Shibganj Upazila ( bn, শিবগঞ্জ উপজেলা) is an
upazila
An ''upazila'' ( bn, উপজেলা, upôzela, lit=sub-district pronounced: ), formerly called ''thana'', is an administrative region in Bangladesh, functioning as a sub-unit of a district. It can be seen as an analogous to a county or a ...
of
Bogra District
Bogra District, officially known as Bogura District, is a district in the northern part of Bangladesh, in the Rajshahi Division. Bogra is an industrial city where many small and mid-sized companies are sited. Bogra was a part of the ancient Pun ...
in the Division of
Rajshahi
Rajshahi ( bn, রাজশাহী, ) is a metropolis, metropolitan city and a major urban, commercial and educational centre of Bangladesh. It is also the administrative seat of the eponymous Rajshahi Division, division and Rajshahi District ...
,
Bangladesh
Bangladesh (}, ), officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the eighth-most populous country in the world, with a population exceeding 165 million people in an area of . Bangladesh is among the mos ...
. The upazila was created in 1983.
[ It is named after its administrative center, the town of Shibganj.
]
Geography
Shibganj Upazila has a total area of .[ It is the northernmost upazila of ]Bogra District
Bogra District, officially known as Bogura District, is a district in the northern part of Bangladesh, in the Rajshahi Division. Bogra is an industrial city where many small and mid-sized companies are sited. Bogra was a part of the ancient Pun ...
. It borders Rangpur Division
Rangpur Division ( bn, রংপুর বিভাগ) is one of the Divisions in Bangladesh. It was formed on 25 January 2010, as Bangladesh's 7th division. Before that, it was under Rajshahi Division. The Rangpur division consists of eight di ...
to the north, Sonatala and Gabtali upazilas to the east, Bogra Sadar
Bogra Sadar Upazila ( bn, বগুড়া সদর উপজেলা) is an upazila of Bogra District in the Division of Rajshahi, Bangladesh. Bogra Thana was established in 1821 and was converted into an upazila in 1983. The upazila takes its ...
and Kahaloo upazilas to the south, Dupchanchia Upazila
Dhupchanchia Upazila ( bn, দুপচাঁচিয়া উপজেলা) is an upazila of Bogra District in the Division of Rajshahi, Bangladesh. Dhupchanchia Thana was established in 1880 and was converted into an upazila in 1983. It is na ...
to the southwest, and Joypurhat District
Joypurhat ( bn, জয়পুরহাট জেলা, ''Joypurhat Jela'', also ''Joypurhat Zila'') is a district in the northern part of Bangladesh. It is one of the 8 districts of Rajshahi Division.
History
Ancient history
Joypurhat was ...
to the west. The Karatoya River
Karatoya River (also spelt Korotoa River) is a small stream in Rajshahi Division of Bangladesh.
Etymology
The name of the river is formed of two Sanskrit words ''kar'' (hand) and ''toa'' (water).
Course
The Karatoya, known as Phuljhur rises i ...
flows south through the upazila.[
]
Demographics
According to the 2011 Bangladesh census
In 2011, the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, conducted a national census in Bangladesh, which provided a provisional estimate of the total population of the country as 142,319,000. The previous decennial census was the 2001 census. Data were reco ...
, Shibganj Upazila had 99,242 households and a population of 378,700, 5.7% of whom lived in urban areas.[ 9.0% of the population was under the age of 5.][ The literacy rate (age 7 and over) was 44.1%, compared to the national average of 51.8%.][
]
Points of interest
Mahasthangarh
Mahasthangarh ( bn, মহাস্থানগড়, ''Môhasthangôṛ'') is one of the earliest urban archaeological sites so far discovered in Bangladesh. The village Mahasthan in Shibganj upazila of Bogra District contains the remain ...
is the earliest urban archaeological site in Bangladesh. It's also the largest. The citadel covers more than , and many more mounds are spread over the surrounding on the west bank of the Karatoya River. Lonely Planet describes it as one of Bangladesh's two "most famous and impressive archaeological sites." A museum exhibits artifacts excavated at the site: sculptures, inscriptions, terracotta plaques depicting scenes from daily life, beads, coins, and ceramics shards.
Administration
Shibganj Upazila is divided into Shibganj Municipality and 12 union parishads: Shibganj, Bihar, Roynagar, Buriganj, Majhihatta, Pirab, Atmul, Kichak, Maidanhata, Deuli, Mokamtala, and Saidpur. The union parishads are subdivided into 233 mauzas and 409 villages.
Shibganj Municipality is subdivided into 9 wards and 31 mahallas.[
]
Education
There are seven colleges in the upazila. They include Mohasthan Mahi Sawar Degree College, Mokamtala Women's Degree College, Pirob United Degree College, Chowdhury adarsha Mahila College and Govt. M H College, founded in 1972.
The madrasa education system includes five fazil madrasas.
Notable residents
* Prafulla Chaki
Prafulla Chandra Chaki ( bn, প্রফুল্ল চাকী, ''Prafulla Chaki'' alias Dinesh Chandra Roy) (10 December 1888 – 1 May 1908) was an Indian revolutionary associated with the Jugantar group of revolutionaries who carried o ...
, revolutionary and nationalist, was born in Bihar village in 1888.
* Mahmudur Rahman Manna
Mahmudur Rahman Manna ( bn, মাহমুদুর রহমান মান্না) is a Bangladeshi politician and a media personality. He was former Organizing Secretary of the ruling party Bangladesh Awami League. ''The Wall Street Journal ...
, politician, stood unsuccessfully in the constituency of Bogra-2 in the 2001 general election.
* M. R. Akhtar Mukul, author and journalist, migrated to Mahasthangarh after partition in 1947.
See also
*Upazilas of Bangladesh
An ''upazila'' ( bn, উপজেলা, upôzela, lit=sub-district pronounced: ), formerly called ''thana'', is an administrative region in Bangladesh, functioning as a sub-unit of a district. It can be seen as an analogous to a county or a ...
* Districts of Bangladesh
* Divisions of Bangladesh
References
{{Upazilas of Rajshahi Division
Upazilas of Bogra District