HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Savar () 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
Dhaka District Dhaka District () is a Districts of Bangladesh, district in central Bangladesh, and is the densest district in the nation. It is a part of the Dhaka Division. Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, rests on the eastern banks of the Buriganga River ...
in the division of
Dhaka Dhaka ( or ; , ), List of renamed places in Bangladesh, formerly known as Dacca, is the capital city, capital and list of cities and towns in Bangladesh, largest city of Bangladesh. It is one of the list of largest cities, largest and list o ...
,
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 ...
and is located at a distance of about 24 kilometers (15 mi) to the northwest of
Dhaka Dhaka ( or ; , ), List of renamed places in Bangladesh, formerly known as Dacca, is the capital city, capital and list of cities and towns in Bangladesh, largest city of Bangladesh. It is one of the list of largest cities, largest and list o ...
city. Savar is mostly famous for the
National Martyrs' Memorial The National Martyrs' Memorial () is a national monument in Bangladesh. It was built to honour and remember those who died during the Bangladesh Liberation War The National Martyrs' Memorial serves as a place of remembrance and tribute to those w ...
, the national monument for the martyrs of the
Liberation War of Bangladesh 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 ...
.


History

The origin of the name Savar is thought to be an evolved version of the ancient 7th–8th-century township of সর্বেশ্বর ''Shôrbeshshôr'' ("Lord of everything") or সম্ভার ''Shômbhar'' situated on the banks of the river known today as the Bangshi. Shôrbeshshôr, in turn, is said to have been established on the site of the ancient Sambagh Kingdom. Local legends as well as archaeological finds indicate a king by the name of
Harishchandra Harishchandra () is a legendary king of the Solar dynasty, who appears in several legends in texts such as the ''Aitareya Brahmana'', ''Mahabharata'', the ''Markandeya Purana'', and the ''Devi-Bhagavata Purana, Devi Bhagavata Purana''. The most ...
, said to be of the
Pala dynasty The Pāla Empire was the empire ruled by the Pala dynasty, ("protector" in Sanskrit) a medieval Indian dynasty which ruled the kingdom of Gauda. The empire was founded with the election of Gopāla by the chiefs of Gauda in late eighth centu ...
, ruled over ''Shôrbeshshôr''. There is an old
shloka Shloka or śloka ( , from the root , Macdonell, Arthur A., ''A Sanskrit Grammar for Students'', Appendix II, p. 232 (Oxford University Press, 3rd edition, 1927).) in a broader sense, according to Monier-Williams's dictionary, is "any verse or stan ...
that goes বংশাবতী-পূর্বতীরে সর্বেশ্বর নগরী, বৈসে রাজা হরিশচন্দ্র জিনি সূরপুরী ''Bôngshaboti-purbotire shôrbeshshôr nôgori, boishe raja Horishchôndro jini shurpuri'' ("On the East banks of the Bangsabati is the city of Sharbeshvar, lives there King Harishchandra conquering Heaven"). In any case, local legend holds that the childless
Harishchandra Harishchandra () is a legendary king of the Solar dynasty, who appears in several legends in texts such as the ''Aitareya Brahmana'', ''Mahabharata'', the ''Markandeya Purana'', and the ''Devi-Bhagavata Purana, Devi Bhagavata Purana''. The most ...
was succeeded to the throne by his sister Rajeswari's son, Damodar. Damodar's reign started a decline for the kingdom, culminating in the reign of one of his descendants, king Ravan, a music enthusiast. During Ravan's reign, the
Koch Koch may refer to: People * Koch (surname), people with this surname * Koch dynasty, a dynasty in Assam and Bengal, north east India * Koch family * Koch people (or Koche), an ethnic group originally from the ancient Koch kingdom in north east In ...
invaded and sacked the capital established by
Harishchandra Harishchandra () is a legendary king of the Solar dynasty, who appears in several legends in texts such as the ''Aitareya Brahmana'', ''Mahabharata'', the ''Markandeya Purana'', and the ''Devi-Bhagavata Purana, Devi Bhagavata Purana''. The most ...
. However, inscriptions on an undated burnt brick fragment indicate king Mahendra in 869 CE dedicated a
matha A ''matha'' (; , ), also written as ''math'', ''muth'', ''mutth'', ''mutt'', or ''mut'', is a Sanskrit word that means 'institute or college', and it also refers to a monastery in Hinduism.
to his father, saint king Harishchandra, son of king Ranadhirasena, son of king Dhimantasena, son of king Bhimasena. The same inscription also states the Buddhist king Dhimantasena invaded and captured the land between the Bangshi and the
Brahmaputra The Brahmaputra is a trans-boundary river which flows through Southwestern China, Northeastern India, and Bangladesh. It is known as Brahmaputra or Luit in Assamese, Yarlung Tsangpo in Tibetan, the Siang/Dihang River in Arunachali, and ...
and king Ranadhirasena extended the kingdom to the
Himalayas The Himalayas, or Himalaya ( ), is a mountain range in Asia, separating the plains of the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau. The range has some of the Earth's highest peaks, including the highest, Mount Everest. More than list of h ...
and fixed his residence in the city of Shômbhar. During the 1971 war, Savar Cantonment (then Ansar Camp) and the then-newly founded
Jahangirnagar University Jahangirnagar University (, abbreviated as JU; initially started as Jahangirnagar Muslim University; ) is a fully residential public university, public research university located in Savar Upazila, Savar, Dhaka, Bangladesh. It was established in ...
were some of the first targets of military swoop outside the capital following
Operation Searchlight Operation Searchlight was a military operation carried out by the Pakistan Army in an effort to curb the Bengali nationalist movement in former East Pakistan in March 1971. Pakistan retrospectively justified the operation on the basis of ant ...
of 25 March. In December of that year, Savar was the last obstacle before the freedom fighters (led by
Kader Siddiqui Abdul Kader Siddique is a Bangladeshi politician. He served as a Mukti Bahini commander, and organizer of the Bangladesh War of Independence. He fought with an estimated 17,000-strong guerrilla force in the Tangail region against the Pakistan A ...
and others) entered the capital, and the Pakistan army conceded defeat. Days before the end of the war, teenager Golam Dastagir Titu was killed in a direct encounter between the Pakistani Army and the freedom fighters. The compatriots buried him near the main gate of the Central Cattle Breeding & Dairy Farm, Savar. The Bangladeshi Army constructed a memorial monument in his honour. On 24 November 2012, a garment factory fire killed at least 112 people. The factory-made clothes for US and European companies were faulted for negligent safety standards.
Walmart Walmart Inc. (; formerly Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.) is an American multinational retail corporation that operates a chain of hypermarkets (also called supercenters), discount department stores, and grocery stores in the United States and 23 other ...
and
Sears Sears, Roebuck and Co., commonly known as Sears ( ), is an American chain of department stores and online retailer founded in 1892 by Richard Warren Sears and Alvah Curtis Roebuck and reincorporated in 1906 by Richard Sears and Julius Rosen ...
, two of the companies who contracted work from this factory, refused to compensate victims. On 24 April 2013, a building in Savar collapsed, killing 1,129 people and injuring around 2,500. The building housed a garment factory that exported clothing to US and European companies. Eighty percent of the workers were women aged 18–20, paid $0.12-$0.26 per hour.


Geography

Savar is located at 23°51′30″N 90°16′00″E / 23.8583°N 90.2667°E / 23.8583; 90.2667. It has 66,956 units of household and a total area of 280.11 square kilometers (108.16 sq mi). It is bounded by Kaliakair and Gazipur Sadar upazilas on the north,
Keraniganj Upazila Keraniganj () is an upazila of Dhaka District in the division of Dhaka, Bangladesh. History It is believed that during the reign of Nawab Shaista Khan the ''paik-peyada'' and clerical staff (''kerani'') of the Nawab used to live on the other s ...
on the south, Mirpur, Mohammadpur, Pallabi, and Uttara thanas of Dhaka City on the east, and
Dhamrai Dhamrai () is an upazila of Dhaka District, Dhaka district in Dhaka Division, Dhaka division, Bangladesh. It is the largest upazila in the district by land area. Geography Dhamrai upazila is located about 40 kilometers northwest of the capital ci ...
and Singair upazilas on the west. The land of the upazila is composed of alluvium soil of the Pleistocene period. The height of the land gradually increases from the east to the west. The southern part of the upazila is composed of the alluvium soil of the Bangshi and Dhalashwari rivers. The main rivers are Bangshi, Turag, Buriganga, and Karnatali. The Bangshi River has become polluted due to industrialization. The total cultivable land measures 16,745.71 hectares (41,379.6 acres), in addition to fallow land of 10,551.18 hectares (26,072.5 acres).


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 ...
, Savar Upazila had 359,084 households and a population of 1,385,910. 243,262 (17.55%) were under 10 years of age. Savar had a literacy rate (age 7 and over) of 68.0%, compared to the national average of 51.8%, and a sex ratio of 876 females per 1000 males. 296,851 (21.42%) lived in urban areas. The religious breakdown was
Muslim Muslims () are people who adhere to Islam, a Monotheism, monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God ...
93.86%,
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 ...
5.35%, Christian 0.58%,
Buddhist Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...
0.20%, others 0.01%, and ethnic minority group nationals numbered 319 including Buno,
Garo Garo may refer to: People and languages * Garo people, a tribal people in India ** Garo language, the language spoken by the Garo tribe Places * Kingdom of Garo, a former kingdom in southern Ethiopia * Garo, Colorado * Garo Hills, part of the ...
, Chakma (Sangma), and
Burman Burman is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: *Anneli Burman (born 1963), Swedish curler *Barney Burman, American make-up artist *Barry Burman (1943–2001), English figurative artist *Ben Lucien Burman (1896–1984), American aut ...
. The main occupations are Agriculture 24.34%, agricultural labourer 12.84%, wage labourer 4.44%, cattle breeding, forestry and fishing 1.90%, industry 1.37%, commerce 17.35%, service 20.68%, construction 1.66%, transport 3.96% and others 11.46%.


Economy

Agriculture and manufacturing are the two major economic sectors in Savar. The main crops grown here are Paddy, Jute, peanut, onion, garlic, chili, and other vegetables. The extinct or nearly extinct crops in the region are Aus paddy, Asha Kumari paddy, sesame, linseed, kali mator, randhuni saj, mitha saj, kaun, and mas kalai. The main fruits cultivated here are Jackfruit, mango, olive, papaya, guava, kamranga, berry, and banana. There are 181 combined fisheries, dairies, poultries, five hatcheries, 209 poultries, and 1319 fisheries. Manufacturing facilities include Ceramic industry, beverage industry, press and publication, garments industry, foot ware, jute mills, textile mills, printing and dyeing factory, transformer industry, automobile industry, biscuit and bread factory, pharmaceutical industry, soap factory, brickfield, cold storage, welding, plant nursery, etc. Bangladesh Export Processing Zone is located in this upazila. The Cottage industry includes 8 Weaving, 100 goldsmith, and 29 others workshops. The main exports are Jackfruit, papaya, flower, sapling, dairy products, meat, transformer, fabrics, dye, medicine, ready-made garments, electronics and electric goods, shoe, brick, sweetmeat, etc. There is 62 km of pucca (first-class), 56 km of semi pucca, 562 km of mud road, and 50 km of highway. Transports used here include the traditional (and extinct or nearly extinct) Palanquin, bullock cart, horse carriage, and modern-day vehicles. The minimum wage is approximately $9.50 per week or $38 per month.


Points of interest

There are so many important installations in Savar, some of them are following - *
National Martyrs' Memorial The National Martyrs' Memorial () is a national monument in Bangladesh. It was built to honour and remember those who died during the Bangladesh Liberation War The National Martyrs' Memorial serves as a place of remembrance and tribute to those w ...
, the national monument of
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 ...
, is set up in Savar in the memory of those who died in the
Bangladesh Liberation War 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, which brought independence and separated
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 ...
from
Pakistan Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of over 241.5 million, having the Islam by country# ...
. *
Atomic Energy Research Establishment The Atomic Energy Research Establishment (AERE), also known as Harwell Laboratory, was the main Headquarters, centre for nuclear power, atomic energy research and development in the United Kingdom from 1946 to the 1990s. It was created, owned ...
is a government nuclear research station in Bangladesh and is located in Savar Upazila, Bangladesh. It is under the control of the
Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission The Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission is a scientific research organization of Bangladesh. Its main objective is to promote the use of atomic energy for peaceful purposes. It was established on 27 February 1973, after the independence of Bangl ...
and is the largest installation under the commission. * Dhaka Export Processing Zone (DEPZ) is located in Savar Upazila and was established in 1993. * Savar is the home of
Jahangirnagar University Jahangirnagar University (, abbreviated as JU; initially started as Jahangirnagar Muslim University; ) is a fully residential public university, public research university located in Savar Upazila, Savar, Dhaka, Bangladesh. It was established in ...
, a public university of Bangladesh, which is known for its scenery and as a destination for Siberian migratory birds during winter. * Centre for the Rehabilitation of the Paralysed (CRP), the nation's only specialized rehabilitation hospital, is located in Savar, about 1 kilometer (0.62 mi) from Savar Bazar. * The 9th infantry division of
Bangladesh Army The Bangladesh Army () is the land warfare branch, and the largest component of the Bangladesh Armed Forces. The primary mission of the Army is to defend the land of Bangladesh from any external attack. Control of personnel and operations is ad ...
is garrisoned there in Savar Cantonment. * Army Institute of Business Administration (Army IBA), a business school run by the
Bangladesh Army The Bangladesh Army () is the land warfare branch, and the largest component of the Bangladesh Armed Forces. The primary mission of the Army is to defend the land of Bangladesh from any external attack. Control of personnel and operations is ad ...
in affiliation with the
Bangladesh University of Professionals Bangladesh University of Professionals () (abbreviated as BUP) is a public university in Mirpur Cantonment of Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh. Established on 5 June 2008, it is controlled by the Bangladesh Armed Forces and is affiliated w ...
, is located in Savar Cantonment, Savar, Dhaka. * Bangladesh Public Administration Training Centre (BPATC), the only training center for the public service commissioned officers in Bangladesh, is located there. *
Bangladesh Betar Bangladesh Betar (; ), is the state-owned radio broadcaster of Bangladesh, initially established as the Dhaka station of All India Radio in 1939. It was later made part of Radio Pakistan. After the independence of the country in 1971, Radio Pakis ...
's employers' residence - Radio Colony and The Transmission Zone with high power transmission setup is situated in Savar. * The two largest entertainment theme parks of Bangladesh, namely Fantasy Kingdom and Nondon Park, are also located here. The Fantasy Kingdom is situated in Jamgora Bazar, and Nondon Park is situated in Jirani Bazar. Some other important establishments of Savar are Satellite Ground Receiving Station (Talibabad), Savar Youth Training Centre, etc.


Administration

Savar Thana was established in 1912 and was turned into an upazila in 1983. Savar Upazila is divided into Savar Municipality and 13
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: Aminbazar, Ashulia, Banogram, Bhakurta, Birulia, Dhamsona, Kaundia, Pathalia , Savar, Shimulia, Tetuljhora, and Yearpur. The union parishads are subdivided into 220 mauzas and 380 villages. Savar Municipality is subdivided into nine wards and 57
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. ...
s. The area of the town is 24.1 km2. It had a population of 124,885; male 53.03%, female 46.97%; population density per km2 of 5182. Presently, Savar Upazila is divided into two thanas, one is Savar Main, and the other is Ashulia.


Educational institutions

The following are some of the notable institutions of Savar * Radio Colony Model School and College * Army Institute of Business Administration *
Bangladesh Krira Shikkha Protishtan Bangladesh Krira Shikkha Protishtan (BKSP) (, Bangladesh Institute of Sports Education) is the national sports institute of Bangladesh. It is residential and is located at Savar Upazila, Savar, about north-west of the capital, Dhaka, and about ...
* Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute * Bangladesh Public Administration Training Centre *
Jahangirnagar University Jahangirnagar University (, abbreviated as JU; initially started as Jahangirnagar Muslim University; ) is a fully residential public university, public research university located in Savar Upazila, Savar, Dhaka, Bangladesh. It was established in ...
* BRAC University Residential Campus *
Daffodil International University Daffodil International University or (DIU) () is a private research university located in Daffodil Smart City, Birulia, Savar, Dhaka, Bangladesh. It was established on 24 January 2002 under the Private University Act of 1992. DIU is the largest ...
* City University * Eastern University * Asian University of Bangladesh * Manarat International University * Enam Medical College and Hospital * Gono Biswabidyalay * Atomic Energy Research Establishment (Bangladesh) * National Institute of Biotechnology * National Institute of Textile Engineering and Research * Mirpur mofid-e-um School and College * Savar Cantonment Public School and College * BPATC School and College *Morning Glory School and College


Radio Colony Model School and College

Radio Colony Model School and College (RCMSC) is a state-operated secondary and higher secondary institution located in Savar Upazila. It is situated alongside the Dhaka-Aricha Highway, making it accessible for students from different areas. The institution's EIIN (Educational Institute Identification Number) is 108411. The school was established in 1989 and upgraded to a college in 2024. The school enrolls students from grades 1 to 12, including kindergarten and nursery classes. Classes are conducted in two shifts: morning and day. Each section typically has 60-80 students. More than 400 students participate annually in the
Higher Secondary School Certificate Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC), Higher Secondary School Certificate, Higher Secondary Education Certificate (HSEC) or Intermediate Examination is a secondary education qualification in Bangladesh, India and Pakistan. It is equivalent to the f ...
(HSC),
Secondary School Certificate Secondary School Certificate (SSC), Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC) or Matriculation examination, is a public examination in Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Maldives and Nepal conducted by educational boards for the successful completi ...
(SSC),
Junior School Certificate The Junior School Certificate (JSC) was a public examination taken by students in Bangladesh after successful completion of eight years of schooling. It was introduced in 2010. It is followed by the Secondary School Certificate (SSC). Before the ...
(JSC), and Primary Education Certificate (PEC) exams. Approximately half of these students come from the science group, while the rest are from commerce and humanities groups. RCMSC students are actively involved in sports, with an annual sports competition organized by the school authorities. Students participate in various sports, including sprints (100 to 400 meters), long jump, and high jump.


Notable residents

* Keya Payel, actress, was born in Ashulia. * Amjad Ali Khandaker


See also

*
Divisions of Bangladesh Divisions are the first-level administrative divisions in Bangladesh. As of 2024, there are eight divisions of Bangladesh, each named after the major city within its jurisdiction that also serves as the administrative seat of that division. Eac ...
*
Districts of Bangladesh The divisions of Bangladesh, divisions of Bangladesh are further divided into districts or (). The headquarters of a district is called the district seat (). There are 64 districts in Bangladesh. The districts are further subdivided into 495 s ...
*
Upazilas of Bangladesh An ''upazila'' ( pronounced: ), formerly called ''thana'', is an administrative division in Bangladesh, functioning as a sub-unit of a districts of Bangladesh, district. It can be seen as an analogous to a county or a borough of Western count ...


References

;General * NK Bhattasali, 'The Math Inscription of Mahendra, Son of Harish Chandra of Sabhar', Dacca Review, 1920 * GM Laskar, 'Notes on Raja Harish Chandra of Sabhar', Dacca Review, 1920 * MM Hoque, SMK Ahsan and SSM Rahman, 'Pre-Muslim Settlement and Chronology of Savar Region', Pratnatattva, 1996 * AKM Shahnawaz and MM Hoque, 'Savar: History and Archaeology', in Souvenir, 9th Bangladesh Science Conference, held in Jahanginagar University, 1996.


External links


Radio Colony Model School and College
{{Authority control Upazilas of Dhaka District