| Official Name: | Dhamrai |
| Native Name: | ধামরাই |
| Settlement Type: | Upazila |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Type1: | Division |
| Subdivision Name1: | Dhaka |
| Subdivision Type2: | District |
| Subdivision Name2: | Dhaka |
| Population Total: | 412418 |
| Population As Of: | 2011 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Area Total Km2: | 307.41 |
| Timezone: | BST |
| Utc Offset: | +6 |
| Coordinates: | 23°N 90°W |
| Website: | Dhamrai Upazila |
Dhamrai (Bengali: ধামরাই) is an upazila of Dhaka district in Dhaka division, Bangladesh. It is the largest upazila in the district by land area.
Dhamrai upazila is located about 40 kilometers northwest of the capital city of Dhaka. It is bounded by the upazilas of Mirzapur and Kaliakair on the north, Singair on the south, Savar in the east, and Manikganj Sadar, Saturia and Nagarpur on the west.[1]
The total area of the upazila is 307.41 km2. Dhamrai upazila is composed of the alluvium soil of the Bongshi and Dhaleshwari rivers. Other rivers are Kolmai and Gazikhali.
There are two theories on the naming of Dhamrai. The first is that during the time of Ashoka, there was a Buddhist called Dharmarajika and that the area was named after him. The discovery of a Buddhist stupa in Savar, about 10 miles from Dhamrai, lends credence to this opinion. Another theory is that in the early fourteenth century, five companions of the Sufi saint Shah Jalal (Tirmidhi Al-Husayni, Haji, Ghazi, Zam Bahadur, and Shah Makhdum) came and settled in the sparsely populated and heavily forested area. Food supplies ultimately ran short and one day they found a stray cow wandering about which they slaughtered the cattle to eat and satisfy their hunger. After a few days, they were approached by Dhama Gope and his wife Rai Goalini who claimed that the cow was theirs and demanded compensation for it. The Sufis learnt that the couple was childless. It is said that with their blessings a child was born to the couple and also they said that they would name the place so that their names would forever be remembered. Thus the name Dhamrai (Dham+Rai) came about.[2]
Dhamrai was once under the Thana (now Upazila) of Savar. Dhamrai became a Thana itself in 1914 during the British rule; the same year Dhamrai Hardinge High School was established. In 1947 it was put under the district of Dhaka. On December 15, 1984, Dhamrai was upgraded into a full-fledged Upazila.
According to the 2011 Bangladesh census, Dhamrai had 94,776 households and a population of 412,418. 81,402 (19.74%) were under 10 years of age. It had a literacy rate (age 7 and over) of 50.8%, compared to the national average of 51.8%, and a sex ratio of 992 females per 1000 males. 60,802 (14.74%) lived in urban areas.[3] [4]
As of the 1991 Bangladesh census, Dhamrai had a population of 312,777. Males constituted 50.37% of the population, and females constituted 49.63%. The population of citizens 18 years and older was 163,449. Dhamrai had an average literacy rate of 29.5% (7+ years), lower than the national average of 32.4%.[5]
The upazila consists of one municipality (pourasabha) called Dhamrai pourasabha, 16 union parishads, and 398 villages.
The union parishads are: Amta, Baisakanda, Balia, Bhararia, Chauhat, Dhamrai, Gangutia, Jadabpur, Kulla, Kushura, Nannar, Rowail, Sanora, Sombhog, Suapur, and Sutipara. They are collectively subdivided into 290 mauzas and 398 villages.
Dhamrai pourasabha is subdivided into 9 wards and 44 mahallas.[6]
The total cultivable land is 23,470 hectares.[2] Of the total cultivable land (in hectares):
Farmers by land occupancy:
Food production:
See main article: article and Dhamrai Rathayatra. The annual Jagannath (Ratha Yatra) chariot festival is a significant Hindu festival that draws a large number of participants. Dhamrai is particularly renowned for hosting this event. The event typically commences around the 10th day of the Bengali calendar month of Ashar, followed by the (return of the chariot) occurring approximately one week later. To mark this occasion, Dhamrai holds a month-long (Bengali: রথ মেলা). This festival commemorates the annual journey of the Hindu deities Jagannath, Balarama, and their sister Subhadra to their aunt's temple.[7]
During the festival, devotees assist in pulling the chariot of the deities using ropes, considering it a sacred act, despite the potential risks associated with navigating the large crowds. The processions accompanying the chariots feature devotional songs performed on drums, tambourines, trumpets, and other musical instruments. Along the route, children gather to join in the chorus. The Roth cart itself stands at approximately 45feet tall and is pulled by the assembled pilgrims.
The primary hub for metal crafts in Bangladesh is in Dhamrai. For many generations, this place has produced handmade metal ware for markets throughout Bangladesh, using the lost wax casting (cire perdue) method and hollow casting method.[8] These methods are used to make items ranging from ornate Hindu and Buddhist statues to simple household objects such as pitchers (kolshi as is locally called) and also items include quality statues, decanters, bowls, spoons, and plates. Over the past fifty years, many of the families in Bangladesh who have been involved in the metal casting trade have taken on other work. With stiff competition from inexpensive machine-made aluminium and plastic products coming in from India and other countries in the region, the market for hand-cast items has gradually dwindled away. As a result, the tradition of making handmade cast metal objects is in jeopardy. For example, there are only five people left in Bangladesh who are capable of making masterpiece-quality Hindu and Buddhist images using the lost wax method. The trade is at risk of disappearance due to the dwindling number of craftsmen.[9] [10] [11]
Additionally, Dhamrai is home to several families engaged in the declining practice of earthenware crafting.[12]
There are 139 government primary schools, 16 high schools, 25 junior high schools, 109 schools run by NGOs, 11 madrasahs, 6 colleges, and 1 agriculture college in Dhamrai upazila.