Maheshpur Upazila

Maheshpur Upazila (মহেশপুর উপজেলা) is a part of Jhenaidah District in the Khulna Division of Bangladesh.

Geography
Maheshpur Upazila has 12 unions, namely: SBK, Fotepur, Pantapara, Shoruppur, Shamkur, Nepa, Kajirber, Bashbaria, Jadoppur, Natima, Mandarbaria and Ajompur. Maheshpur (Town) consists of 9 wards and 14 mahallas. Maheshpur thana was turned into an upazila in 1983.

Maheshpur Upazila shares borders with North 24 Parganas district in West Bengal, India and Chaugachha upazila of Jessore district to the south, Nadia district of West Bengal, India to the west, Jibannagar Upazila of Chuadanga district to the north, and Kotchandpur upazila to the east.

The main river flowing through this upazila is the Kapotakkho Nod.

Maheshpur is located at 23.35°N, 88.9125°W. It has 79,761 households and total area 417.85 km2.

Demographics
As of the 2011 Bangladesh census, Maheshpur upazila had 79,761 households and a population of 332,514. 66,939 (20.13%) were under 10 years of age. Maheshpur had an average literacy rate of 44.79%, compared to the national average of 51.8%, and a sex ratio of 1000 females per 1000 males. 27,670 (8.32%) of the population lived in urban areas.

The area of the town is 11.47 km2. The town has a population of 26,473; male 51.26% and female 48.74%;

Administration
Maheshpur Upazila is divided into Maheshpur Municipality and 12 union parishads: Azampur, Banshbaria, Fatepur, Jadabpur, Kazirber, Manderbaria, Natima, Nepa, Panthapara, S.B.K., Shyamkur, and Swaruppur. The union parishads are subdivided into 150 mouzas and 196 villages.

Maheshpur Municipality is subdivided into 9 wards and 16 mahallas.

Education
Maheshpur also has the following educational institutions:


 * Mohespur Govt. Degree College: Maheshpur Gov. Degree College is one of the oldest colleges in Maheshpur. Maheshpur Gov. Degree College was founded in 1985. It is the oldest and one of the most famous educational institutions in Maheshpur Upazila.
 * Bir Sherstha Shahid Hamidur Rahman Govt. College, Khalish Pur Bazar. This college was founded in 2000. It has one of the best reputations among Moheshpur Upazila colleges.
 * Shohidul Islam degree college, Voiroba, Maheshpur, Jhenaidah.
 * Moheshpur Gov. Pilot Model High School, Maheshpur, Jhenaidah. It is the oldest high school in this police station area. It was established in 1863. The students of Moheshpur Gov. Pilot Model High School feel pride to recollect their past.
 * K.B.S. Secondary School, Kanchonpur, Maheshpur, Jhenaidah
 * Samonta High School, Maheshpur, Jhenaidah.
 * Samonta Dhakhil Madrasa, Maheshpur, Jhenaidah. It is the oldest Madrasa in Maheshpur.
 * Voiroba Senior Madrasa, Voiroba, Maheshpur, Jhenaidah.

Notable residents

 * Hamidur Rahman, a sepoy awarded the Bir Sreshtho (the highest military award of Bangladesh), was born at Khorda Khalishpur village in 1953. The village was renamed Hamid Nagar in his honour.