Savar Upazila

Savar Upazila (dhaka district) with an area of 280.13 sq km, is bounded by kaliakair and gazipur sadar upazilas on the north, keraniganj upazila on the south, mirpur, mohammadpur, pallabi and uttara thanas of Dhaka City Corporation on the east, dhamrai and singair upazilas on the west. The land of the upazila is composed of alluvium soil of the Pleistocene period. The height of the land gradually increases from the east to the west. The southern part of the upazila is composed of the alluvium soil of the Bangshi and Dhalashwari rivers. Main rivers are Bangshi, Turag, Buriganga and Karnatali.

Savar (Town) consists of 9 wards and 55 mahallas. The area of the town is 24.1 sq km. It has a population of 124885; male 53.03%, female 46.97%; population density per sq 5182. 

Administration Savar thana was established in 1912 and was turned into an upazila in 1983. The upazila consists of one municipality, 9 wards, 11 union parishads, 175 mouzas, 321 villages.

Archaeological heritage and relics Homestead of Raja Harish Chandra (8th century AD).

Historical events Savar was the capital of the Sanbagh Kingdom during seventh and eighth century. Raja Harish Chandra was the king of this kingdom. It is supposed from the inscriptions of the sixth century that many foreign traders used to come here for business. During the War of Liberation in 1971 Golam Dastagirr Titu was killed in a direct encounter between the Pak army and the freedom fighters. The compatriots buried him near the main gate of the Savar Dairy Farm. Bangladesh Army constructed a memorial monument in honour of him.

Marks of the War of Liberation Jatiya Smriti Shaudha (National Memorial Monument), mass grave in front of the National Memorial, martyr memorial at the gate of the Savar Dairy Farm, "Sangsaptak" and Amar Ekushey Sculpture (Jahangirnagar University Campus).

Population 378034; male 54.67%, female 45.33%; Muslim 88.59%, Hindu 10.41%, Christian 0.93%, Buddhist 0.03% and others 0.04%; ethnic nationals: 319 (Buno, Garo, Sangma and Barman).

Religious institutions Mosque 318, church 8 and other religious institutions 68, most noted of which are Jahangirnagar University and Savar Dairy Farm Mosques, Savar Baptist Church, Savar Daskinpara Harir Akhra Mandir and Panchabati Ashram Mandir.

Literacy and educational institutions Average literacy 37.8%; male 44.8% and female 29.1%. Educational institutions: university 2, college 5, school and college 5, high school 38, junior high school 3, madrasa 16, government primary school 88, non-government primary school 13, community school 12, satellite school 8, sports institution 1. Noted institutions: Adhar Chandra High School (1913), Jahangirnagar University, Gana Bishwabiddalay, Bangladesh Public Administration Training Centre, Bangladesh Krira Shikha Institution, Atomic Energy Research Establishment, Satellite Ground Receiving Station (Talibabad), National Institute of Biotechnology, Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute, Savar Youth Training Centre, brac Training Centre.

Locally published newspapers and periodicals Jagrata Kantha, Savar Barta, Saf Katha, Savar Kantha and Ganabhasa.

Cultural organisations Co-operative society 81, children organisation 1, film society 3, cinema hall 5, theatre group 5, theatre stage 1, music centre 3, orphanage 5, opera party 1, women's club 3, Bangladesh Mohila Parishad 1, Amnesty organisation 2, golf club 1, entertainment park 2 (Fantasy Kingdom, Nandan Park).

Main occupations Agriculture 24.34%, agricultural labourer 12.84%, wage labourer 4.44%, cattle breeding, forestry and fishing 1.90%, industry 1.37%, commerce 17.35%, service 20.68%, construction 1.66%, transport 3.96% and others 11.46%.

Land use Total cultivable land 16745.71 hectares, fallow land 10551.18 hectares

Value of land The market value of the land of the first grade is Tk 10000 per 0.01 hectare.

Main crops Paddy, Jute, peanut, onion, garlic, chilli and other vegetables.

Extinct or nearly extinct crops Aus paddy, Asha Kumari paddy, sesame, linseed, kali mator, randhuni saj, mitha saj, kaun and mas kalai.

Main fruits Jackfruit, mango, olive, papaya, guava, kamranga, berry and banana.

Fisheries, dairies and poultries Dairy 181, hatchery 5, poultry 209, fishery 1319.

Communication facilities Roads: pucca 62 km, semi pucca 56 km and mud road 562 km; highway 50 km.

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

Manufactories Ceramic industry, beverage industry, press and publication, garments industry, foot ware, jute mills, textile mills, printing and dying factory, transformer industry, automobile industry, biscuit and bread factory, pharmaceutical industry, soap factory, brick field, cold storage, welding, plant nursery, etc. Bangladesh Export Processing Zone is located in this upazila.

Cottage industries Weaving 8, goldsmith 100 and others 29.

Hats, bazars and fairs Hats and bazars are 14, noted bazars are Savar, Nabinagar, Amin Bazar, Balibhadra and Bagbari Bazar; noted hats: Ashulia, Savar, Shimulia, Kathgara, Sadullapur and Vhakurar Hat; fairs 6, Darogali Bayati Mela (Nayarhat), Bahattar Prahar mela (Savar), Ghora Pirer Mela (Nalam), Muharram Mela (Katlapur) and Pawsh Mela (Dhamsona).

Main exports Jackfruit, papaya, flower, sapling, dairy products, meat, transformer, fabrics, dye, medicine, ready made garments, electronics and electric goods, shoe, brick, sweetmeat etc.

NGO activities Operationally important NGOs are brac, asa, proshika, grameen bank, Ganasastha Kendra, World Vision, Swanirvor Bangladesh, VERC, Palli Mangal Karmasuchi, CDD, Adesh.

Health centres Upazila health complex 1, combined military hospital 1 (Savar Cantonment), Korea Bangladesh Friendship Hospital 1, family planning centre 7, satellite clinic 2, private clinic 21.