Kushiyara, Sonai; Singari Beel, Bagha Beel, Fatamati Beel, Parea Beel and Sonadubi Beel are notable.

History

After the

Conquest of Gour The Conquest of Sylhet () predominantly refers to an Islamic conquest of Srihatta (present-day Sylhet, Bangladesh) led by Sikandar Khan Ghazi, the military general of Sultan Shamsuddin Firoz Shah of the Lakhnauti Sultanate, against the Hindu k ...

in 1303, two disciple 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 ...

; Shah Bahauddin and Shah Putla Fattah, migrated to Bhadeshwar in modern-day Golapganj where their

mazar Mazar of Al-Mazar may refer to: *Mazar (mausoleum), Muslim mausoleum or shrine Places * Mazar (toponymy), a component of Arabic toponyms literally meaning shrine, grave, tomb, etc. ; Afghanistan * Mazar, Afghanistan, village in Balkh Province * ...

s remains today. In 1740, during the reign of

Mughal emperor The emperors of the Mughal Empire, who were all members of the Timurid dynasty (House of Babur), ruled the empire from its inception on 21 April 1526 to its dissolution on 21 September 1857. They were supreme monarchs of the Mughal Empire in ...

Muhammad Shah Mirza Nasir-ud-Din Muḥammad Shah (born Roshan Akhtar; 7 August 1702 – 26 April 1748) was the thirteenth Mughal emperor from 1719 to 1748. He was son of Khujista Akhtar, the fourth son of Bahadur Shah I. After being chosen by the Sayyid ...

, Gulab Ram Ray of

Murshidabad Murshidabad (), is a town in the Indian States and territories of India, state of West Bengal. This town is the headquarters of Lalbag subdivision of Murshidabad district. It is located on the eastern bank of the Hooghly river, Bhagirathi Riv ...

was appointed the

Dewan ''Dewan'' (also known as ''diwan'', sometimes spelled ''devan'' or ''divan'') designated a powerful government official, minister, or ruler. A ''dewan'' was the head of a state institution of the same name (see Divan). Diwans belonged to the el ...

of Sylhet with the permission of the

Faujdar Faujdar under the Mughals was an office that combined the functions of a military commander along with judicial and land revenue functions. The term faujdar contained pre-Mughal origins. During those times, the term referred to a military offic ...

of Sylhet, Shamsher Khan, and the

Nawab of Bengal The Nawab of Bengal (, ) was the hereditary ruler of Bengal Subah in Mughal India. In the early 18th-century, the Nawab of Bengal was the ''de facto'' independent ruler of the three regions of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa which constitute the mod ...

Shuja-ud-Din Muhammad Khan Shuja-ud-Din Muhammad Khan was the second Nawab of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa. He married Zainab un-nisa Begum and Azmat un-nisa Begum, the daughters of Murshid Quli Khan by Nasiri Banu Begum. Shuja-ud-Din's third wife was Durdana Begum Sahiba. ...

. Gulab was a practising

Hindu Hindus (; ; also known as Sanātanīs) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism, also known by its endonym Sanātana Dharma. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pp. 35–37 Historically, the term has also be ...

, and was informed about how

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (; ), born Vishvambhara Mishra () (18 February 1486 – 14 June 1534), was an Indian Hindus, Hindu saint from Bengal and the founder of Gaudiya Vaishnavism. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's mode of worshipping Krishna with bha ...

's paternal home was in Dhakadakshin (in present-day Golapganj). The Dewan then ordered for a road and bridge to be made from Sylhet town to Dhakadakshin, to make it easier for those wanting to visit the place. When the Dewan reached Chaitanya's home, he built a Hindu temple and created a large pond next to it. From Hetimganj to Dhakadakshin, the road is now known as Dewan Road after Gulab himself. The Dewan's Bridge also remains today as an ancient culvert. The area was also renamed Gulabganj after the Dewan, which eventually changed to Golapganj (although older records mention the name Golabganj). A thana was founded in Hetimganj originally and then moved to Golabganj Bazaar. The Golabganj Thana was formed in 1906. Revolts in Ronikeli and Bhadeshwar were held during the Nankar Rebellion.Bangladesh Population Census 2001, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics; Field report of Golabganj Upazila 2010. In the aftermath of 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 ...

of 1971, a mass grave was found in Sundisail and there remains a monument in the upazila as a memorial. It was upgraded to an

in 1983.

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 ...

, Golapganj Upazila had 50,465 households and a population of 316,149. 79,084 (25.01%) were under 10 years of age. Golapganj had a literacy rate (age 7 and over) of 57.00%, compared to the national average of 51.8%, and a sex ratio of 1050 females per 1000 males. 37,457 (11.85%) lived in urban areas. In 2001, total population of Golapganj Upazila was 263,953, of which males were 132,189, and females 131,764. Muslims were 252,167, Hindus 11,725, Christians 21, and others 40. Indigenous communities such as Manipuri and Tripura belong to this upazila. As of the

1991 Census of Bangladesh 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 a ...

, Golabganj has a population of 229,074. Males constitute are 50.29% of the population, and females 49.71%. This Upazila's eighteen up population is 110364. Golabganj has an average literacy rate of 38.7% (7+ years), and the national average of 32.4% literate.

Main sources of income

Agriculture 34.05%, non-agricultural laborer 6.03%, industry 0.94%, commerce 14.64%, transport and communication 4.01%, service 6.16%, construction 2.88%, religious service 0.58%, rent and remittance 18.34%, and others 12.37%. The main crops are

paddy Paddy may refer to: People *Paddy (given name), a list of people with the given name or nickname *A nickname or slur for an Irish person Birds *Paddy (pigeon), a Second World War carrier pigeon *Snowy sheathbill or paddy, a bird species *Black ...

, chili,

pumpkin A pumpkin is a cultivar, cultivated winter squash in the genus ''Cucurbita''. The term is most commonly applied to round, orange-colored squash varieties, but does not possess a scientific definition. It may be used in reference to many dif ...

arum ''Arum'' is a genus of plants in the Araceae family; they are native to Europe, northern Africa, and western and central Asia, with the highest species diversity in the Mediterranean region. Frequently called arum lilies, they are not closely ...

, and barbati. Nearly extinct crops are

Mustard Mustard may refer to: Food and plants * Mustard (condiment), a paste or sauce made from mustard seeds used as a condiment * Mustard plant, one of several plants, having seeds that are used for the condiment ** Mustard seed, small, round seeds of ...

sesame Sesame (; ''Sesamum indicum'') is a plant in the genus '' Sesamum'', also called benne. Numerous wild relatives occur in Africa and a smaller number in India. It is widely naturalized in tropical regions around the world and is cultivated for ...

, and

linseed Flax, also known as common flax or linseed, is a flowering plant, ''Linum usitatissimum'', in the family Linaceae. It is cultivated as a food and fiber crop in regions of the world with temperate climates. In 2022, France produced 75% of the ...

. Main fruits are

jackfruit The jackfruit or ''nangka'' (''Artocarpus heterophyllus'') is a species of tree in the Common fig, fig, mulberry, and breadfruit family (Moraceae). The jackfruit is the largest tree fruit, reaching as much as in weight, in length, and in d ...

mango A mango is an edible stone fruit produced by the tropical tree '' Mangifera indica''. It originated from the region between northwestern Myanmar, Bangladesh, and northeastern India. ''M. indica'' has been cultivated in South and Southeast As ...

litchi Lychee ( , ; ''Litchi chinensis''; ) is a monotypic taxon and the sole member in the genus ''Litchi'' in the soapberry family, Sapindaceae. There are three distinct subspecies of lychee. The most common is the Indochinese lychee found in So ...

banana A banana is an elongated, edible fruit – botanically a berry – produced by several kinds of large treelike herbaceous flowering plants in the genus '' Musa''. In some countries, cooking bananas are called plantains, distinguishing the ...

, latkon,

guava Guava ( ), also known as the 'guava-pear', is a common tropical fruit cultivated in many tropical and subtropical regions. The common guava '' Psidium guajava'' (lemon guava, apple guava) is a small tree in the myrtle family (Myrtaceae), nativ ...

lemon The lemon (''Citrus'' × ''limon'') is a species of small evergreen tree in the ''Citrus'' genus of the flowering plant family Rutaceae. A true lemon is a hybrid of the citron and the bitter orange. Its origins are uncertain, but some ...

, shaddock,

betel nut The areca nut ( or ) or betel nut () is the fruit of the areca palm ('' Areca catechu''). The palm is originally native to the Philippines, but was carried widely through the tropics by the Austronesian migrations and trade since at least 1 ...

and

coconut The coconut tree (''Cocos nucifera'') is a member of the palm tree family (biology), family (Arecaceae) and the only living species of the genus ''Cocos''. The term "coconut" (or the archaic "cocoanut") can refer to the whole coconut palm, ...

Ownership of agricultural land

Landowner 42.76%, landless 57.24%; agricultural landowner: urban 27.98% and rural 43.91%.

Administration

Golapganj Upazila is divided into Golapganj Municipality and 11

union parishad Union council (), also known as union parishad, rural council, rural union and simply union, is the smallest rural administrative and local government unit in Bangladesh, with zila parishads (district councils) being the largest rural authori ...

s: Amura, Bagha, Bhadeshwar, Budhbaribazar, Dhaka Dakshin , Fulbari , Golapganj, Lakshanaband, Lakshmi Pasha , Sharifganj , and

Uttar Badepasha Uttar Badepasha () is a union council in Golapganj Upazila, Sylhet District, Bangladesh, located at . Demographics As of the 1991 Bangladesh census, Golabganj has a population of 229,074. Males constitute 50.29% of the population, and females 49. ...

. The union parishads are subdivided into 98 mauzas and 244 villages. Golapganj Municipality is subdivided into 9 wards and 23

mahalla is an Arabic word variously translated as district, Quarter (country subdivision), quarter, Ward (country subdivision), ward, or neighborhood in many parts of the Arab world, the Balkans, Western Asia, the Indian subcontinent, and nearby nations. ...

List of chairman

Education

There are five colleges in the upazila: Al-Imdad College, Dhaka Dakshin Bahu Mukhi High and College, Bhadeswar College, Bhadeswar Mohila College, Dhaka Dakshin Degree College, and Kushiara College. According to Banglapedia, Bhadeshwar Nasiruddin High School, founded in 1919, Dhakadakshin Multilateral High School and College (1898), and MC Academy (1934) are notable secondary schools. Average literacy 48.24%; male 50.89%, female 45.64%.

Newspapers and periodicals

* G Voice24

Tourist spots

Bangladesh Scouts The Bangladesh Scouts () is the national Scouting organization of Bangladesh. Now The Chief Scout of Bangladesh is Mohammed Shahabuddin ( President of Bangladesh). Scouting was founded in 1914 in East Bengal, now Bangladesh, as part of the Bri ...

(Sylhet region),

Petrobangla Bangladesh Oil, Gas & Mineral Corporation (Petrobangla; ) is a government-owned oil, gas and mineral exploration and distribution corporation of Bangladesh. It has the mandate to explore, produce, transport, manage and sell oil, natural gas and ...

, Kailash Tila and the birthplace of Sri Chaitanya Dev.' Mazar of Bahauddin, house and temple of sri chaitanya Dev, Kailash Tila and Dewan Bridge.

Health centres

Upazila health centre 1, union health centre 1, health and family planning centre 5, community clinic 11, maternity and child welfare centre 1, diagnostic centre 3, veterinary hospital 1.

Notable people

* Arjumand Ali, first Bengali Muslim novelist *

Abdul Matin Chaudhury Abdul Matin Chaudhury (; 1895–1948), also known by his daak naam Kola Mia (); and the epithet Jinnar Daain Haat (lit. '' Jinnah's right hand''); (also spelled Abdul Matin Chaudhary in English) was a Pakistani Bengali trade unionist, journali ...

, politician and minister in

Assam Assam (, , ) is a state in Northeast India, northeastern India, south of the eastern Himalayas along the Brahmaputra Valley, Brahmaputra and Barak River valleys. Assam covers an area of . It is the second largest state in Northeast India, nor ...

* Aminul Hoque MBE, lecturer at

Goldsmiths, University of London Goldsmiths, University of London, formerly Goldsmiths College, University of London, is a constituent research university of the University of London. It was originally founded in 1891 as The Goldsmiths' Technical and Recreative Institute by ...

, writer * Abdul Matin Chowdhury, (Regional scholar) * Abdur Rahim, advocate, fighter and politician *

, the founder of Gaudiya

Vaishnavism Vaishnavism () ), also called Vishnuism, is one of the major Hindu denominations, Hindu traditions, that considers Vishnu as the sole Para Brahman, supreme being leading all other Hindu deities, that is, ''Mahavishnu''. It is one of the majo ...

* Ejaz Ahmed Chowdhury, Former Director General of BDR * Fatema Chowdhury Paru, politician *

Hasan Mashhud Chowdhury Hasan Mashhud Chowdhury United States Army War College, awc, psc (military), psc (; born 9 September 1948) is a retired Bangladesh Army general who was 11th Chief of Army Staff of the Bangladesh Army from 16 June 2002 to 15 June 2005. He was the ...

, Former army chief * Major general Mohammad Azizur Rahman -

Bir Uttom Bir Uttom () is the second highest award for individual gallantry in Bangladesh after the Bir Sreshtho and the highest gallantry award for living individual. Since the independence of Bangladesh in 1971, 69 people have been awarded the Bir Utto ...

Sadruddin Ahmed Chowdhury Sadruddin Ahmed Chowdhury (1 January 1931 – 23 July 2016) was a Bangladeshi academic and physicist. He was one of the instrumental figures in founding Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) and served as the first vice-chancellor ...

, physicist and vice-chancellor of

Shahjalal University of Science and Technology The Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, abbreviated as SUST, is a Public university, public research university in Sylhet, Bangladesh. Established in 1986, it is one of the leading universities in pioneering research and education ...

and Sylhet International University * Shamsher M. Chowdhury, politician *

Syed Makbul Hossain Syed Makbul Hossain (; 1946 – 16 March 2022), also known as Lechu Mia (), was a Bangladeshi politician and businessman. He was twice a member of parliament (1986 and 2001) and held the Sylhet-6 ( Beanibazar-Golapganj) seat. Birth and early l ...

, doctor and politician *

Sharaf Uddin Khashru Sharaf Uddin Khashru is a politician in Sylhet District of Bangladesh. He was elected a member of parliament from Sylhet-6 on the Jatiya Party ticket in the fifth Jatiya Sangsad elections held in the 1991 and in the sixth Jatiya Sangsad electio ...

, local politician * Tassduq Ahmad, Politician and expatriate organizer of the 1971 War * Zobeda Khanom Chowdhury, Language activist

References

Source Bangladesh Population Census 2001, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics.

External links

List Of Union Parishad
–

Local Government Engineering Department Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) is an organ of Bangladesh government created for provision of transport infrastructures in rural areas and to provide technical support to the rural and the urban local government institutions (LGIs), p ...

{{Upazilas of Sylhet Division Golapganj Upazila