Islampur Upazila

Islampur (ইসলামপুর) is the most sparsely populated upazila of the Jamalpur District, located in the Mymensingh Division of Bangladesh.

Geography
Islampur is located at 25.0833°N, 89.7917°W. It lies between the Brahmaputra and Jamuna rivers. Islampur has 74,963 households and total area 353.31 km2.

History
Islampur was historically part of the Patiladaha pargana. A Sufi saint by the name of Islam Shah was said to have spread Islam to this area, and the area was visited by the Mughal governor of Bengal Islam Khan Chishti in the 17th century. Eventually, a mouza by the name of Islampur was established here, and after that a bazaar known as Islampur Bazar. The dargahs of Shah Kamal in Durmut and Ita Pir are still preserved to this day. In 1831, the Nurul Huda Alim Madrasa was founded in Dengargarh, Islampur which was a leading institution facilitating the education of Islampuris. During the English period, a cutchery was built south of the Sadar road and west of the present Islampur Government College which was used for government purposes. This upazila is associated with the history of indigo cultivation and the atrocities of the indigo lords during the English period. In 1914, a thana was established in Islampur. Palbandha Union is one and a half miles away from the upazila headquarters. The tyrannical Nilkar Sahibs forced the cultivators to cultivate indigo in the 266 acres of land of this union and surrounding vast farmlands. This area had the most indigo cultivation in the entire region of Greater Mymensingh. Remains of indigo kilns and traces of indigo preparation tools still exist to this day.

On 27 April 1971, the Pakistan Army entered Islampur and killed 30 freedom fighters. It was liberated by the freedom fighters on 7 December. On 3 November 1983, the status of Islampur Thana was upgraded to upazila (sub-district) as part of the President of Bangladesh Hussain Muhammad Ershad's decentralisation programme. The Islampur municipality was founded in 1998, and it was upgraded from C-class to B-class in 2011.

Economy
The reputation of Islampur's copper and wrought metal industry was spread across the country and abroad. The workers here were skilled in the preparation of various shapes and natures of bronze plates, bowls, glasses, cups, drinking bowls, surmadanis, atardanis, lamps, censers, khat-palanka khuras, pitchers, jugs, bronze bells, knife-sword butts, etc. There is a legend in this regard that even an ant could not climb over the edge of the glass for the sweet food in Islampuri smooth glass. Apart from this, Islampur's big eggplant and sugarcane molasses are famous all over the country.

Facilities
Islampur has four orphanages; Ashraful Uloom Madrasa Orphanage, Dariabad Shishu Sadan Orphanage, Sirajabad Farazipara Orphanage and Mohammadpur Womens Hefzkhana Orphanage.

Demographics
According to the 2011 Bangladesh census, Islampur Upazila had 74,963 households and a population of 298,429. 81,951 (27.46%) were under 10 years of age. Islampur had a literacy rate (age 7 and over) of 30.06%, compared to the national average of 51.8%, and a sex ratio of 1010 females per 1000 males. 38,568 (12.92%) lived in urban areas.

According to the 2011 Bangladesh census, Islampur Upazila had 74,963 households and a population of 298,429, 12.9% of whom lived in urban areas. 12.2% of the population was under the age of 5. The literacy rate (age 7 and over) was 30.1%, compared to the national average of 51.8%.

Points of interest
1. Jamuna River Bank (Guthail Bazar) 2.kasharipara/pottery area,Dariabad,Islampur 3. Brahmaptra river side, Ambaria, Islampur 4. Debraipach Bridge 5.Sheikh Hasina Institute of Health and Tecnology 6.Model Mosque

Administration
Islampur, formed as a Thana in 1914, was turned into an upazila in 1983.

Islampur Upazila is divided into Islampur Municipality and 12 union parishads: Belghacha, Char Gualini, Char Putimari, Chinaduli, Gaibandha, Gualerchar, Islampur, Kulkandi, Noarpara, Palabandha, Partharshi, and Shapdari. The union parishads are subdivided into 58 mauzas and 130 villages.

Notable people

 * Abdul Jabbar Palwan (1895–1976), former MLA
 * Hasan Hafizur Rahman (1932–1983), author
 * Khaled Mosharraf (1937–1975), former Chief of Army Staff
 * ABM Abdullah (born 1954), personal physician of the Prime Minister
 * Rashed Mosharraf (died 2011), former Land Minister and president of Krishak League
 * Faridul Haq Khan (born 1956), Minister of Religious Affairs
 * Ashraf Ud-Doullah Pahloan (died 2002), former Member of Parliament
 * A. S. Mohammad Abdul Halim, former Cabinet Secretary
 * Sultan Mahmud Babu, former Member of Parliament

Education
Major educational institutes in the upazila include the following:-

1. Mahalgiri Sarkar Para Islamia Dakhil Madrasah.

2. Saverchar V.S.A Darusunnah Dakhil Madrasah

3. Guthail Sinior Alim Madrasha

4. Al Hera Ideal Academy

5. Ghaibandha Shurujjhan High School

6. Shajeda Mahmud High School

7. Morakandi Nosimon Nesa Dakhil Madrasha

8.Ashraful Ulum Madrasah

9. Kulkandi shamsunnahar High School

10. Islampur Nekjahan Pilot Model High school

11. Islampur Gov. University College

12. Islampur JJKM Girls School and College

13. Protiva Kinder Garten School

14. Surjomukhi Bidapith School

15. Islampur M.A. Samad Parvez Mohila Degree College

16. Guthail High School and College