Balaganj is an upazila in Sylhet district of Bangladesh. The ancestral home of Ataul Gani Osmani is in Dayamir village of Balaganj upazila.
North of this subdistrict is Dakshin Surma Upazila and Biswanath Upazila. Moulvibazar Sadar Upazila and Rajnagar Upazila are in the south.
Fenchuganj subdistrict is on the east part of it. On the West are Biswanath Upazila and Jagannathpur Upazila of Sunamganj District. There is also Nabiganj Upazila.
Authority formed Balaganj Thana in 1882. Its area was the present Balaganj, Fenchuganj, and Rajnagar upazilas. In 1922, Balaganj Thana got the current area.
Balaganj Thana became Balaganj upazila later on 7th November 1982 AD. During the Liberation War, on 6 May 1971, Pak forces carried out massacres in Ilashpur.
They killed 36 people in Adityapur. Two big battles took place at Sherpur and Sadipur. Freedom fighters defeated the Pakistan army in that battle.
The original name of Balaganj was Kushiarkul, which is on the bank of the main river Kushiara here. Later, it became Madanganj under the influence of Madan Mohan Jiu Ashram.
The servants of Madan Mohan Jiu Ashram used to wear large quantities of ‘Bala’ on their hands. As a result, Balaganj was famous for the large amount of ‘Bala’ sold here.
Some Notable Places of Balaganj Upazila
There are many notable places to visit in this subdistrict of Sylhet division. Many people of Bangladesh from different places come to visit this place.
1. Kushiara River
Kushiara is a Bangladesh-India transboundary river. The source of the Kushiara river is Barak or Barbakra river. The Barak originates from the Angaminaga Hills.
It is in northern Manipur. The Barak originates from the hill and enters Sylhet. It enters through Badpur through Cachar district through Manipur.
From the Amalsid on the border of Sylhet, two branches flow under two different names. One is the historical river Surma of Bangladesh, and the other is Kushiara.
The length of the Kushiara is 120 miles. It flows westward from its source along Dahmin to the headwaters of the Meghna. It flows through the Sylhet Cachar border.
There are many issues between India and Bangladesh about the water of this river. It plays a vital role in the area of both Bangladesh and India.
Many times this river brings floods in the area of Bangladesh. People of this area share their emotions with this river. Many of them pass their life on the bank of this river.
They remain so dependent on this river. Some people love to fish in its water, and some love to take baths. It has many uses for people, without any doubt.
2. Jamia Islamia Hussainia Gaharpur
Jamia Islamia Hussainia Gaharpur is on the banks of the Barabagha River. It is in the Gaharpur area of Balaganj Upazila, Sylhet.
There were no notable higher Islamic educational institutions in the area. The famous scholar Noor Uddin Gaharpuri established this madrasa in 1957.
He did it in light of the principles of Darul Uloom Deoband with the help of residents. Within a year of its establishment, he launched the Dawarae Hadith.
The madrasa is famous nationwide for the founder Noor Uddin Gaharpuri. He headed the Madrasa Education Board for a long time.
This madrasa plays a vital role in Islamic education, without any doubt. It spread Islamic education not only in Sylhet but also throughout the whole country.
Thousands of students come to read here from different parts of the country. They spread to many parts of the country to teach Islam after getting their education.
3. Home of Major General Ataul Gani Osmani
This area is the birthplace of one of the liberation war heroes of Bangladesh. His name is Major General Ataul Gani Osmani. He was the supreme commander of the Mukti Bahini.
The ancestral home of this great man is in the Dayamir village of Sylhet division in Bangladesh. Many people love to visit this place to see where Osmani was born.
Conclusion
This subdistrict of Sylhet division has many things to see, without any doubt. It has many beautiful villages with great people. Many people visit this area for many reasons.
Some people visit to take the touch of the great Kushiara river. This subdistrict plays a vital role in the economy of Sylhet Division and Bangladesh.