Meherpur District
District of Bangladesh
Native nameমেহেরপুর জেলা
Coordinates23.75°N 88.7°E
CountryBangladesh
DivisionKhulna
HeadquartersMeherpur
Deputy CommissionerSyed Enamul Kabir
Area total741.62 km²
Population total705356
Population as of2022
Population demonymMeherpuri
Time zoneBST (UTC+06:00)
Postal code7100
Websitemeherpur.gov.bd
Area code0791
Iso codeBD-39
HDI (2019)0.644[1]
medium · 5th of 20

Meherpur District (Bengali: মেহেরপুর জেলা) is a northwestern district of Khulna Division in southwestern Bangladesh. It is bordered by West Bengal, India in the west, and by the Bangladeshi districts of Kushtia and Chuadanga to the east.[2] Pre-independence Meherpur was a subdivision of Nadia district[3] including (Karimpur and Tehatta thana). The district has an area of 716.08 square kilometres (276.48 sq mi).

History

According to the district website, the district is conjecturally named after the 16th century dervish Meher Ali Shah.[4]

The Provisional Government of Bangladesh was formed and solemnly sworn in Meherpur's Baidyanathtala village (later renamed as Mujibnagar), on 17 April 1971 under the leadership of Tajuddin Ahmed and Syed Nazrul Islam. The entire proclamation ceremony was organised by local leaders under the supervision of Momeen Chowdhury and MM Rustom Ali.[5] Meherpur became a district in 1983 under CMLA Hussain Muhammad Ershad's decentralization programme.[5]

Demographics

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1974325,314—
1981401,727+23.5%
1991491,917+22.5%
2001591,436+20.2%
2011655,392+10.8%
2022705,356+7.6%

Sources:[6][7]

According to the 2022 Census of Bangladesh, Meherpur District had 195,322 households and a population of 705,356 with an average 3.59 people per household. Among the population, 104,284 (14.78%) inhabitants were under 10 years of age. The population density was 951 people per km2. Meherpur District had a literacy rate (age 7 and over) of 68.14%, compared to the national average of 74.80%, and a sex ratio of 1074 females per 1000 males. Approximately, 22.53% of the population lived in urban areas. The ethnic population was 161.[6]

Religion in present-day Meherpur District
Religion1941[8]: 84–85[a]1981[7]1991[7]2001[7]2011[7]2022[6]
Pop.%Pop.%Pop.%Pop.%Pop.%Pop.%
Islam109,44370.94%389,09496.86%479,65497.51%576,96297.55%640,75197.77%690,34997.87%
Hinduism41,48726.89%6,5691.64%6,2991.28%6,7791.15%7,8701.20%8,4971.20%
Christianity3,1042.01%5,8571.46%5,8021.18%7,3891.25%6,6271.01%6,4780.92%
Others [b]2400.16%2070.04%1620.03%3060.05%1440.02%320.01%
Total Population154,274100%401,727100%491,917100%591,436100%655,392100%705,356100%

In 2022, Muslims formed 97.87% of the population, Hindus 1.20%, and Christians 0.92%. Other religions were 0.01%.

Upazilas

Economy

Main sources of income: Agriculture 68.95%, non-agricultural labourer 3.24%, industry 0.87%, commerce 13.83%, transport and communication 2.21%, service 3.81%, construction 1.03%, religious service 0.14%, rent and remittance 0.59% and others 5.33%.[2]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Meherpur and Gangani thanas of Nadia district
  2. ^ Including Jainism, Christianity, Buddhism, Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Ad-Dharmis, or not stated

References

  1. ^ "Sub-national HDI - Area Database". Global Data Lab. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  2. ^ Md Abu Hasan Farooque. "Meherpur District"
  3. ^ "Nadia keeps a date with history". The Times of India. Aug 19, 2011. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
  4. ^ "Meherpur District" (in Bengali). Bangladesh National Portal. Retrieved 2025-12-21.
  5. ^ "Proclamation of Independence"
  6. ^ Population and Housing Census 2022 National Report. Vol. 1. Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics. November 2023.
  7. ^ "Bangladesh Population and Housing Census 2011 Zila Report – Meherpur". Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics
  8. ^ "Census of India, 1941 Volume VI Bengal Province". Retrieved 13 August 2022.