HAIMCHAR
Haimchar Upazila (chandpur district) with an area of 174.49 sq km, is bounded by chandpur sadar and bhedarganj upazilas on the north, hizla upazila on the south, raipur and faridganj upazilas on the east, gosairhat upazila on the west. Haimchar is a small upazila and is seriously affected by river erosion. Main river is Meghna.

Haimchar (Town) consists of 2 mouzas. Its area is 11.2 sq km. It has a population of 17204; male 52.62%, female 47.38%. Density of population is 1536 per sq km. Literacy rate among the town people is 31.7%.

Administration Haimchar thana was established in 1977 and was turned into an upazila in 1984. The upazila consists of six union parishads, 28 mouzas and 64 villages.

Population 113306; male 51.29%, female 48.71%; Muslim 94.27%, Hindu 5.6% and others 0.13%.

Religious institutions Mosque 151, temple 18, tomb 4 and sacred place 1, most noted of which are Charbhairabi Jami Mosque, Khandaker Bari Jami Mosque, Jagannath Bari Mandir, Sree Sree Hari Mandir (Charbhairabi) and Sree Sree Raskha Kali Mandir.

Literacy and educational institutions Average literacy 25.4%; male 31.1% and female 19.3%. Educational institutions: college 1, secondary school 10, madrasa 26, government primary school 56, non-government primary school 4. Noted educational institutions: Charsholdi KB Government Primary School (1837), Nilkamal Ochhmania High School (1928), Bajapti Ramani Mohan High School, Charbhanga High School.

Cultural organisations Rural club 29, public library 2, cinema hall 3, women's organisation 1, literary society 1, theatre party 1 and orphanage 3.

Main occupations Agriculture 36.6%, fishing 9.67%, agricultural labour 27.03%, wage labourer 2.16%, commerce 10.3%, service 5.34%, transport1.94% and others 6.96%.

Land use Total cultivable land 7264.27 hectares; fallow land 794.82 hectares; single crop 16%, double crop 40% and treble crop land 44%.

Land control Among the peasants 46% are landless, 27% small, 22% intermediate and 5% rich.

Value of land The market value of the land of the first grade is Tk 5000 per 0.01 hectare.

Main crops Paddy, jute, wheat, potato, betel leaf, onion, karalla, garlic and sayabin.

Extinct or nearly extinct crops Linseed, sesame, kaun, mustard seed, sweet potato, tobacco, kalijira, arahar and khesari (pulse).

Main fruits Mango, jackfruit, black berry, papaya, coconut, palm, bel (wood apple), banana and amra, chalta, kul and jambura.

Fisheries, dairies, poultries Poultry 10, fishery 127, artificial breeding centre 1, nursery 14.

Communication facilities Roads: pucca 15 km, and mud road 195 km; waterways 12 nautical mile.

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

Manufactories Ice factory 8, rice mill 58 and saw mill 7.

Hats, bazars and fairs Total number of hats and bazars are 14, most noted of which are Charbhairabi, Haimchar, Katakhali Bazar; Baishaki Mela, Paush Parban Mela, Rath Mela and Eid Mela are notable.

Main exports Jute, onion, garlic, karalla, fish, coconut, betel nut and betel leaf.

NGO activities Operationally important NGOs are caritas, brac, MJS, MJSKS, Disha, Cure, Pushpa, Atmanibetita Mahila Sangha, Seba Manabik Unnayan Centre.

Health centres Upazila health complex 1, family welfare centre 2 and satellite clinic 1. [Md. Mahbubur Rahman]