FARIDGANJ
Faridganj Upazila (chandpur district) with an area of 231.54 sq km, is bounded by chandpur sadar and hajiganj upazilas on the north, raipur upazila on the south, ramganj upazila on the east, haimchar and Chandpur Sadar upazilas on the west. Main river: Dakatia. Noted Beel: Dakatia.

Faridganj (Town) The area of the town is 2.47 sq km. It has a population of 5617; male 52.02%, female 47.98%. Density of population per sq km is 2274. Literacy rate among the town people is 53.6%.

Administration Belabo thana was turned into an upazila in 1997. The upazila consists of 16 union parishads, 178 mouzas and 175 Villages.

Archaeological heritage and relics Nilkuthi (indigo factory) at Sahebganj and Math at Lohagara.

Historical events During the War of Liberation in 1971, 64 freedom fighters and many local people were killed in encounters with the Pak army.

Marks of War of Liberation Mass grave 1, memorial monument 1.

Population 348281; male 49.69%, female 50.31%; Muslim 94.27%, Hindu 5.6% and others 0.13%. Ethnic nationals: Tipra 59 families.

Religious institutions Mosque 430, temple 11, church 1.

Literacy and educational institutions Average literacy 41.2%; male 45.5 % and female 37.1%. Educational institutions: college 2, high school 52, madrasa 127, government primary school 138, non-government primary school 32.

Cultural organisations Rural club 48, public library 1, cinema hall 1, women's organisation 1 and orphanage 4.

Main occupations Agriculture 39.16%, fishing 1.28%, agricultural labourer 21.83%, wage labourer 2.7%, commerce 10.08%, service 10.45%, transport 1.96% construction 2.25% and others 10.29%.

Land use Total cultivable land 17347.23 hectares; fallow land 106.43 hectares; single crop 12.41%, double crop 62.66% and treble crop 24.93%; land under irrigation 71%.

Land control Among the peasants 25% are landless, 37% small, 24% intermediate and 14% rich; cultivable land per head 0.07 hectare.

Value of land The market value of the land of the first grade is Tk 12500 per 0.01 hectare.

Main crops Paddy, wheat, potato, sugarcane, betel leaf and supari (betel nut).

Extinct or nearly extinct crops Linseed, sesame, kaun, mustard seed and khesari dal (pulse).

Main fruits Mango, jackfruit, banana and coconut.

Fisheries, dairies, poultries Poultry 58 and hatchery 64.

Communication facilities Roads: pucca 53 km, semi pucca 9 km and mud road 443 km; waterways 19 nautical mile.

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

Manufactories Ice factory 1, ice cream factory 2, rice mill 21 and welding 7.

Cottage industries Bamboo work 5, goldsmith 45, blacksmith 25, potteries 25, woodwork 190 and tailoring 250.

Hats, bazars and fairs Hats and bazars are 37, most noted are Rupsa hat, Gallack, Gredakalinda and Purba (east) Chandra hat; fair 5, most noted Baishaki Mela.

Main exports Sugarcane, potato and betel leaf.

NGO activities Operationally important NGOs are asa, proshika, grameen bank, brac, BRDB, Mentally Retarded Kalyan Samiti and Mahila Unnayan Sangstha.

Health centres Upazila health complex 1, sub health centre 1, family welfare centre 11 and maternity centre 1. [Musammat Rahima Begum]