Dhamrai Upazila

Dhamrai Upazila (dhaka district) with an area of 307.4 sq km, is bounded by mirzapur and kaliakair upazila on the north, singair upazila on the south, savar upazila on the east and saturia and nagarpur upazila on the west. Main rivers are Bangshi, Dhaleshwari and Gazikhali.

Dhamrai (Town) consists of nine mouzas. It has an area of 5.84 sq km. The town has a population of 22394; male 53.34%, female 46.66%; density of population is 3835 per sq km. The literacy rate among the town people is 59.3%. It has two dakbungalows. 

Administration Dhamrai thana was established in 1914 and turned into an upazila in 1985. It consists of 16 union parishads, 281 mouzas and 398 villages.

Archaeological heritage and relics Ashak Pillar and Mokam Tola.

Historical events During the War of Liberation the Pak army arrested fourteen Muktijoddhas from Dhamrai Bazar and brutally killed all of them at a place near Kalampur Bazar.

Marks of the War of Liberation Mass grave 1 (western side of Kalampur Bazar).

Population 312777; male 50.37%, female 49.63%; Muslim 86.73%; Hindu 13.07% and others 0.2%.

Religious institutions Mosque 358, temple 107, tomb 6.

Literacy and educational institutions Average literacy 29.5%; male 37% and female 22.9%. Educational institutions: college 5, high school 19, junior high school 5, government primary school 139, non-government primary school 16. Noted educational institutions: Roail Primary School (1887), Pathantola Primary School (1888), Hardinge High School (1914).

Cultural organisations Club 3, public library 1, cinema hall 3, playground 16, cooperative society 200, women's organisation 18, youth society 60, cultural society 2, children's organisation 20, sports organisation 2.

Main occupations Agriculture 41.77%, agricultural labourer 22.04%, wage labourer 3.66%, industrial labourer 1.28%, commerce 10.36%, service 8.28%, construction 1.11%, fishery 1.28% and others 10.22%.

Land use Total cultivable land 23341.16 hectares; fallow land 40.47 hectares; single crop 38.07%, double crop 55% and treble crop land 6.93%. Cultivable land under irrigation 85%.

Value of land The market value of the land of the first grade is Taka 30000 per 0.01 hectare.

Main crops Paddy, jute, wheat, potato, mustard seed, onion, garlic, sugarcane and vegetables.

Extinct or nearly extinct crops Khesari, china, chhola and kaun.

Main fruits Mango, jackfruit, papaya, guava, black berry, litchi and banana.

Fisheries, dairies, poultries Poultry 12, fishery 12, dairy 15 and hatchery 2.

Communication facilities Roads: pucca 43 km, semi pucca 20 km and mud road 297 km and waterways 51 nautical mile.

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

Manufactories Shoe factory 1, pharmaceutical industry 2, flour mill 1, ceramic factory 1, textile mills 2, ice factory 3, pipe factory 1, rice mill 42, oil mill 7, jutex mill 1, cold storage 1, printing press 2 and carpet mill 1.

Cottage industries Weaving 20, goldsmith 150, blacksmith 306, potteries 303, handicraft 2.

Hats, bazars and fairs Total number of hats and bazars are 27, most noted of which are Dhamrai, Shreerampur, Kalampur, Islampur and Kashuria Bazar; fair 4, most noted of which are Dhamrai Rath Jatra Mela and Poush Samkranti Mela.

Main exports Jute, mustard seed and vegetables.

NGO activities Operationally important NGOs are brac, proshika, asa.

Health centres Upazila health complex 1, family planning centre 5, satellite clinic 7 and maternity centre 1.