Basirhat

Basirhat
—  city  —
Basirhat Location of Basirhat in West Bengal and India
Coordinates	22°40′N 88°53′E
Country	India
State	West Bengal
District(s)	North 24 Parganas
Municipality Chairman	Krishna Majumdar
Parliamentary constituency	Basirhat
Assembly constituency	Basirhat Dakshin, Basirhat Uttar
Population	144,891 (2011)
Time zone	IST (UTC+05:30)
Area • Elevation	• 6 metres (20 ft)
Website	north24parganas.nic.in

Basirhat (In Bengali: বসিরহাট) is a city and a municipality in North 24 Parganas district in the state of West Bengal, India. Basirhat subdivisional town is located on the banks of Ichamati River.

History

Basirhat has a long history of farmer's movement like 'Tebhaga Andolan'. Freedom fighter Dinesh Chandra Majumder was born here in 1907. There is a lot of controversy and debate regarding the naming of "Basirhat". But all explanations are satisfying and are causally related in some or other way. It implies that if we examine the sources then it will reflect the one or other socio-economic dimensions of the "Basirhat" region.

The sources which are considered till now behind the naming of Basirhat are as follows:

    Bahurhat - market for various items.
    Banserhat - market for buying and selling bamboos.
    Bastirhat - low land market

According to Dr. Sukumar Sen, Basirhat is named after a person named 'Basi'. Referring to Bengali Dictionary, the word Basi means-Indriya Basban, Jitendriya, Apradhin, Sadhin, Swatantra. From this it may be concluded that Basirhat was an independent tax-free business centre. Like present day's Free Business Centres.

Basirhat is named after a person named Basir Muhammad or Basir Khan. In spite of this if we consider Basir Khan's market then it should be around medieval period. But from the records it is clear that Muslim intrusion didn't take place before 1200 B.C. Basirhat's Sahi Masjid was constructed in 1466 B.C.

Economics

Agriculture is the main source of income. Other industries like brick making and fisheries are also dominant in this area. Two other things are very popular from Basirhat 1. Sweet called nolen gurer sandesh, also patali both from local date-palm syrup 2. Hand made towel called gamcha

Education

There are 7 High Schools in Basirhat. Two big schools of Basirhat are Basirhat Hari Mohan Dalal Girls' High School and Basirhat High School for Boys.

Transport

Basirhat was connected with Barasat by the narrow gauge Barasat Basirhat Railway of Martin's Light Railways. It was closed in 1955 and subsequently converted to broad gauge.

Railways had been electrified and EMUs are running frequently from Sealdah and Hasnabad.Connectivity by bus is also there from Kolkata and other places.

Demographics

In the 2011 census, Basirhat Urban Agglomeration had a population of 144,891, out of which 73,491 were males and 71,400 were females. The 0-6 years population was 12,578. Effective literacy rate for the 7+ population was 86.88 per cent.

See also: List of cities in West Bengal

As of 2001 India census, Basirhat had a population of 113,120. Males constitute 51% of the population and females 49%. Basirhat has an average literacy rate of 74%, higher than the national average of 59.5%; with 54% of the literates being male and 46% being female. 10% of the population is under 6 years of age.

Healthcare

Basirhat is one of the areas where ground water is affected by arsenic contamination.

Basirhat Municipality

• Chairman: Krishna Majumdar
• Year of Establishment of Municipality: 1 April 1869

The Municipal vision statements of Basirhat Municipality are:

• To provide all its citizens a humane social order based on truth, justice, freedom, equity and integrity in which basic human rights and the dignity of every individual is upheld, with sustained access to improved health, adequate and equitable basic services,
• To provide livelihood opportunities in an environmentally sustainable urban area, which upholds social justice and practices democratic and secular values, including human rights
• To provide right to information coupled with balanced development supported by an advanced, transparent and sustainable Urban Local Body, making Basirhat Municipality an attractive and secure place for investment and to eradicate poverty.

The Municipality is divided into 22 wards covering 22.5 km², with population of 113,120 as per 2001 census, out of which 30% are currently under the below poverty level (whereas, BPL average percentage in West Bengal as per 2001 census is 31.58%). The current population growth rate of Basirhat Municipality is approximately 25.17% per decade. If this growth rate does not incline, by the year 2025 the population density will be 6782 persons per square kilometre. In Basirhat Municipality the density of slum population is about 30%. Nearly 97% of the populace of the Municipality is Bengali speaking and the rest 3% speaks other language.

Basirhat Municipality has recently launched its Official Website as [1]

Administrative boundaries

On 1 January 1861, Basirhat Sub-division was constituted as per order of the Government. Before that Basirhat was under the jurisdiction of Barasat Sub-division. Initially this subdivision was not named as Basirhāt, it was Basurhāt. This subdivision covered an area of 352 km² with 473 villages. The population was 268,146. In 1861, as per the order of Indian Government, Basurhāt Sub-Division was formed consisting of Balia Pargana's Basurhāt, Kalingā, Hāruā, Husenābād Police Stations. The name Basurhāt continued to exist till 1896. Afterwards it became Basirhāt.

Etymology

The sources which are considered till now behind the naming of Basirhat are as follows:

• Bahurhāt—market for various items
• Banserhāt—market for buying and selling bamboos
• Bastirhāt—low land market

According to Dr. Sukumar Sen, Basirhāt is named after a person named 'Basi'. Referring to Bengali Dictionary, the word Basi means—Indriya Basbān, Jitendriya, Āprādhin, Sādhin, Swatantra. From this it may be concluded that Basirhat was an independent tax-free business centre. Like present day's Free Business Centres. Basirhāt is named after a person named Basir Muhammad or Basir Khan. In spite of this if we consider Basir Khan's market then it should be around medieval period. But from the records it is clear that Muslim intrusion didn't take place before 1200 AD. Basirhāt's Sahi Masjid was constructed in 1466 AD.

Nearby place

Bhabla

Bhabla (also spelt Bhyabla) near Basirhat is the place of birth and ancestral home of pioneering industrialist, Sir Rajen Mukherjee. He had contributed substantially for the development of Basirhat. Bhyabla station is 2 km from Basirhat station.