Kanaighat Upazila


Kanaighat is an Upazila of Sylhet District in the Division of Sylhet, Bangladesh.

History

On 23 March 1922, the Kanaighater Larai took place. The Kanaighat madrasa was to hold their annual jalsa on this day but the British Raj imposed on a ban on the jalsa and declared Section 144 throughout Kanaighat. The jalsa organisers were angered by this ban and violated Section 144, and led a mob to attack the British commissioners. The British were able to conduct a swift victory, by using their guns to kill six people and injure 38 people.
During the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971, the Pakistani Army teamed up with Razakars to do a mass killing in Maligram and Gouripur.

Geography

Kanaighat is located at . It has 29568 households and total area 412.25 km².

Demographics

At the 2001 Bangladesh census, Kanaighat had a population of about 2,50,000. Males constituted 50.49% of the population, and females 49.51%. The population of those aged 18 and older was 85,855. Kanaighat had an average literacy rate of 62%. Religions: Muslim 95%, Hindu 4.10%, Christian 0.2%, and tribal 0.3%.

Administration

Kanaighat has 1 municipality, 9 Unions/Wards, 252 Mauzas/Mahallas, and 288 villages. The unions are: