Zakiganj
History
There are a few theories behind the name of Zakiganj. The first is that is derived from Shah Zaki, a pir who established a khanqah on the banks of the Kushiyara River. A ganj, Perso-Bengali suffix meaning 'marketplace' or 'neighbourhood', was then set up around the khanqah. In memory of Shah Zaki, nearby places are named Pirerkhal and the village Pirerchok. Another theory is that it is named after a man named Ghulam Zaki Majumdar, whose brother Karim Majumdar is who Karimganj district is said to have been named after.
Zakiganj was established as a thana in 1947 and was previously a part of the greater Karimganj district. Along with Karimganj, Zakiganj was to be a part of the Dominion of India but this was prevented by a delegation led by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. In the aftermath of the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971, mass graves were found in Atgram Bazar and Kaliganj Bazar. Zakiganj became an upazila on 1 August 1983.
A 17th century stone inscription was found in the Ghayebi Dighi Masjid in Barothakuri and it is now in display at the Bangladesh National Museum.
Geography
Zakiganj is located at 24°52′40″N 92°22′20″E / 24.8778°N 92.3722°E. It has 40,548 households and total area 265.68 km (102.58 sq mi).
It is situated on the north bank of Kushiyara River, opposite Karimganj town of Assam, India.
Demographics
According to the 2011 Census of Bangladesh, Zakiganj Upazila had 40,548 households and a population of 237,137. 65,802 (27.75%) were under 10 years of age. Zakiganj had a literacy rate (age 7 and over) of 49.39%, compared to the national average of 51.8%, and a sex ratio of 1021 females per 1000 males. 20,806 (8.77%) lived in urban areas.
As of the 1991 Bangladesh census, Zakiganj has a population of 174,038. Males constitute 50.55% of the population, and females 49.45%. This Upazila's eighteen up population is 85935. Zakiganj has an average literacy rate of 30.8% (7+ years), and the national average of 32.4% literate. Religions: Muslim 81.48%, Hindu 18.47%, Buddhist, Christian and others 0.05%.
Points of interest
- Derivation of two river (Kushiyara River and Surma River) from Barak River of India
- Customs wharfage
- Hills of Atgram
Administration
Zakiganj Upazila is divided into Zakiganj Municipality and nine union parishads: Barahal, Barathakuri, Birorsri, Kajalshar, Khaskanakpur, Kolachora, Manikpur, Sultanpur, and Zakiganj. The union parishads are subdivided into 108 mauzas and 278 villages.
Zakiganj Municipality is subdivided into 9 wards and 25 mahallas.
Upazila Chairmen
Number | Name | Term |
---|---|---|
01 | Alhaj Shabbir Ahmad | 02
Alhaj Iqbal Ahmed Tapadar |
03 | Luqman Uddin Chowdhury | Current |
Vice-chairman | Mawlana Muhammad Abdus Sabur | Current |
Notable people
This article's list of residents may not follow Wikipedia's verifiability policy. (October 2022) |
- Abdul Kahir Chowdhury, Bangladesh Nationalist Party politician
- Abdul Latif Chowdhury Fultali, Sufi scholar
- Akhlaq Choudhury, British High Court judge
- Hafiz Ahmed Mazumder, chairman of Pubali Bank Board of Directors and Bangladesh Red Crescent Society
- Mahmudur Rahman Majumdar, brigadier
- Mohammad Abdul Haque, bureaucrat
- Obaidul Haque, Islamic teacher and politician
- Salman Shah, mainstream film actor
- Ubaidul Haq, former khatib of Baitul Mukarram
See also
- Upazilas of Bangladesh
- Districts of Bangladesh
- Divisions of Bangladesh
- Thanas of Bangladesh
- Administrative geography of Bangladesh
- Villages of Bangladesh
- List of villages in Bangladesh
- Executive magistrate (Bangladesh)
- List of cities and towns in Bangladesh
- List of city corporations in Bangladesh
- Demographics of Bangladesh
References
- ^ National Report (PDF). Population and Housing Census 2022. Vol. 1. Dhaka, Bangladesh: Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics. November 2023. p. 404. ISBN 978-9844752016.
- ^ "Bangladesh Postal Code". Dhaka: Bangladesh Postal Department under the Department of Posts and Telecommunications of the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology of the People's Republic of Bangladesh. 20 October 2024.
- ^ "Bangladesh Area Code". China: Chahaoba. 18 October 2024.
- ^ Sirajul Islam; Miah, Sajahan; Khanam, Mahfuza; Ahmed, Sabbir, eds. (2012). "Bangladesh". Banglapedia: the National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh (Online ed.). Dhaka, Bangladesh: Banglapedia Trust, Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. ISBN 984-32-0576-6. OCLC 52727562. OL 30677644M. Retrieved 4 November 2024.
- ^ "Upazila History". Zakiganj Upazila.
- ^ Ali, AMM Shawkat (15 August 2004). "Bangabandhu's death anniversary special: As I look back".
- ^ "Zakiganj". Daily Sun. 5 October 2015.
- ^ "Amar Desh Report" (in Bengali). Archived from the original on 9 May 2010.
- ^ Population and Housing Census 2022 - District Report: Sylhet (PDF). District Series. Dhaka: Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics. June 2024. ISBN 978-984-475-269-6.
- ^ "Bangladesh Population and Housing Census 2011 Zila Report – Sylhet" (PDF). Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics.
- ^ "Community Tables: Sylhet district" (PDF). Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics. 2011.
- ^ "Population Census Wing, BBS". Archived from the original on 2005-03-27. Retrieved November 10, 2006.