Pirganj, Rangpur Division, Bangladesh

🇧🇩 Pirganj (পীরগঞ্জ) is an upazila of Rangpur District in the division of Rangpur, Bangladesh. Pirganj Upazila area 409.37 km². It is bounded by mithapukur upazila on the north, Palashbari, Ghoraghat and Nawabganj Sadar (Dinajpur) upazilas on the south, Sadullapur upazila on the east, Mithapukur, Nawabganj Sadar (Dinajpur) and Ghoraghat upazilas on the west.

Administration Pirganj Thana, now an upazila, was formed in 1910.

Geography Pirganj is the southernmost upazila of Rangpur district. It is surrounded by Mithapukur upazila of Rangpur to the North, Sadullahpur upazila of Gaibndha to the east, Palashbari upazila to the south and Ghoraghat and Nawabganj upazilas of Dinajpur to the west. It has approximately 101640 units of household and total area 411.34 km².

Water bodies the main river: Karatoya, Jamuneshwari, Akhira; Pirganj is called the upazila of beel.

Demographics Pirganj has an average literacy rate of 26.5% (7+ years), and the national average of 32.4% literate.

Economy Agriculture is the predominant economic activity in Pirganj. In addition to rice, the main crop, many vegetables and bananas are produced in Pirganj. Local traders as well as traders from Dhaka, Chittagong and other parts of the country purchase the surplus agricultural products from the area and sell them to major urban centres in the country. Fishing is also a major economic activity in the area. Karotoa, a large river, which flows through the western border of the upazila is known for its variety of fish. There are numerous lakes (known as beel locally) and couple of small rivers in Pirganj.

Major commercial centres are Pirganj, Chatra, Balua, Khalashpir, Vendabari, Motherganjhat is big commercial area and Shanerhat. There are branches of Islami Bank, Standard Bank, Janata Bank, Rashahi Krishi Unnayan Bank in Pirganj, Sonali Bank in Pirganj Chatra and Khalashpir. There are also branches of Rupali Bank in Vendabari, Agrani Bank in Shanerhat and Janata Bank in Motherganj.

Natural resources Pirganj is endowed with one of the largest coal discoveries in Bangladesh. The coal deposit is located at a low depth near Khalashpir.

Arts and culture Several cultural organizations and theater groups based in Pirganj proper. An annual fair, known as mela locally, takes place in Baradargah in the Islamic month of Muharram. Annual fairs also take place in few other locations during winter or on the eve of Bengali new year. Sharadiya Durga puja is celebrated in Pirganj, Chatra and few other localities.

Islam is the predominant religion in Pirganj, with almost 90% of its people belonging to the faith. There is a significant Hindu population scattered over the Upazila. Concentration of Hindu population is high in Panchgachi Union. There is a large indigenous Santal population in Chatra area.

A cultural organization named Angon is located in the village Boger Bari in Kumedpur union. They arrange various seasonal programs such as cultural activities and sports competitions. A student-based social organization named Concerned Peoples Organization (CPO) is located in the village of Gurzipara in Baradargah union, which arranges social programs to concern people of its area.

Points of interest The major tourist attractions in Pirganj are Baro Bila (a large lake), Nil Daria (a village surrounded by a lake), Kadirabad forest (a large forest created by Bangladesh Forest Department), Hatibanda (Dareapur) Mosque (an old mosque), Khalashpir Mosque, Anandonagar amusement park near Khalashpir and Raipur Jomider Bari and Horin Shingher Dighi (a big pond) and Gorr (a part of Brobila). There are remnants of the palace of King Nilambor in Patgram. The shrine of Kazi Kabi Heyat Mamud is located in Jharbishla near Vendabari.

Administration Pirganj Upazila is divided into 15 union parishads: Bhendabari, Boro Alampur, Borodargah, Chaitrakul, Chatra, Kabilpur, Kumedpur, Madankhali, Mithapur, Pachgachi, Pirganj, Raypur, Ramnathpur, Shanerhat, and Tukuria. The union parishads are subdivided into 308 mauzas and 332 villages.

Pirganj was one of the three constituencies from where the current Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was elected as an MP in the ninth parliamentary election of the country in 2008. She was also elected in the tenth parliamentary election in 2014 from the same constituency. Later in the by-election, Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury, the current speaker of Bangladesh parliament was elected unopposed from the constituency.

Transport One can travel from Dhaka to Pirganj by bus. Rangpur-bound buses run from Kallyanpur in Dhaka to Pirganj bus station. It takes about six hours. Pirganj is about 60 km towards to the north from Bogra. It is on the way from Bogra to Rangpur (the distance from Bogra to Rangpur is about 100 kilometers). The nearest airport is at Saidpur, Nilphamari. Communication from Rangpur town is very easy. It takes about 40 minutes by bus.

There have been some improvements in road communication within Pirganj Upazila in the recent years. All major commercial centres are connected by pacca roads. From Dhaperhat, a circular route covers Chatra, Khalashpir, Vendabari, Baro Dargah, Shanerhat and Motherganj and come back to Dhaperhat.

A bridge name Wazed Mia Bridge on the river Karotoa near Kanchdah ghat in Pirganj has been opened recently. The bridge has made the communication between Rangpur and Dinajpur districts much easier.

Education • Pirganj College • Government Shah Abdur Rouf College • Chatra Degree College • Chatra Karigori College • Chatra Women's College • Gurzipara College • K J Islam girls school and college • Kadirabad Women's College • Khalashpir Bangobondhu Degree College • Mohiosi Begum Rokeya Mohila College, Gurzipara • Monikrishan Sen College, Bishnupur • Motherganj College • Pirganj Karigori College • Pirganj Mohila College • Rasulpur School & College • Sirajuddin Technical & Business Management College • Vendabari Women's College • Amodpur Mahavidyalaya