| Netrokona | |
| Native Name: | নেত্রকোণা |
| Native Name Lang: | bn |
| Type: | District of Bangladesh |
| Map Caption1: | Expandable map of Netrokona District |
| Pushpin Label Position: | right |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location of Netrokona in Bangladesh |
| Coordinates: | 24.88°N 90.73°W |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: |  Bangladesh |
| Subdivision Type1: | Division |
| Subdivision Name1: | Mymensingh |
| Seat Type: | Headquarters |
| Seat: | Netrokona |
| Leader Title: | Deputy Commissioner |
| Leader Name: | Anjana Khan Majlis |
| Area Footnotes: | [1] |
| Area Total Km2: | 2794.28 |
| Population Total: | 2324853 |
| Population As Of: | 2022 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Population Demonym: | Netrokoni, Netrokonese |
| Timezone1: | BST |
| Utc Offset1: | +06:00 |
| Postal Code Type: | Postal code |
| Postal Code: | 2400 |
| Website: | http://www.netrokona.gov.bd/ |
| Area Code: | 0951 |
| Iso Code: | BD-41 |
Netrokona (bn|নেত্রকোণা) is a district of the Mymensingh Division in north-east of Bangladesh.
The headquarters of Netrokona District was located at the end of the Mogra River and was called Natorkona. Many people believe that over a period of time, Natorkona became Netrakona.
Netrokona is situated in the northern part of Bangladesh, along the border with the Indian state of Meghalaya. There are five main rivers in Netrokona: Kangsha, Someshawri, Dhala, Magra, and Teorkhali. It is a part of the Surma-Meghna River System. The southeastern part of the district becomes a haor during the monsoon, while the north and west is largely alluvial plains.[2] In the north there are some foothills of the Garo Hills.
The total area of Netrokona District is 2744.28km2 of which 9.17km2 is under forest. It lies between 24°34’ and 25°12’ north latitudes and between 90°00’ and 91°07’ east longitudes.
Netrokona District is bounded by the Garo Hills in Meghalaya, India on the north, Sunamganj District on the east, Kishoreganj District on the south and Mymensingh District on the west.
Netrokona Pouroshabha is a municipal town, established in 1887 and with 13.63 km2.
Netrokona's history is tied to the Mymensingh region. Its early history is not well-known. It likely came under the Kamrupa in the ancient period and was ruled by Koch chieftains until the arrival of Islam.
Traditions in Netrokona tell of Shah Sultan Rumi who migrated to Madanpur in Atpara Upazila in 1053 CE where he preached the religion of Islam to the local people and converted the Koch king Ganesh, well before Muslim rule in the region. He is believed to have been the earliest Sufi saint to have visited Bengal. The region was eventually was captured by the Sultans of Bengal. They built several forts to control the area, such as the Ruaylbari Fort in present-day Kendua upazila, but the region was long out of direct rule. Khaliajuri in the Haor region was long ruled by a series of Hindu chieftains into the Mughal period. The region was part of the domains of Isa Khan before the Mughal conquest, when it was made part of the sarkar of Bazuha. During the Mughal period, a three-domed mosque was constructed in modern-day Atpara.
In 1880, the British Raj approved the area as a mahakuma administrative region.[3] It was effective on 3 January 1882 when the region was officially named as Netrakona Mahakuma before that it was named by Kaliganj. During the British period, Shyam Biswas, a Bengali Hindu zamindar, was noted to be very cruel and abusive towards the inhabitants living in his land. He had certain regulations, such as no one passing his front yard wearing shoes or slippers. Social reformers from the village of Amati, Sonafor Uddin, Muktul Husayn Khan, Shariat Khan, Anfar Uddin, Manfar Uddin and Jafar Uddin organised people against this humiliation, rising against Biswas. Their revolution was soon followed in other parts of the district.
During the Bangladesh Liberation War, freedom fighters attacked the Atpara Thana on 19 August 1971. They murdered the Officer-in-Charge of the Thana as well as a number of Razakars, and they also looted arms and ammunition from the Thana. On 7 October, a battle was fought in Atpara, leading to the death of three more Razakars.
The Government of Bangladesh converted Netrakona Mahakuma to Netrokona District on 17 January 1984.
Netrokona district is divided into ten upazilas.[4]
According to the 2022 Census of Bangladesh, Netrokona District had 548,443 households and a population of 2,324,853 with an average 4.19 people per household. Among the population, 500,240 (21.51%) inhabitants were under 10 years of age. The population density was 847 people per km2. Netrokona District had a literacy rate (age 7 and over) of 66.25%, compared to the national average of 74.80%, and a sex ratio of 1040 females per 1000 males. Approximately, 15.50% (360,293) of the population lived in urban areas. The ethnic population was 21,605 (0.93%), mainly Garo and Hajong.[5]
| 1941[6] | 1981 | 1991 | 2001 | 2011 | 2022[7] | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| % | % | % | % | % | % | ||||||||
| 578,501 | 70.71% | 1,245,140 | 86.34% | 1,517,751 | 87.68% | 1,762,534 | 88.65% | 2,001,732 | 89.78% | 2,103,091 | 90.46% | ||
| 219,633 | 26.85% | 174,624 | 12.11% | 189,082 | 10.92% | 204,329 | 10.28% | 207,430 | 9.30% | 202,648 | 8.72% | ||
| Tribal religion | 18,301 | 2.24% | |||||||||||
| 1,578 | 0.19% | 18,871 | 1.31% | 19,994 | 1.16% | 18,905 | 0.95% | 18,200 | 0.82% | 17,699 | 0.76% | ||
| Others | 73 | 0.01% | 3,507 | 0.24% | 4,108 | 0.24% | 2,420 | 0.12% | 2,280 | 0.11% | 1,415 | 0.06% | |
| Total Population | 818,086 | 100% | 1,442,142 | 100% | 1,730,935 | 100% | 1,988,188 | 100% | 2,229,642 | 100% | 2,324,853 | 100% | |
The district of Netrakona consists of 3146 mosques, 958 temples, 183 churches and eight Buddhist temples. Hindus are most concentrated in the haor region bordering Sylhet. The population of minorities has declined from 2011-2021.
Bengalis are the dominant group present. The ethnic minority population is 21,605 (0.93%), of which 16,064 are Garo, 4,327 Hajong and 554 Hudi.
The economy of Netrakona is largely agrarian. Susang Durgapur, an Upazila of Netrakona, is one of the major sources of the country's China-Clay used for ceramic products. Its vast water bodies (Haor) provide a wide variety of fish. Bara Bazar and Choto Bazar is commerce centre of Netrakona.