Narayanganj District

History

Named after Bicon Lal Pandey, a Hindu religious leader who was also known as Benur Thakur or Lakhsmi Narayan Thakur. Pandey acquired ownership of the region from the British East India Company in 1766 after the Battle of Plassey. He declared the marketplaces on the banks of the Shitalakshya river as endowed property to pay for expenses for the worship of the God Narayan. Subsequently, the region was named Narayanganj.

Narayanganj became a district (Bengali: জেলা pronounced: Jela) on 15 February 1984. Formerly, it was a subdistrict (Bengali: উপজেলা pronounced: upojela) of the Dhaka district. It grew in importance in the seventeenth and eighteenth century, due to the influx of the Portuguese and the English. The first to develop was the west bank of Shitalakshya. Narayanganj only became important in the nineteenth century, when the Rally Brothers started a company exporting jute to the west in 1830, aided by a company from Assam. By 1908, 18 European companies, and two Indian companies were trading in jute from Calcutta.

From 1947, with the formation of Pakistan, the economy transformed from being mainly a jute production to include jute milling. This followed the establishment of a number of mills in and around Narayanganj that gave the local economy a great boost.

Administrative areas

Narayanganj Zila consists of 5 upazilas (Narayanganj Sadar, Bandor, Rupganj, Sonargaon and Araihazar), subdivided into 47 unions and 827 mauzas. The areas and populations (at the 2011 Census) of the upazillas are:

There are also 7 police stations here, which are: Narayanganj Sadar, Bandor, Fatulla, Siddhirganj, Rupganj, Sonargaon and Araihazar. All the upazilas have more or less similar characteristics.

Administration

Subdistricts

Economy

The district pioneered in merchandising yarn and dyeing items. The cottage industry, like weaving, is abundant in this district. International trading, import and export business, shipyard brickfield, etc. create employment opportunities to the people which facilitate additional income to the household population. The small and medium industries of cotton are increasing day-by-day which fills the employment aids of the local people. The rural economy of Narayanganj is agriculture.

Religion

The district of Narayanganj has 3078 mosques, 269 temples, 10 churches and 4 Buddhist temples.

Places of interest

The ancient city of Sonargaon was the capital of Isa Khan, a medieval ruler of Bengal. Sonargaon is also famous for producing muslin, a delicate and fine cloth made from cotton. The Dhaka-Narayanganj-Demra (DND) embankment surrounds Narayanganj district and protects it from flooding.

Flora

Almost the whole of Narayanganj district lies on the meander flood plain. Most of this area is now flooded only by rain-water. Only minor areas near the Lakhya. Old Brahmaputra, Meghan, Shitalakha and Dhaleswari river are affected by river water and receive fresh silt deposits. A wide variety of soils occurs in this district.

Mammals

Mammals that are commonly seen in the district are Indian pipistrelle (Pipistrellus coromandra).

Birds

The most common birds of the district include doel, salik, crow and duck.

Fish

In the river, canal, beels, and ponds there are various kinds of fish, but because of water pollution, it is very hard to see fish in the river.