# Jamalpur District

Jamalpur District (Bengali: জামালপুর জেলা) is a district in Bangladesh, part of the Mymensingh Division. It was established in 1978. It has its headquarters in Jamalpur.

## Etymology

The district is named for its headquarters, Jamalpur. Jamalpur is named similarly to Shah Jamal, a Sufi saint from Yemen who came to spread Islam in the region during the reign of Akbar. The previous name was Singhjani.

## Geography

Spanning an area of 2115.16 km$^2$, Jamalpur is located between 24°34' and 25°26' North and between 89°40' and 90°12' East. It shares an international border with the Indian state of Meghalaya in the North East. It is surrounded by Kurigram and Sherpur districts in the North, Tangail district in the South, Mymensingh and Sherpur districts in the East, Jamuna River, Bogura, Sirajganj and Gaibandha districts in the West. The main town is situated on the bank of the river Brahmaputra, 140 kilometres (87 mi) north of Dhaka, the national capital.
Main rivers and bodies of water include the Old Brahmaputra, Banar River, Kaiser Beel Kaludaga Lake, Bamonji Beel, Chatal Beel, Roumari Beel etc. The Old Brahmaputra begins in the district as a distributary of the Jamuna. It flows south and then east through the district, passing through the town of Jamalpur. The Jamuna forms the western border of the district, and many of the chars are included in the region.
Small hills once existed in the South-West of the district that were part of the Madhupur tract. The hills were covered with Sal Forests. Currently, no such forests or hills exist as they were destroyed due to population growth. Today, there are people living where the small hills once stood. There are some hills and forests still remaining in the North of the district by the border with the Indian State of Meghalaya and it is one of the only places in North-Eastern Bangladesh where elephants are still found.

## History

The district was previously known as Shinghajani. The most notable historical events include the Fakir-Sannyasi Rebellion (1772–1790), the Indigo Resistance Movement (1829), Famine (1874), the advent of rail transport (1899), and the Bangladesh War of Separation in 1971.
The district used to be very famous and important in the past for its Bahadurabad Ferry Ghat. Ferries with trains used to cross the Jamuna River, going from Bahadurabad, Jamalpur to Tistamukh Ghat, Gaibandha. The Rail-Ferry System closed after the construction of Jamuna Bridge finished.

### War of Liberation

On June 21, 1971, the Pakistan army, in collaboration with local Razakars, killed 9 people at the Shashan Ghat (cremation center) at Jamalpur Sadar Upazila on the bank of the Brahmaputra. pro-separation Bengali fighters and the Pakistani army on July 31 fought at Kamalpur, Pakistani Army Base of Bakshiganj Upazila, with heavy losses to the Pakistan army. In this battle, numerous fighters including Capt. Salauddin Mumtaz, Ahaduzzaman, Abul Kalam Azad were killed. A battle was fought between Bengali troops under Sector Commander Colonel Abu Taher and the Pakistani army on November 13 at Kamalpur of Bakshiganj Upazila. Taher was seriously wounded.
The small Pakistani military base at Kamalpur fell on December 4, following a heavy attack by rebels lasting 21 days. In this battle, 220 Pakistani soldiers under the command of Captain Ahsan Malik surrendered.
The Jamalpur garrison was commanded by Sultan Ahmed. He earned renown among the Pakistanis when he refused to surrender to the Indian commander, Hardev Kler, telling him to use a sten, not a pen. This front, together with the Rangpur-Bogra front further west, was the only front where Pakistani troops held out during the war. However, on December 10, 1971, they were ordered to withdraw to Dhaka. During this retreat their commander Abdul-Qadir Niazi fell into enemy custody, giving the Bangladeshis and Indians a morale boost.

## Economy

Jamalpur is a market center for local rice, sugarcane, jute, tobacco and mustard. The town's main exports are jute, tobacco, mustard seed, peanut, leather, egg, pulse, betel leaf, and handicrafts. Making nakshi kantha (embroidered quilts) is a traditional occupation. An economic zone is established in Jamalpur by BEZA. The objective of this project is to attract foreign and local investment to industrialize the country for export promotion and to meet the requirements of local areas that lead to employment generation and economic development of the country.

## Transport

The district is connected by road, rail, and river with Dhaka and the rest of the country. It has a railway station and three Dak bungalows.

## Demographics

According to the 2022 Census of Bangladesh, Jamalpur District had 652,047 households and a population of 2,499,738 with an average 3.81 people per household. Among the population, 476,607 (19.06%) inhabitants were under 10 years of age. The population density was 1,182 people per km$^2$. Jamalpur District had a literacy rate (age 7 and over) of 61.70%, compared to the national average of 74.80%, and a sex ratio of 1055 females per 1000 males. Approximately, 26.02% (650,493) of the population lived in urban areas. The ethnic population was 1,222.
Religion in Jamalpur District (2022) :
| Religion | Religion | Percent | Percent |
| Islam | Islam | 98.36% | 98.36% |
| Hinduism | Hinduism | 1.59% | 1.59% |
| Others | Others | 0.05% | 0.05% |
Religion in present-day Jamalpur District :
| Religion | 1941$^{:98–99}$ | 1941$^{:98–99}$ | 1981 | 1981 | 1991 | 1991 | 2001 | 2001 | 2011 | 2011 | 2022 | 2022 |
| Religion | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % |
| Islam | 623,904 | 87.86% | 1,494,818 | 97.65% | 1,832,573 | 97.77% | 2,067,685 | 98.12% | 2,252,181 | 98.23% | 2,458,714 | 98.36% |
| Hinduism | 85,310 | 12.01% | 34,141 | 2.23% | 36,947 | 1.97% | 37,449 | 1.78% | 38,832 | 1.69% | 39,827 | 1.59% |
| Others | 897 | 0.13% | 1,871 | 0.12% | 4,920 | 0.26% | 2,095 | 0.10% | 1,661 | 0.08% | 1,197 | 0.05% |
| Total Population | 710,111 | 100% | 1,530,830 | 100% | 1,874,440 | 100% | 2,107,229 | 100% | 2,292,674 | 100% | 2,499,738 | 100% |
Jamalpur district has the highest percentage of Muslims relative to the total population of any district in Bangladesh. A majority of Hindus are found in urban areas. There are around 1,000 Christians, mainly Garo, living mainly in Bakshiganj Upazila.

## Subdistricts

The district is divided into seven upazilas:
* Dewanganj Upazila
* Baksiganj Upazila
* Islampur Upazila
* Jamalpur Sadar Upazila
* Madarganj Upazila
* Melandaha Upazila
* Sarishabari Upazila

## Culture

Folk music is popular in the district. Popular songs include "Gunaibibir Gan", "Jari Gan of Khairun", "Palagan of Rupvan", "Panchali", "Ghetu Gan" and "Meyeli geet" (songs sung by women on the occasion of marriage and Gaye Holud festivals). In the rural areas, various games and sports are practiced. These competitions include bullfights, horse racing, Moi (ladder) race, and Lathi Khela (stick game). During the rainy season, boat races are arranged in the Jamuna river. The Garo community perform dances at the 'Bigan Gala' festival.

## Notable people

* Nazrul Islam Babu, lyricist
* Khaled Mosharraf, pro-independence fighter and sector commander of Bangladesh War of Separation
* Amjad Hossain, filmmaker, actor, and writer
* Abdullah al Mamun, actor and producer
* Anwar Hossain (actor), film actor
* Abdus Salam Talukder, founder general secretary of Bangladesh Nationalist Party and former LGRD Minister of Bangladesh
* Rashed Mosharraf, former central president of Bangladesh Krishak League and state minister for Land of Bangladesh
* Abul Kalam Azad, former Information Minister
* Abul Kalam Azad, former Principal Secretary of Prime Minister
* Monwar Hossain Nannu, former footballer
* Mirza Azam, MP and former central general secretary of Bangladesh Awami Jubo League and state minister for Jute and Textile of Bangladesh
* Meher Afroz Shaon, actress, director and architect
* Anwarul Kabir Talukdar, former MP and state minister for LGRD of Bangladesh
* Shamsul Alam Manju, former footballer
* Sirajul Islam, former MP and deputy health minister of Bangladesh
* ABM Abdullah, physician and academic
* Hasan Hafizur Rahman, poet
* Atiur Rahman, economist and former Governor of Bangladesh Bank
* Mahmudul Hasan Sohag, founder of Rokomari.com