Dakshin Shahbazpur Union

Dakshin Shahbazpur or South Shahbazpur (Bengali: দক্ষিণ শাহবাজপুর) is a Union Parishad under Barlekha Upazila of Moulvibazar District in the division of Sylhet, Bangladesh. It has an area of 40.46 square miles and a population of 26,840.[1]

South Shahbazpur Union
দক্ষিণ শাহবাজপুর ইউনিয়ন
No. 5 Dakshin Shahbazpur Union Council
CountryBangladesh
DivisionSylhet Division
DistrictMoulvibazar District
UpazilaBarlekha Upazila
Population
 • Total26,840
DemonymSouth Shahbazpuri
Time zoneUTC+6 (BST)
Websiteshahbajpurdakshinup.moulvibazar.gov.bd

History

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The South Shahbazpur Upazila is named after its headquarters, the village of South Shahbazpur. Shahbazpur was formerly known as Kauwakona and home to the Jangdar clan, who were the local Hindu zamindars (landlords) located within the Panchakhanda pargana. Shyam Rai Jangdar's son, Swarup Ram Jangdar,[2] Muluk Suwai was buried next to him after his death.[3] introduced a vigraha (idol) site dedicated to Vasudeva located in the Kumar Saeed mauza. However, he later converted to Islam after visiting Delhi to discuss revenue with the emperor. Swarup Ram Jangdar was awarded the name Shahbaz Khan, subsequently establishing the Shahbazpur pargana, separating it from greater Panchakhanda.[4] He later embarked on the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca. At the age of eighty, Shahbaz Khan had his first and only son, Fateh Muhammad (c. 1700-1790s), who succeeded him as the Zamindar of Shahbazpur. The next zamindar of Shahbazpur was his son, Muhammad Fazil, and then his son, Muhammad Adil. Adil had no sons, and so it was inherited by his daughter, and then his grandson, Abdul Ghafur Chowdhury. Abdul Ghafur's son and successor, Nouman Muqit Chowdhury, was one of the local aristocrats.[3]

The general preeminence of the Jangdar clan is displayed in a proverb recorded by the historians Achyut Charan Choudhury and Syed Murtaza Ali:[3][5]

পাল, প্রচণ্ড, জাংদার। এই তিন মিরাশদার।

Pal, Prôchôṇḍô, Jangdar.
Ei tin mirashdar

Translated, this means "Pal, Prachanda, Jangdar. These are the three mirashdars." Thus, making reference to the Pal family, the descendants of Prachanda Khan and the unrelated Jangdar clan, the proverb states that there were no other mirashdars[note 1] beyond these families in the locality.[3]

In August 2019, the Indian Border Security Force shot dead Abdus Shakur ibn Muraqib Ali, a South Shahbazpuri resident from Bobartal Majhgandhai.[7]

Administration

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The union has roughly 40 villages divided into 9 wards and 14 mouzas.[8][9]

Ward Village Population
1 Banikona 593
Deul 394
Ramchandrapur 96
Bagatikar 257
Bisrabond 786
Tajpur 201
Ghorua 425
2 Sujaul 5117
Panch Para 2399
Soriya 366
Kayasthashashan 105
3 Shahbazpur Tea Garden 1109
Balishkona 185
Sikrouni 115
Shuarartal 874
4 Bahadurpur Tea Garden 4942
Chandinagar 1879
Chandergul 728
5 Taradorom 1743
Muraul 1394
6 Bobartal 4942
7 Gholsa 3035
Baulerchowk 758
8 Gramthala 2652
9 Muhammadnagar 2939
Chotolekha Tea Garden 1486
Rahmaniya Tea Garden 47
New Palla
? Nalikhai Punji 536
Karaichara 297
Islamnagar 1258
Sreedharpur 1147
Gandhai 1622
Paku 102

Demography

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South Shahbazpur has a population of 26,840. 12,825 are men and 14,015 of the population are female.[1] There are three graveyards for the deceased residents to be buried and these are Taradorom Central Cemetery, Muraul Central Cemetery and Sujaul Central Cemetery.[10]

Education

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The Union has 9 state primary schools and 3 private primary schools. It has 5 high schools and 6 madrasas. The Baragul Qawmi Madrasa is home to an orphanage.[11] Other madrasas include the Sujaul Senior Fazil Madrasha, Taradorom Women's Dakhil Madrasa and the Barlekha Jamia Islamiya Dakhil Madrasa.[12] The literacy rate in the union is 54.3%.

Economy and tourism

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South Shahbazpur has three Haat bazaars; Taradorom Bazar, Muraul Bazar and Office Bazar. The Union has a significant number of emigrants in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE, Greece, UK, France, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, Brazil, Spain, United States and Italy contributing to its economy. Mohammad Ataul Karim originates from this area. In recent times, coal deposits have been discovered in Bobartal.[13]

Popular tourist sites include its four tea gardens; Shahbazpur, Bahadurpur, Chotolekha and Rahmaniya. The Union is home to 4 sports clubs in Taradorom, Gholsa, Muraul and Sujaul.[14] The practice of Cockfighting competitions which take place in Gholsa School attracts media attention.[15]

Religion

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There are 41 mosques in the Union. Some include:

  • Taradorom Central Mosque, East Taradorom Jame Mosque, Taradorom Choumuhoni Jame Mosque, Taradorom Barathal Jame Mosque, Central Taradorom Panjegana, West Taradorom Jame Masjid
  • Muraul Jame Mosque, Muraul Panjegana Mosque
  • East Banikona Jame Mosque, West Banikona Jame Mosque
  • Bagatikar Jame Mosque
  • Ghorua Jame Mosque
  • Bisrabond Jame Mosque, Bisrabond Pakhurgul Masjid
  • Ulkanti Panjegana
  • West Panchpara Jame Masjid, East Panchpara Jame Masjid, Central Panchpara Jame Masjid
  • Sariya Jame Masjid
  • Office Bazar Jame Masjid
  • Sujaul Jame Masjid, Sujaul Dingal Jame Masjid
  • Kayasthashashan Jame Masjid
  • Shuararthal Jame Masjid, Shuararthal Panjegana of Hannan
  • Shahbazpur Tea Garden Mosque

There are also 6 eidgahs in the union. These are Taradorom Shahi Eidgah, Muraul Eidgah, Sujaul Shahi Central Eidgah, East Taradorom Mosque Eidgah, Gholsa Shahi Eidgah and Bisrabond Eidgah.[16]

List of chairmen

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List of chairmen
Number Name Term
01 Mosoddor Ali 26/2/1977 - 5/3/1984
02 Muhammad Ahmad Ali 11/3/1984- 10/2/1989
03 Mosoddor Ali 10/2/1989 - 10/1/1991
04 Muhammad Abdus Shahid 10/2/1991 - 10/2/1992
05 Muhammad Ahmad Ali 11/2/1992 - 3/2/1998
06 Muhammad Abdul Jabbar 4/2/1998 - 30/7/2011
07 Nahid Ahmad 31/7/2011 - ?
08 Shahab Uddin present

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ Mirashdar is a term referring to a landowner who pays taxes directly to the government.[6]

References

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  1. ^ a b "S. Shahbazpur at a glance". South Shahbazpur Union (in Bengali). Archived from the original on 2021-03-02. Retrieved 2019-12-14.
  2. ^ Roy, Asim (1970). Islam in the Environment of Medieval Bengal. Australian National University. p. 122.
  3. ^ a b c d Choudhury, Achyut Charan (2000) [1916]. "শাহবাজপুরের চৌধুরী বংশ". Srihatter Itibritta: Uttorangsho (in Bengali). Kolkata: Kotha. pp. 173–174.
  4. ^ Husam, Shamshad. "পাল রাজবংশের উত্তরাধিকার". Thikana (in Bengali).
  5. ^ Ali, Syed Murtaza (1968). Amadera kalera katha (in Bengali). Baighara. p. 27.
  6. ^ Laskar, Nitish Ranjan (1985). Mahishya Das of Cachar and their Social Background. Proceedings of North East India History Association. North East India History Association. p. 456.
  7. ^ অবৈধ অনুপ্রবেশ, বড়লেখা সীমান্তে বিএসএফের গুলিতে আহত ১. The Daily Ittefaq (in Bengali). 3 Aug 2019.
  8. ^ "List of villages". South Shahbazpur Union (in Bengali). Archived from the original on 2020-05-01. Retrieved 2019-12-14.
  9. ^ গ্রামভিত্তিক লোকসংখ্যা. South Shahbazpur Union. Archived from the original on 2020-05-01. Retrieved 2019-12-14.
  10. ^ "Qabarstan". S. Shahbazpur Union. Archived from the original on 2020-01-31. Retrieved 2019-12-14.
  11. ^ "Orphanages". S. Shahbazpur Union. Archived from the original on 2019-12-14. Retrieved 2019-12-14.
  12. ^ "Madrasas". S. Shahbazpur Union.
  13. ^ Salim, Mustafa. "Barlekha Upazila". Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh. Asiatic Society of Bangladesh.
  14. ^ "Sports". S. Shahbazpur Union. Archived from the original on 2020-01-31. Retrieved 2019-12-14.
  15. ^ বড়লেখায় গ্রামীণ ঐতিহ্য মোরগ লড়াই. Jugantor (in Bengali). 8 Jun 2019.
  16. ^ "Eidgah". South Shahbazpur Union. Archived from the original on 2019-12-14. Retrieved 2019-12-14.