Morrelganj (Bengali: মোড়েলগঞ্জ) is an upazila of Bagerhat District[4] in the Division of Khulna, Bangladesh. Morrelganj thana was established in 1909 and became an upazila in 1985.

Morrelganj
মোরেলগঞ্জ
Location of Morrelganj
Coordinates: 22°27′N 89°51.5′E / 22.450°N 89.8583°E / 22.450; 89.8583
Country Bangladesh
DivisionKhulna
DistrictBagerhat
Government
 • MPVacant
Area
 • Total460.90 km2 (177.95 sq mi)
Population
 • Total304,865
 • Density660/km2 (1,700/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+6 (BST)
Postal code
9320[2]
Area code04656[3]
WebsiteOfficial Map of Morrelganj

History

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Morrelganj is named after the Morrel family. During the British rule Henry Morrel established Kuthi Bari and terrorized the locals by forced labor and torture. In protest, a peasant rebellion spread under the leadership of Rahimullah of Baraikhali, who was killed on 25 November 1861.

During the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971, 35 people were killed in an encounter between the freedom fighters and the Razakars on 15 August 1971. This is commemorated in the War of Liberation Memorial monument.

Geography

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Morrelganj is located at 22°27′00″N 89°51′30″E / 22.4500°N 89.8583°E / 22.4500; 89.8583. It has 75,968 household units and a total area 460.90 km2.

The upazila is bounded by Bagerhat sadar and Kachua upazilas on the north, Sarankhola and Mathbaria upazilas on the south, Pirojpur sadar and Bhandaria upazilas on the east, Rampal and Mongla upazilas on the west. Main rivers here are: Baleshwar, Ghasiakhali, Panguchi and Bhola.

Demographics

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Religions in Morrelganj Upazila (2022)[5]
Religion Percent
Islam
90.47%
Hinduism
9.53%
Other or not stated
0.00%

As of the 2011 Census of Bangladesh, Morrelganj upazila had 75,968 households and a population of 294,576. 65,928 (22.38%) were under 10 years of age. Morrelganj had an average literacy rate of 60.67%, compared to the national average of 51.8%, and a sex ratio of 1056 females per 1000 males. 27,130 (9.21%) of the population lived in urban areas.[6][7]

In 1991, Morrelganj upazila had population: 321153; males 50.48% and females 49.52%; Muslims 86.59%, Hindus 13.28% and others 0.13%. 460.91 km2

Morrelganj (the town) consists of nine wards and twelve mahallas. The area of the town is 15.36  km2. The upazila has a population of 321153; male 51.76%, female 48.24%. The population density is 1441 people per square km. The town has a Dak bungalow.

Economy

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The main occupations are: Agriculture 35.49%, fishing 3.65%, agricultural labourer 20.73%, wage labourer 6.85%, commerce 11.85%, transport 1.4%, service 5.6%, others 14.43%.

There is a big Shopping Place in Morrelgonj Called Morrelgonj Center or Morrelgonj Bazar and it is the big Business place of Morrelgonj.

Points of interest

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Neelkuthi (1849) and Rajbari at Bonogram. The nearby Mosque City of Bagerhat, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a formerly lost city, located in the suburbs of Bagerhat city in Bagerhat District, in the Khulna Division of southwest of Bangladesh. Bagerhat is about 15 miles south east of Khulna and 200 miles southwest of Dhaka. The mosque city is situated at the confluence of Ganges and Brahmaputra Rivers

Administration

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Morrelganj Upazila is divided into Morrelganj Municipality and 16 union parishads: Baharbunia, Balaibunia, Banagram, Baraikhali, Chingrakhali, Daibagnyahati, Hoglabunia, Hogla Pasha, Jiudhara, Khuolia, Morrelganj, Nishanbaria, Panchakaran, Putikhali, Ramchandrapur, and Teligati. The union parishads are subdivided into 120 mauzas and 181 villages.[8]

Morrelganj Municipality is subdivided into 9 wards and 12 mahallas.[8]

Transport

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Roads: Paved (pucca) 59 km, improved (semi pucca) 82 km and mud road 765 km. The traditional use of the palanquin for transportation is nearly extinct.

Education

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The average literacy is 49.5%; of which male literacy is 53.9% and female literacy is 40%. Morrelganj has many educational institutions: college 6, high school 76, madrasa 291, most noted of which is Govt. S.M College (1968), Fulhata High School (1946), Daibajnahati BM High School (1915), A C Laha Pilot High School (1924), Shahid Sheikh Rasel Mujib High School(1995) Bipin Kamol Balika Vidyalaya, Maa Babar Reen College Surjumukhi, Baharbunia, Hironmoy Halder Karigori College, Baharbunia, Nihar Halder Sanskrit College, Baharbunia, Baharbunia Halderbari Dakhil Mohila Madrasa, Surjumukhi Halder Bari Prathomik Vidyalaya, Baharbuna. KP sarkari prathomic vidyalaya. Baharbunia

Notable people

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ National Report (PDF). Population and Housing Census 2022. Vol. 1. Dhaka: Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics. November 2023. p. 399. ISBN 978-9844752016.
  2. ^ "Bangladesh Postal Code". Dhaka: Bangladesh Postal Department under the Department of Posts and Telecommunications of the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology of the People's Republic of Bangladesh. 21 October 2024.
  3. ^ "Bangladesh Area Code". China: Chahaoba.com. 18 October 2024.
  4. ^ Md. Shibbir Ahmed (2012), "Morrelganj Upazila", in Sirajul Islam and Ahmed A. Jamal (ed.), Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh (Second ed.), Asiatic Society of Bangladesh
  5. ^ Population and Housing Census 2022 - District Report: Bagerhat (PDF). District Series. Dhaka: Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics. June 2024. ISBN 978-984-475-278-8.
  6. ^ "Bangladesh Population and Housing Census 2011 Zila Report – Bagherhat" (PDF). bbs.gov.bd. Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics.
  7. ^ "Community Tables: Bagherhat district" (PDF). bbs.gov.bd. Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics. 2011.
  8. ^ a b "District Statistics 2011: Bagerhat" (PDF). Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 November 2014. Retrieved 14 July 2014.