Kaliganj Upazila

Kaliganj Upazila (satkhira district) with an area of 333.79 sq km, is bounded by  debhata and assasuni upazilas on the north, shyamnagar upazila on the south, Assasuni and Shyamnagar upazilas on the east, West Bengal of India on the west. Main rivers are Ichamati, Kakshiali, Kalindi and Little Jamuna.

Kaliganj (Town) consists of six mouzas. The area of the town is 7.96 sq km. It has a population of 13518; male 53.25%, female 46.75%; density of populations is 1698 per sq km. Literacy rate among the town people is 40.2%. The town has one dakbungalow.

Administration Kaliganj thana was established in 1942 and  was turned into an upazila in 1983. The upazila consists of 12 union parishads, 243 mouzas and 249 villages.

Archaeological heritage and relics Fort at village Mukundapur built by Bikramaditya and Basanta Roy, Parbajpur Mosque (Mukundapur), Madinar Dargah (Bishnupur), Nabaratna Mandir at village Basantapur built by Bikramaditya.

Population 225596; male 51%, female 49%; Muslim 79.65%, Hindu 20.29% and others 0.06%; ethnic nationals: Baghdi population 28.

Religious institutions Mosques 347, temples 19 and tomb 5.

Literacy and educational institutions Average literacy 32.3%; male 41.8% and female 22.4%. Educational institutions: college 4, collegiate school 2, technical school 1, high school 26, junior high school 2, government primary school 86, non-government primary school 35. Noted educational institutions: Dashkin Shreepur Kushalia High School (1926), Bishnupur Primary School (1921), Bishnupur Prankrishna Memorial School (1930), Kaliganj High School (1936), Nalta High School.

Cultural organisations Club 24, public library 1, cinema hall 1, literary society 2, playground 66, theatre group 5.

Locally published newspapers and periodicals Periodicals: Kakshiali, Gram Bangla, Surya Tarun, Raktim Surya, Fariad, Kaliganj Barta, Aorjita Kantha and Nadi.

Main occupations Agriculture 32.28%, fishing 1.16%, agricultural labourer 27.6%, wage labourer 4.74%, handloom 1.24%, industry 2.31%, transport 3.16%, commerce 15.3%, service 3.98%, and others 8.23%.

Land use Total cultivable land 16948.2 hectares, 12132.34 hectares (shrimp cultivation); single crop 42.60%, double crop 56.39% and treble crop 1.01%; cultivable land under irrigation 5208 hectares.

Land control Among the peasants 37% are landless, 23% small, 26% intermediate and 14% rich; cultivable land per head 0.13 hectare.

Value of land The market value of the land of the first grade is approximately Tk. 6500 per 0.01 hectare.

Main crops Paddy, wheat, brinjal, betel leaf, potato, patal.

Extinct or nearly extinct crops Linseed, sesame, and varieties of dal (pulse).

Main fruits Mango, jackfruit, banana, papaya, litchi, banghi and watermelon.

Fisheries, dairies, poultries Poultry 47, dairy 5, shrimp cultivation 1421, and hatchery 2.

Communication facilities Roads: pucca 66 km, semi pucca 63 km, mud road 218 km.

Traditional transport Palanquin, horse carriage. These means of transport are either extinct or nearly extinct.

Manufactories Ice factory 5, flour mill 1, rice mill 7.

Cottage industries Weaving 250, goldsmith 150, blacksmith 210, potteries 310, wood work 120, bamboo work 350.

Hats, bazars and fairs Hats and bazars are 49, most noted of which are Nalta, Nazimganj, Kaliganj and Banshtala Hat; fairs: Baruni Mela (Dudhley), Dol Purnima Mela (Katunia Rajbari), Modinar Mela (Bishnupur) and Rath Yatra Mela (Kushalia).

Main exports Betel leaf and shrimp.

NGO activities Operationally important NGOs are brac, grameen bank, asa, Sushilan, Manab Sampad, Uttaran, Nido and Ideal.

Health centres Upazila health complex 1, family planning centre 8, health centre 2. [Sachhida Nanda De, Banglapedia]