Sirajganj Town
This article has been extracted from THE IMPERIAL GAZETTEER OF INDIA , 1908. OXFORD, AT THE CLARENDON PRESS. |
Note: National, provincial and district boundaries have changed considerably since 1908. Typically, old states, ‘divisions’ and districts have been broken into smaller units, and many tahsils upgraded to districts. Some units have since been renamed. Therefore, this article is being posted mainly for its historical value.
Sirajganj Town
Head-quarters of the subdivision of the same name in Pabna District, Eastern Bengal and Assam, situated in 24° 27’" N. and 89° 45' E., on the right bank of the Jamuna. Popula- tion (1901), 23,114, of whom "40 per cent, are Hindus and 59-5 per cent. Musalmans, a small number of Jains and Christians forming the remainder. Sirajganj was constituted a municipality in 1869. The income during the decade ending 1901-2 averaged Rs. 21,000, and the expenditure Rs. 19,000. In 1903-4 the income was Rs. 20,000, of which Rs. 11,000 was derived from a tax on persons (or property tax), and Rs. 4,000 from a conservancy rate ; and the expenditure was Rs. 19,000. Sirajganj is the largest town in North Bengal and the most important centre of the jute trade in this area. The raw product is brought in from west Mymensingh, Bogra, and east Rangpur, as well as from other parts of Pabna, and is here pressed into bales, which are either railed from Goalundo or shipped by river steamer to Calcutta. A large number of European firms do business at Sirajganj, and 14 factories are established here. It also collects the agricultural produce of Pabna and the neighbouring Districts for export to Calcutta, and distributes the imports of salt, piece-goods, and other European wares. The town possesses the usual public buildings ; the sub-jail has accommodation for 34 prisoners. Sirajganj has of late somewhat declined in importance owing to the damage done by the earthquake of 1897, and to a change in the course of the Brahmaputra, which is now 3 miles distant from the town. The jute-mills here, which were among the first to be established in Bengal, have also been closed since the earthquake. The population was thus rather less in 1901 than at the previous enumeration of 1891.
