# Bhedarganj Upazila

Bhedarganj (Bengali: ভেদরগঞ্জ, romanized: Bhedorgonj) is an upazila (sub-district) of Shariatpur District in central Bangladesh, located in the Dhaka Division. It is a part of the Greater Faridpur region and is named after its administrative centre, the town of Bhedarganj.

## Geography

Bhedarganj Upazila has a total area of 261.90 square kilometres (101.12 sq mi). About seven-tenths is land and three-tenths is water, chiefly the Padma River, which cuts through the northern part of the upazila. It borders Naria Upazila to the west and north, Munshiganj District to the north, Chandpur District to the north and east, Gosairhat and Damudya upazilas to the south, and Shariatpur Sadar Upazila to the west. The Meghna River and the Banglabazar Canal flow through this upazila.

## History

In 1924, the Zamindar of Bikrampur, Syed Bhedar Uddin Shah, established the Bhedarganj Thana after his name.
During the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971, two brawls and a battle took place in Bhedarganj resulting in the deaths of many Bengali freedom fighters. The thana was converted into an upazila on 14 September 1983 and inaugurated by Sultan Mahmud.

## Demographics

Religions in Bhedarganj Upazila (2022) :
| Religion | Religion | Percent | Percent |
| Islam | Islam | 97.63% | 97.63% |
| Hinduism | Hinduism | 2.36% | 2.36% |
| Other or not stated | Other or not stated | 0.01% | 0.01% |
According to the 2011 Census of Bangladesh, Bhedarganj Upazila had 53,305 households and a population of 253,234. 68,834 (27.18%) were under 10 years of age. Bhedarganj had a literacy rate (age 7 and over) of 42.7%, compared to the national average of 51.8%, and a sex ratio of 1084 females per 1000 males. 9,193 (3.63%) lived in urban areas.

## Administration

Bhedarganj Upazila is divided into Bhedarganj Municipality and 13 union parishads: Arshi Nagar, Char Bhaga, Char Census, Char Kumaria, Chhaygaon, Dhakhin Tarabunia, D. M. Khali, Kachikata, Mahisar, Naryanpur, Rambhadrapur, Sakhipur, and Tarabunia. The union parishads are subdivided into 87 mauzas and 372 villages.
Vice Chairman : Mannan Bepary
Woman Vice Chairman : Lipi Sorder
Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) : Abdullah Al Mamun
Bhedarganj Municipality was established in 1997. It is subdivided into 9 wards and 12 mahallas.

### Upazila Chairmen

List of chairmen :
| Number | Name | Term |
| 01 | AFM Fakhrul Islam Munshi | 1985-1986 |
| 02 | Abul Bashar Bhuiyan | 1986-1991 |
| 03 | Muhammad Humayun Kabir Mullah Khasgazipuri | 2008-2013 |
| 04 | Anwar Husayn Majhi | 2014-2019 |
| 05 | Muhammad Humayun Kabir Mullah Khasgazipuri | 2019–present |

## Economy and tourism

Bhedarganj mainly exports jute.
Notable places of interest in Bhedarganj include the Upazila Jame Mosque and the Kartikpur Zarina Trust Mosque, among the total 450 mosques in the upazila. The zamindar palace of Chhaygaon and the Anandabazar Embankment are also popular sites.

## Education

There are four colleges and a university in the upazila. They include Hazi Shariat Ullah College and M. A Reza Degree College. The only university of the district named Z.H. Sikder University of Science and Technology is situated in this upazila.
The Madrasa education system in the upazila includes one Fazil Madrasa.
Madrasas in Bhedarganj :
| Name | Headteacher/Principal | Notes |
| Gaidya MS Fazil (Degree) Madrasa | Alhaj Anwar Husayn |
| Char Kumaria Islamia Alim Madrasa | Abdur Rabb Hashimi |
| Rambhadrapur KI Alim Madrasa | Muhammad Abdus Samad |
| Sakhipur Sulaymania Islamia Dakhil Madrasa | AMS Harunur Rashid |
| Char Bhaga Shanikandi Qadi Muhammad Dakhil Madrasa | AMS Imdadullah |
| Alhaj Qadi Didar Bakhsh Dakhil Madrasa | Aminul Ihsan |
| Manua Ahl-e-Sunnah Dakhil Madrasa | Abdur Rabb |
| Baher Char Muhammadia Islamia Dakhil Madrasa | Najmul Hasan |
| Darul Faid Islamia Dakhil Madrasa | Muhammad Sharif Husayn |
| East Gaidya Nurali Madrasa and Orphanage | Abu Zafar | Established in 2014 |

## Notable people

* AKM Enamul Haque Shamim, Deputy Minister of Water Resources
* Parveen Haque Sikder, director of National Bank Limited
* Shamim Sikder, sculptor
* Siraj Sikder, revolutionary