Brahmanbaria Sadar Upazila (brahmanbaria district) with an area of 495.85 sq km, is bounded by sarail and nasirnagar upazilas on the north, akhaura, kasba and nabinagar upazilas on the south, madhabpur upazila and Tripura (India) on the east, bhairab and raipura upazilas on the west. Main rivers are meghna, Suinahair, Pagla and titas. Dhupajuri and Laishka Beels are notable.

Brahmanbaria (Town) consists of 12 wards and 34 mahallas. The area of the town is 30.82 sq km. It has a population of 131334; male 51.34%, female 48.66%. Literacy rate among the town people is 52.3%. Brahmanbaria town emerged in the nineteenth century. The tomb of Hazrat Syed Kazi Mahmud Shah (R) is located at Kazi Para. The town has one dakbangalow.

Administration Brahmanbaria thana was turned into an upazila in 1984. The upazila consists of one municipality, 4 wards, 27 union parishads, 378 mouzas and 398 villages.

Archaeological heritage and relics Kal Bhairab Mandir.

Historical events During the war of liberation stray encounters were held between the freedom fighters and the pak army in many places of the upazila. The pak army killed many people and set on fire many houses. The pak army killed 22 persons of the Rongile Family by firing at village Birpasha of Dhubanti Union.

Marks of the War of Liberation Memorial monument 3, memorial sculpture 1.

Population 659449; male 51.38%, female 48.62%; Muslim 91.11%, Hindu 8.68% and others 0.21%.

Religious institutions Mosque 275, temple 20, church 2, most noted of which are Younusia Jami Mosque and Kal Bhairab Mandir.

Literacy and educational institutions Average literacy 29.95%; male 36.2% and female 23.7%. Educational institutions: college 9, high school 46, madrasa 16, government primary school 175, non-government primary school 72. Noted educational institutions: Brahmanbaria Government College (1948), Annada Government High School (1875), Mission Primary School.

Cultural organisation Public library 1, theatre group 2, cinema hall 4, women's organisation 41, playground 38.

Locally published newspapers and periodicals Daily Brahmanbaria, Prajabandhu, Ajker Halchal, Titas Kantha and Dindarpan; extinct- Weekly, Usha, Titas and monthly Hira, Mandas and Parichaya.

Main occupations Agriculture 42.84%, agricultural labourer 12.88%, wage labourer 3.51%, commerce 14.32%, service 8.55%, fishing 1.64%, transport 3.28%, construction work 1.39% and others 13.23%.

Land use Total cultivable land 38262.65 hectares; fallow land 595.31 hectares; single crop 32%, double crop 47% and treble crop land 21%; land under irrigation 91%.

Land control Among the peasants 24% are landless, 46% small, 20% intermediate and 10% rich; cultivable land per head 0.06 hectare.

Value of land The market value of the land of the first grade is Tk. 5000 per 0.01 hectare.

Main crops Paddy, jute, wheat, potato, onion, mustard seed.

Extinct or nearly extinct crops Sugarcane, kakrol, matar, keora and dhunda.

Main fruits Mango, jackfruit, litchi, papaya, guava and banana.

Fisheries, dairies, poultries Poultries 15, fisheries 14 and nursery 17.

Communication facilities Roads: pucca road 102.30 km and mud road 205 km; Dhaka-Chittagong Sylhet railway passes through Brahmanbaria, length of railway 41.66 km.

Traditional transport Palanquin (extinct), horse carriage and bullock cart (nearly extinct).

Manufactories Fertiliser factory, rice mill, flour mill, oil mill, ice factory, saw mill, printing press, welding, etc.

Cottage industries Weaving, bamboo and cane work, goldsmith, blacksmith, wood work, potteries and tailoring.

Hats, bazars and fairs Total number of hats and bazars are 45, most noted of which are Ananda Bazar, Jagat Bazar, Faruqui Bazar, satbarga and Suhilpur.

Main exports Jute, paddy, wheat and natural gas.

NGO activities Operationally important NGOs are asa, brac, proshika.

Health centres Upazila health complex 1, health and family welfare centre 20, union family planning clinic 5, maternity and child welfare centre 1, satellite clinic 3. [Mahabubur Rahman]