Mohanganj Upazila, Netrakona

 
Mohanganj Upazila, with an area of 243.20 sq km, is bounded by barhatta and dharmapasha upazilas on the north, atpara, madan and khaliajuri upazilas on the south, jamalganj and Khaliajuri upazilas on the east, Atpara upazila on the west. Main rivers are Ghorautra, Mogra, Dhanu and Nawagang.

Mohanganj (Town) consists of 9 wards and 16 mahallas. The area of the town is 6.94 sq km. The town has a population of 21114; male 52.08%, female 47.92%. The density population is 3042 per sq km. Literacy rate among the town people is 52%.

Administration: Mohanganj thana was turned into an upazila in 1982. The upazila consists of 1 municipality, 10 union parishads, 142 mouzas and 163 villages. The union parishads belongs to mohonganj are-

• Bara kashia Birampur Union
• Baratali Banihari Union
• Gaglajore Union
• Maghan Siadhar Union
• Samaj Sahildeo Union
• Suair Union
• Tentulia Union

Archaeological heritage and relics: Ancient fort at village Betham (Sultan Alauddin Hussain Shah period), Shekher Bari Mosque (same period), Daulatpur Temple (876 BS).

Population: 129415; male 66525, female 63890; Muslim 80.57%, Hindu 19.09%, Christian and Buddhist 0.17% and others 0.17%.

Religious institutions: Mosque 217, temple 32.

Literacy and educational institutions: Average literacy 27.8%; male 32.7% and female 22.5%. Educational institutions: college 2, high school 8, madrasa 5, government primary school 5, non-government primary school 45, low cost school 3, satellite school 10; noted educational institution: Mohanganj Pilot High School (1931).

Cultural organisations: Rural club 36, playground 12, women's organisation 4, public library 2, cinema hall 3 and theatre group 1.

Main occupations: Agriculture 48.25%, fishing 2.62%, agricultural labourer 21.21%, wage labourer 2.53%, commerce 9.84%, service 3.49% and others 12.06%.

Land use: Cultivable land 24864.43 hectares, fallow land 390.84 hectares; single crop 52%, double crop 38% and treble crop land 10%; land under irrigation 71%.

Land control: Among the peasants, 33% are landless, 29% small, 27% intermediate and 11% rich; cultivable land per head 0.13 hectare.

Value of land: The market value of the land of the first grade is Tk 5000 per 0.01 hectare.

Main crops: Paddy, mustard seed and cotton.

Extinct or nearly extinct crops: Jute and potato.

Main fruits: Jackfruit, mango and black berry.

Poultries: 61.

Communication facilities Roads: pucca 16 km, semi pucca 37 km and mud road 397 km; railways 3 km; waterways 12 nautical mile.

Traditional transport: Palanquin, horse carriage, bullock cart and buffalo cart. These means of transport are either extinct or nearly extinct.

Manufactories: Flour mill 3, saw mill 15, ice factory 10, oil mill 2 and printing press 4.

Cottage industries: Goldsmith 15, wood work 26, blacksmith 14, tailoring 223, welding 9, potteries 11.

Hats, bazars and fairs: Hats and bazars are 38, most noted Hats Mohanganj and Chhesrakhali; fairs 2 (Nagdora and Barantar Mela).

Main exports: Paddy, egg and dry fish.

NGO activities: Operationally important NGOs are Social Progress Service, brac, proshika, asa, CPCD, Ahsania Mission and SAS.

Health centres: Upazila health complex 1, satellite clinic 2 and family planning centre 7.

(Source: Banglapedia, Wikipedia and others)