Narail Sadar (Bengali: নড়াইল সদর) is an upazila of Narail District in the Division of Khulna, Bangladesh. Narail Thana was established in 1861 and was converted into an upazila (a sub-district) in 1984.[5] The upazila takes its name from the district and the Bengali word sadar (headquarters). It is the subdistrict where the district headquarters, Narail town, is located.

Narail Sadar
নড়াইল সদর
Pond in village Sheikhati
Pond in village Sheikhati
Location of Narail Sadar
Coordinates: 23°10′N 89°30′E / 23.167°N 89.500°E / 23.167; 89.500
Country Bangladesh
DivisionKhulna
DistrictNarail
HeadquartersNarail
Area
 • Total381.75 km2 (147.39 sq mi)
Population
 • Total297,068
 • Density780/km2 (2,000/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+6 (BST)
Postal code
7500[3]
Area code0481[4]
Websitenarailsadar.narail.gov.bd(in Bengali)

Geography

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Narail Sadar Upazila has a total area of 381.75 square kilometres (147.39 sq mi).[1] It borders Magura District to the north, Lohagara Upazila to the north and east, Kalia Upazila to the southeast, and Jessore District to the south and west. The Chitra River flows south through the upazila.[5][6]

Demographics

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Historical population
YearPop. (000) ±%
1981 220—    
1991 251+14.1%
2001 269+7.2%
2011 273+1.5%
2022 297+8.8%
Source:
Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics[1]
Religions in Narail Sadar Upazila (2022)[7]
Religion Percent
Islam
76.56%
Hinduism
23.37%
Other or not stated
0.07%

As of the 2011 Census of Bangladesh, Narail Sadar upazila had 62,795 households and a population of 272,872. 57,133 (20.94%) inhabitants were under 10 years of age. Narail Sadar had an average literacy rate of 65.52%, compared to the national average of 51.8%, and a sex ratio of 1021 females per 1000 males. 51,318 (18.81%) of the population lived in urban areas.[1][8]

Arts and culture

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A weeklong festival is held in Narail town in memory of artist SM Sultan every year in January or February. Past events have included an art competition, art exhibition, music, bull fight, horse race, lathi khela, and wrestling. Shorter commemorations are held in August and October, around the anniversaries of his birth and death.[9][10]

Museums

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The SM Sultan Memorial Museum has 13 original Sultan artworks and digital prints of 28 others.[11]

Administration

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Narail Sadar Upazila is divided into Narail Municipality and 13 union parishads: Auria, Banshgram, Bhadrabila, Bisali, Chandiborpur, Habokhali, Kalora, Maijpara, Mulia, Shahabad, Sheikhati, Singasholpur, and Tularampur. The union parishads are subdivided into 180 mauzas and 231 villages.

Narail Municipality is subdivided into 9 wards and 24 mahallas.[1]

Transport

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The town of Narail is the road transport hub of the district. To the west it is connected by regional highway R750 to Jessore, about 32 kilometres (20 mi) away. R720 runs north 50 kilometres (31 mi) to Magura. Within the district, zilla road Z7503 runs east to Lohagara and on to the Kalna ferry ghat on the Madhumati River. Z7502 runs south, across the Nabaganga River at Baroipara Ghat by ferry, and on to Kalia.[12]

Education

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There are 16 colleges in the upazila. They include Abdul Hye City College, Maij Para College, and Mirzapur United College. Narail Government Victoria College, founded in 1886,[5] is the only honors level one.

According to Banglapedia, Narail Government High School, founded in 1903, is a notable secondary school.[5]

The madrasa education system includes one fazil and one kamil madrasa.[13]

Notable residents

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  • Saroj Dutta, communist activist and writer, was born in Narail in 1914 and attended Victoria Collegiate School there.[14]
  • Mashrafe Mortaza, cricketer and current captain of the Bangladesh national cricket team was born in Narail in 1983.[15]
  • Suvra Mukherjee, First Lady of India, was born in Bhadrabila village and attended primary school in Narail.[16]
  • Bijoy Sarkar, poet, baul singer, lyricist, and composer, was born in Dumdi village in 1903.[17]
  • SM Sultan, artist, was born in Machimdia village in 1923 and lived most of his life in Narail.[18]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e "Bangladesh Population and Housing Census 2011 Zila Report – Narail" (PDF). bbs.gov.bd. Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics.
  2. ^ National Report (PDF). Population and Housing Census 2022. Vol. 1. Dhaka: Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics. November 2023. p. 400. ISBN 978-9844752016.
  3. ^ "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. 21 October 2024.
  4. ^ "Bangladesh Area Code". China: Chahaoba.com. 18 October 2024.
  5. ^ a b c d Tuku, Enamul Kabir (2012). "Narail Sadar Upazila". In Islam, Sirajul; Jamal, Ahmed A. (eds.). Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh (Second ed.). Asiatic Society of Bangladesh.
  6. ^ "Upazila Map: Upazila Narail Sadar". Local Government Engineering Department. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved July 25, 2014.
  7. ^ Population and Housing Census 2022 - District Report: Narail (PDF). District Series. Dhaka: Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics. June 2024. ISBN 978-984-475-240-5.
  8. ^ "Community Tables: Narail district" (PDF). bbs.gov.bd. Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics. 2011.
  9. ^ Bose, Ponuel S (January 15, 2013). "Week-long Sultan Mela starts in Narail". The Daily Star. Dhaka. Retrieved August 6, 2014.
  10. ^ "Sultan Mela in full swing in Narail". New Age. Dhaka. March 1, 2014. Archived from the original on August 12, 2014. Retrieved August 6, 2014.
  11. ^ "Sultan Museum still locked". The Daily Star. Dhaka. August 10, 2008. Retrieved August 6, 2014.
  12. ^ "RHD Road Network, Khulna Zone" (PDF). Roads and Highways Department. May 2005. Retrieved July 25, 2014.
  13. ^ "List of Institutions". Ministry of Education. Retrieved July 15, 2014.
  14. ^ "Long Live Comrade Saroj Dutta". Liberation. Communist Party of India. March 2014. Retrieved August 7, 2014.
  15. ^ "Mashrafe Mortaza". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved August 6, 2014.
  16. ^ "Mukherjee, wife make nostalgic trip to Narail". khulnanews.com. March 6, 2013. Archived from the original on August 8, 2014. Retrieved August 7, 2014.
  17. ^ Haq, Md. Enamul (2012). "Sarkar, Kavial Bijay Krishna". In Islam, Sirajul; Jamal, Ahmed A. (eds.). Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh (Second ed.). Asiatic Society of Bangladesh.
  18. ^ Islam, Syed Manzoorul (2012). "Sultan, SM". In Islam, Sirajul; Jamal, Ahmed A. (eds.). Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh (Second ed.). Asiatic Society of Bangladesh.