Kalatia

Kalatia
কলাতিয়া
Union parishad
CountryBangladesh
DivisionDhaka
DistrictDhaka
UpazilaKeraniganj
Area
 • Total
17.39 km2 (6.71 sq mi)
Population
 (2022)
 • Total
47,012
Websitekalatiaup.dhaka.gov.bd

Kalatia (কলাতিয়া) is a union parishad in Keraniganj Upazila, Dhaka District, Bangladesh.

Geography

Kalatia Union is situated in Keraniganj Upazila in the southwestern part of Dhaka District. It forms part of the low-lying riverine landscape of the southern Dhaka region, which is characterised by waterways, agricultural land and settlements.

Kalatia covers 4,297 acres, equivalent to approximately 17.39 square kilometres (6.72 sq mi), based on the area figures published in Banglapedia.

The union's geographical features include the Kalatia Canal and several smaller water bodies. The Nazirpur–Nawkhola Lake area is among its locally recognised recreational locations.

Administration

Kalatia is one of the 12 union parishads of Keraniganj Upazila. It is administered by an elected union parishad responsible for local government services and development activities.

Demographics

The 2022 Bangladesh census recorded a population of 47,012 people and 13,221 households in Kalatia Union.

History

Kalatia has a history as a settlement and commercial centre in the Keraniganj region. The 1912 Eastern Bengal and Assam District Gazetteers: Dacca, compiled by B. C. Allen, listed Kalatia among the bazaars of Keraniganj thana and marked it as an important permanent centre of trade.

Colonial period

The Bhawal Raja maintained a kachari, or estate administrative office, at Kalatia Bazar. A historical report published by The Business Standard also mentions the remains of an indigo factory, locally known as a neel kuthi, in the area. The precise construction date and ownership of the factory have not been established in the available sources.

In Akchail, a residence associated with the Gagan and Ratan families is known as Khan Sahib's House or Shamsuddin Kunja. It was owned by Shamsuddin Ahmed, who reportedly received the title Khan Sahib from the British authorities in 1935. His family later became associated with local political and social activities.

Liberation War

During the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971, the residence of the Gagan–Ratan family in Akchail served as a shelter and meeting place for political leaders. Captain Mahfuz Alam Beg took shelter there in early March 1971 and organised military training for local youths, as reported by The Business Standard.

Following the Pakistani military crackdown on 25 March, several political and student leaders took shelter at the house before travelling towards India. Those mentioned in the historical account include Tajuddin Ahmad, Captain Mansur Ali, Abdur Razzaq, Tofail Ahmed, Serajul Alam Khan, Shahjahan Siraj, A. S. M. Abdur Rab and Nur-e-Alam Siddique. Borhanuddin Ahmed Gagan later became associated with the command of the Mujib Bahini in the greater Dhaka area.

Kalatia Canal

The Kalatia Canal is an important historic waterway in the area. A report published by Prothom Alo described the canal as approximately 15 kilometres long and around 300 years old. It historically connected the Buriganga River with the Dhaleshwari River and supported boat transportation and local commerce.

The canal was used to transport agricultural products and passengers between settlements in Keraniganj and markets in Dhaka. It has faced problems including encroachment, waste disposal and declining water flow. The report also identified sluice gates around Nimtali, Nazirpur, Mithapur, Bhawal and Akchail.

Economy

Agriculture, local trade and small businesses contribute to the economy of Kalatia. Kalatia Bazar is a traditional marketplace serving residents of the union and surrounding settlements. The historic canal also supported the movement of agricultural goods between the area and Dhaka.

Education

Kalatia has schools, colleges, primary schools and religious educational institutions. The official union parishad education directory lists institutions including:

Places of interest

Nazirpur–Nawkhola Lake

Nazirpur–Nawkhola Lake, also locally referred to as Nazirpur Lake or Nawkhola Lake, is a water body and recreational location in Kalatia Union. The names refer to the same lake area. Prothom Alo has described it as a scenic location in Kalatia, with surrounding natural scenery and nearby attractions.

Kalatia Bazar

Kalatia Bazar is a traditional marketplace and commercial centre serving the union and nearby settlements. It was listed as an important permanent trading centre in the 1912 Dacca District Gazetteer.

Khan Sahib's House

Khan Sahib's House, also associated with the Gagan–Ratan family, is a historic residence in Akchail. The house is connected with Shamsuddin Ahmed and accounts of political meetings and training activities before and during the 1971 Liberation War.

Kalatia Canal

The Kalatia Canal is a historic waterway connecting the Buriganga and Dhaleshwari river systems. It is a notable geographical and historical feature of the union.

Culture

Kalatia has a documented history of local theatre and cultural activities. The Kalatia Dramatic Club was active during the early twentieth century.

Filmmaker and screenwriter Nabendu Ghosh had an ancestral family home in Kalatia and spent part of his childhood visiting the village. In his memoir, translated by his daughter Ratnottama Sengupta, he recalled returning to the village during Durga Puja and participating in a theatrical production of Karnarjun in 1926. The play was directed by Jagadish Saha of the Kalatiya Dramatic Club.

Notable people

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Keraniganj Upazila". Banglapedia. Retrieved 1 November 2026.
  2. 1 2 Population and Housing Census 2022: District Report – Dhaka (PDF) (Report). Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics. 2024. Retrieved 1 November 2026.
  3. 1 2 "Kalatia Union Parishad". Government of Bangladesh. Retrieved 1 November 2026.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Shafiq, Saleh (16 December 2022). "কেরানীগঞ্জের যে বাড়িতে মুক্তিযোদ্ধাদের ট্রেনিং শুরু হয়েছিল আগে থেকেই". The Business Standard (in Bengali). Retrieved 1 November 2026.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 "দখল-দূষণের কবলে কলাতিয়া খাল". প্রথম আলো (in Bengali). 24 December 2017. Retrieved 1 November 2026.
  6. 1 2 3 Allen, B. C. (1912). Eastern Bengal and Assam District Gazetteers: Dacca (PDF). Allahabad: Pioneer Press. pp. 116–117. Retrieved 1 November 2026.
  7. 1 2 3 "Why you need to know about the house of Gagan-Ratan". The Business Standard. 26 March 2021. Retrieved 1 November 2026.
  8. ↑ "Educational Institutions". Kalatia Union Parishad. Retrieved 1 November 2026.
  9. ↑ "কলাতিয়া নাজিরপুর নাওখোলা লেক". প্রথম আলো (in Bengali). Retrieved 1 November 2026.
  10. 1 2 "Why Dance? I Had No Answer to That: Nabendu Ghosh, translated by Ratnottama Sengupta". Learning and Creativity. Retrieved 1 November 2026.
  11. ↑ "Foundation Profile". Gyantapas Abdur Razzaq Foundation. Retrieved 1 November 2026.
  12. ↑ "প্রবীণ সাংবাদিক হাসানুজ্জামান খান আর নেই". NewsBangladesh (in Bengali). Retrieved 1 November 2026.
  13. ↑ "Journalist Hasanuzzaman passes away". The Daily Star. 19 May 2015. Retrieved 1 November 2026.
  14. ↑ "7th Place Play-off: Pakistan Under-19s vs Bangladesh Under-19s". Pakistan Cricket Board. 24 August 2012. Retrieved 2 November 2026.