Lauhajang Thana with an area of 130.12 sq km, is bounded by Sreenagar and Sirajdikhan upazilas on the north, Zanjira upazila on the south, Tongibari upazila on the east, Shibchar upazila on the west. The upazila often becomes a victim to the erosion of the terrible Padma.

Lauhajang (Town) consists of three mouzas. It has an area of 3.82 sq km. It has a population of 11683; male 52.24%, female 47.76%; literacy rate among the town people is 43%.

Administration Lohajang thana was established in 1916 and was turned into an upazila in 1983. It consists of 12 union parishads, 115 mouzas and 134 villages.

Historical events During the War of Liberation in 1971 the local freedom fighters launched a surprised attack on the camp of the Pak army at the police station of Lohajang on 14 April at dead of night and captured huge amount of arms and ammunition. The police station was set on fire by the freedom fighters. In the month of November a battalion of Pak army while passing through the Sreenagar-Lohajang canal were suddenly attacked by the freedom fighters. The skirmish that followed continued for about twenty minutes with heavy casualty on the side of the Pak army and the Razakars. The Pak army silently evacuated their camp at Lohajang at dead of night. Lohajang was thus liberated from the occupation army on 30 November.

Population 153,433; Male 50.07%, Female 49.93%; Muslim 91.26%, Hindu 8.58%, others 0.16%.

Religious institutions Mosque 220, temple 10, mazar (tomb) 4. Notable institutions: Ghordaur Jami Mosque, Satgharia Mosque, Society Jami Mosque, Hat Bhogdia Jami Mosque, Malir Anka Jami Mosque, Bejgaon Kali Mandir, Kanaksar Durga Mandir, Tomb of Kadam Shah.

Literacy and educational institutions Average literacy 37.1%; male 40%, female 34.2%. Educational institutions: college 2, high school 12, technical institute 2, madrasa 5, primary school (government) 66, (non-government) 5, kindergarten 5. Old institutions: Lauhajang Pilot High School (1885), Kazir Pagla A T Institution (1901), Kalma L K High School (1901), Brahmangaon Multilateral High School (1902), Bat-tali Primary School (1870), Kalma Primary School (1885), Kazirgaon Primary School (1895).

Cultural organisations Public library 10, press club 1, rural club 45, welfare association 4, women's association 5, cinema hall 1, playground 20.

Main occupations Agriculture 21.93%, agricultural labourer 19.25%, wage labourer 2.2%, fishing 2.75%, hawker 2.87%, construction 1.41%, commerce 27.83%, service 8.29%, transport 7%, others 13.47%.

Land use Cultivable land 5,070 hectares, fallow land 125 hectares; single crop 10.15%, double crop 87.94% and triple crop land 1.91%. Cultivable land under irrigation 80%.

Land control Among the peasants 50% are landless, 39% small peasant, 8% intermediate, 3% rich; cultivable land per head 0.033 hectare.

Value of land The market value of the first grade arable land is Tk 10000 per 0.01 hectare.

Main crops Rice, potato, jute, mustard, wheat, gram (boot), pea, sesame, sugarcane, coriander seed, pepper.

Extinct and nearly extinct crops Kaun, melon, balsam apple.

Main fruits Mango, banana, papaya, guava, pomegranate.

Fisheries poultries and dairies Fishery 5, livestock 59, poultry 25.

Communication facilities Roads: pucca 20 km, semi pucca 10 km, mud road 395 km, waterways 32 nautical mile.

Traditional transport Boat, horse carriage (nearly extinct), palanquin (extinct).

Cottage industries Weaving 15, copper and bell-metal work 50, welding 5, bidi (cigarette) factory 2, goldsmith 155, blacksmith 25, potteries 20, carpenter 50, tailor 150.

Hats, bazars and fairs Hats and bazars are 20, fairs 3.

Main exports Potato, jute, copper and bell-metal utensil, bamboo and cane items.

NGO activities Operationally important NGOs are caritas, brac, proshika, CARE, grameen bank.

Health centres Upazila health complex 1, satellite 4, family planning centre 8.

Page last update 01-07-2005 @ 1200 GMT