Narail (Bengali: নড়াইল pron:nɔɽail) is a district in south-western Bangladesh. It is a part of Khulna Division.
Narail town was named after a feudal lord (a zamindar). The zamindars established a market at Roopgonj, also named after a zamindar. They established a post office for the first time in the district during British Raj near Rotongonj, named after another member of the feudal lord family. They modernised Narail, and promoted culture, sports and education.
The large playing field, Kuriddobe, was a gift of the feudal lord's family. They introduced football competition, with a shield given to the champions, a cup to the runners-up, and medals to all players from the early twentieth century.
One of the feudal lords moved away from Narail, settled in Hatbaria, and established another large manor (Jomidarbaari).
Narail District has an area of 990.23 square kilometres (382.33 sq mi). It is located to the south of Magura District, north of Khulna District, with the Faridpur District and Gopalganj District on the east, and Jessore District to the west.
Its average temperature ranges between 11.2C and 37.1C and has a yearly rainfall of 1467 mm.
Through the district flow the Madhumati, Nabaganga, Bhairab, and Chitra rivers. There are many beels and baors, the most noted of which is Chachuri Beel.
Land area:
The district of Narail has 1675 mosques, 248 temples, four churches, seven tombs and 11 shrines.
The Radha Raman Smriti Tirtha Mandir, founded by Shri Tribhanga Brahmachary (Babaji of Shri Shri Bhagvat Sevashram Sangh) at Debbhog is a prominent place to visit, as are Nishinath Tola in Rupganj and Lakkhipasha Thakurbari.
Narail Victoria College and Collegiate School is one of the oldest modern high schools in Bangladesh, established in 1858 by the landlords of Narail who were proponents of education. They also established a girls' school, a rarity in Bangladesh at that time. This was the Shib Shankar Memorial Girls' School. This school closed down due to lack of funding after they left East Pakistan for India. It was reopened by some local enthusiasts, like J. Bhattacharjee, S. Biswas and B. Bhowmic. They borrowed furnishings from the neighbours. They went house to houses soliciting parents to send their children to the school.
Narail Palace was one of the biggest landlord mansions in Bengal. When the Hindu landlords left East Pakistan for Kolkata after the partition of India, the mansion was looted and vandalised, and gradually collapsed. There are still some remains present, including the Kaalibaari (temple of goddess Kali), Shibmondir (temple of Lord Shiva) and the Bandha ghaat on the River Chitra. Some local people continued the famous Durga Puja in the mansion, but this was discontinued after a few years. Part of the building was used for some time as a government office. Due to lack of maintenance, it gave in.
Kalia Palace was another large landlord mansions in Bengal. Some landlords lived in Naragati. Naragati was a thana in the British period. The predecessor of Robi Sankar & Uday Sankar lived in Kalia.
The famous writer Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay was a magistrate in Narail. His book Neelkuthi was based on the forceful cultivation of indigo in Narail by the East India Company.
Sheikh Mohammed Sultan (10 August 1923 - 10 October 1994; better known as SM Sultan, Bengali: এস এম সুলতান), was a Bengali avant-garde artist who worked in painting and drawing, was born in Narail District. His fame rests on his striking depictions of exaggeratedly muscular Bangladeshi peasants engaged in the activities of their everyday lives.[1] He is the son of Sheikh Mohammed Mecher Ali & Mochammed Meherunnesa.
Narail was once declared independent from the British Raj by Shorola di (Sister Shorola), as she was known at the time by her followers of the independence movement of India. But this "independence" lasted for only three days.
Notable residents
Narail town was named after a feudal lord (a zamindar). The zamindars established a market at Roopgonj, also named after a zamindar. They established a post office for the first time in the district during British Raj near Rotongonj, named after another member of the feudal lord family. They modernised Narail, and promoted culture, sports and education.
The large playing field, Kuriddobe, was a gift of the feudal lord's family. They introduced football competition, with a shield given to the champions, a cup to the runners-up, and medals to all players from the early twentieth century.
One of the feudal lords moved away from Narail, settled in Hatbaria, and established another large manor (Jomidarbaari).
Narail District has an area of 990.23 square kilometres (382.33 sq mi). It is located to the south of Magura District, north of Khulna District, with the Faridpur District and Gopalganj District on the east, and Jessore District to the west.
Its average temperature ranges between 11.2C and 37.1C and has a yearly rainfall of 1467 mm.
Through the district flow the Madhumati, Nabaganga, Bhairab, and Chitra rivers. There are many beels and baors, the most noted of which is Chachuri Beel.
Land area:
- Cultivable area: 176,504-acre (714 km2)
- Fallow land: 25,090-acre (102 km2)
- Forest area: 10 acres
- Area irrigated: 36,208-acre (147 km2)
- River area: 8,562-acre (35 km2)
The district of Narail has 1675 mosques, 248 temples, four churches, seven tombs and 11 shrines.
The Radha Raman Smriti Tirtha Mandir, founded by Shri Tribhanga Brahmachary (Babaji of Shri Shri Bhagvat Sevashram Sangh) at Debbhog is a prominent place to visit, as are Nishinath Tola in Rupganj and Lakkhipasha Thakurbari.
Narail Victoria College and Collegiate School is one of the oldest modern high schools in Bangladesh, established in 1858 by the landlords of Narail who were proponents of education. They also established a girls' school, a rarity in Bangladesh at that time. This was the Shib Shankar Memorial Girls' School. This school closed down due to lack of funding after they left East Pakistan for India. It was reopened by some local enthusiasts, like J. Bhattacharjee, S. Biswas and B. Bhowmic. They borrowed furnishings from the neighbours. They went house to houses soliciting parents to send their children to the school.
Narail Palace was one of the biggest landlord mansions in Bengal. When the Hindu landlords left East Pakistan for Kolkata after the partition of India, the mansion was looted and vandalised, and gradually collapsed. There are still some remains present, including the Kaalibaari (temple of goddess Kali), Shibmondir (temple of Lord Shiva) and the Bandha ghaat on the River Chitra. Some local people continued the famous Durga Puja in the mansion, but this was discontinued after a few years. Part of the building was used for some time as a government office. Due to lack of maintenance, it gave in.
Kalia Palace was another large landlord mansions in Bengal. Some landlords lived in Naragati. Naragati was a thana in the British period. The predecessor of Robi Sankar & Uday Sankar lived in Kalia.
The famous writer Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay was a magistrate in Narail. His book Neelkuthi was based on the forceful cultivation of indigo in Narail by the East India Company.
Sheikh Mohammed Sultan (10 August 1923 - 10 October 1994; better known as SM Sultan, Bengali: এস এম সুলতান), was a Bengali avant-garde artist who worked in painting and drawing, was born in Narail District. His fame rests on his striking depictions of exaggeratedly muscular Bangladeshi peasants engaged in the activities of their everyday lives.[1] He is the son of Sheikh Mohammed Mecher Ali & Mochammed Meherunnesa.
Narail was once declared independent from the British Raj by Shorola di (Sister Shorola), as she was known at the time by her followers of the independence movement of India. But this "independence" lasted for only three days.
Notable residents
- Birshrestha Nur Mohammad Sheikh, Freedom Fighter of Bangladesh
- Mashrafe Bin Mortoza, cricketer and captain of the Bangladesh national cricket team. popularly Known as "Narail Express"
- Suvra Mukherjee, Former First Lady of India, wife of Former President of India Pranab Mukherjee
- Bijoy Sarkar, poet, baul singer, lyricist, and composer
- SM Sultan, Prominent artist
- Ravi Shankar, Great Sitar Master & organiser of The Concert for Bangladesh
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