Gazaria Upazila
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name = Gazaria
| native_name = গজারিয়া
| settlement_type = Upazila
| image_skyline = Sunset (Meghna Bridge) in 2021.03.jpg
| imagesize =
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| image_caption = Meghna Bridge near Gazaria
| image_blank_emblem =
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| image_map = Gazaria in Dhaka division (Bangladesh).svg
| coordinates = {{coord|23.5417|N|90.6083|E|type:city_region:BD|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = {{flag|Bangladesh}}
| subdivision_type1 = Division
| subdivision_name1 = Dhaka
| subdivision_type2 = District
| subdivision_name2 = Munshiganj
| subdivision_type3 =
| subdivision_name3 =
| population_total = 185259
| population_as_of = 2022
| population_footnotes = {{Cite book |url=https://bbs.portal.gov.bd/sites/default/files/files/bbs.portal.gov.bd/page/b343a8b4_956b_45ca_872f_4cf9b2f1a6e0/2024-01-31-15-51-b53c55dd692233ae401ba013060b9cbb.pdf |title=National Report |date=November 2023 |publisher=Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics |isbn=978-9844752016 |series=Population and Housing Census 2022 |volume=1 |location=Dhaka |pages=398}}
| population_density_km2 = auto
| area_total_km2 = 131.00
| area_metro_km2 =
| elevation_m =
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| leader_title =
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| timezone = BST
| utc_offset = +6
| postal_code_type = Postal code
| website = {{URL|gajaria.munshiganj.gov.bd}}
| footnotes =
}}
Gazaria Upazila ({{langx|bn|গজারিয়া}}) is one of the six upazilas of Munshiganj District in the Division of Dhaka, Bangladesh.{{cite book
|last=Rahman |first=AKM Habibur |year=2012
|chapter=Gazaria Upazila
|chapter-url=http://en.banglapedia.org/index.php?title=Gazaria_Upazila
|editor1-last=Islam |editor1-first=Sirajul |editor1-link=Sirajul Islam |editor2-last=Jamal |editor2-first=Ahmed A. |title=Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh |edition=Second |publisher=Asiatic Society of Bangladesh}} It is located on the Meghna river delta, {{convert|28|km}} from the capital city of Dhaka.
History
{{more citations needed|date=May 2016}}
Gazaria is mainly composed of alluvial land around the Meghna river. The locality became a part of Tippara Thana under the Assam District during British rule. Gazaria became the part of Munshiganj Thana in 1946 and the independent Gazaria Thana was established in 1954.
The Pakistan government established the Dhaka-Chittagong Highway through the locality. Gazaria Thana was turned into an upazila in 1983.
=War of Independence=
In May 1971, the Pakistani army entered Gazaria by river. A raid on the village of Goshairchar on 9 May killed more than four hundred people. The army proceeded to Bhaberchar where they also killed eleven sheltering in a ditch. Other villages in the area were attacked in the same raid.{{citation needed|date=January 2025}}
Bangladeshi soldiers from Gazaria fought at Bhabercha, Baluakand and Baushia under the leadership of Rafiqul Islam and interrupted communication along the highway by destroying the bridge at Bhaterchar in August 1971, obstructing the advancement of the Pakistani army.{{citation needed|date=January 2025}}
In 2011 the local government constructed a memorial at Goshairchar, Gazaria.{{citation needed|date=January 2025}}
Geography
Gazaria Upazila is located at {{coord|23.5417|N|90.6083|E|}}, covering a total area of 130.92 km2. It is the Meghna River delta, which separates it from the district headquarters of Munshiganj. Two bridges connect it with the mainland: the Meghna Bridge in the west, and the Meghna-Gomotee Bridge in the east. The Kajali river flows through the district.{{citation needed|date=March 2015}}
Demographics
{{bar box
|title=Religions in Gazaria Upazila (2022){{Cite book |url=http://nsds.bbs.gov.bd/storage/files/1/Publications/PHCensus/Dhaka/District%20Report%20Munshiganj%20Full.pdf |title=Population and Housing Census 2022 - District Report: Munshiganj |date=June 2024 |publisher=Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics |isbn=978-984-475-282-5 |series= District Series |location=Dhaka |pages=}}
|titlebar=#Fcd116
|left1=Religion
|right1=Percent
|float=left
|bars=
{{bar percent|Islam|green|96.72}}
{{bar percent|Hinduism|darkorange|3.20}}
{{bar percent|Other or not stated|black|0.08}}
}}
According to the 2011 Census of Bangladesh, Gazaria Upazila had 34,760 households and a population of 157,988. Out of this population, 34,949 inhabitants (22.12%) were under 10 years of age. Gazaria had a literacy rate (age 7 and over) of 57.19%, compared to the national average of 51.8%, and a sex ratio of 1006 females per 1000 males. 6,559 (4.15%) lived in urban areas.{{cite web |title=Bangladesh Population and Housing Census 2011 Zila Report – Munshiganj |url=http://203.112.218.65:8008/WebTestApplication/userfiles/Image/PopCenZilz2011/Zila_Munshiganj.pdf |website=bbs.gov.bd |publisher=Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics}}{{Cite web |date=2011 |title=Community Tables: Munshiganj district |url=http://203.112.218.65:8008/WebTestApplication/userfiles/Image/PopCen2011/C_Munshiganj.pdf |website=bbs.gov.bd |publisher=Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics}}
According to the 1991 Bangladesh census, Gazaria had a population of 128,368.
Administration
Gazaria Upazila is divided into eight union parishads: Baluakandi, Baushia, Gajaria, Guagachia, Hosendee, Imampur, Tengarchar, and Vaberchar. The union parishads are subdivided into 114 mauzas and 133 villages.{{cite web |url=http://203.112.218.65:8008/WebTestApplication/userfiles/Image/District%20Statistics/Munshiganj.pdf |title=District Statistics 2011: Munshiganj |author= |website=Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics |access-date=14 July 2014}}
Literacy rate
In 2001 Gazaria had a literacy rate of 32.7% (counting people over the age of 7), compared to national figures of 32.4%.{{cite web | access-date = November 10, 2006 | url = http://www.bangladeshgov.org/mop/ndb/arpc91_v1/tables04.htm | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20050327072826/http://www.bangladeshgov.org/mop/ndb/arpc91_v1/tables04.htm | archive-date = 2005-03-27 | title = Population Census Wing, BBS.}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Munshiganj District}}
{{Upazilas of Dhaka Division}}
{{Authority control}}