Araihazar Upazila

Araihazar (আড়াইহাজার) is an upazila (sub-district) of the Narayanganj District in Bangladesh, part of the Dhaka Division.

Etymology
Araihazar is named after the leftover 2,500 Mughal soldiers of Man Singh I that fought with Isa Khan in the 17th century. The word for "two thousand and five hundred" in Bangla is "Araihazar" (আড়াইহাজার romanised: Araihajar), hence the name.

History
In 1921, a thana (police outpost administrative headquarters) was established in Araihazar, under the former Dhaka district. Araihazar Thana's status was upgraded to upazila (sub-district) in 1983 as part of the President of Bangladesh Hussain Muhammad Ershad's decentralisation programme.

Geography
Araihazar is located at 23.7917°N, 90.65°W. It has 77,462 households and total area 181.07 km$2$.

Demographics
According to the 2011 Bangladesh census, Araihazar Upazila had 77,462 households and a population of 376,550. 96,076 (25.51%) were under 10 years of age. Araihazar had a literacy rate (age 7 and over) of 41.0%, compared to the national average of 51.8%, and a sex ratio of 999 females per 1000 males. 14,423 (3.83%) lived in urban areas.

As of the 2001 Bangladesh census, Araihazar has a population of 331566. Males constitute 51.75% of the population, and females 48.25%. This Upazila's eighteen up population is 142883. Araihazar has an average literacy rate of 32% (7+ years), and the national average of 32.4% literate.

Administration
Araihazar Upazila is divided into Araihazar Municipality, Gopaldi Municipality, and ten union parishads: Bishnandi, Brahmmandi, Duptara, Fatepur, Highjadi, Kalapaharia, Kagkanda, Mahmudpur, Satgram, and Uchitpur.