Dhamrai Upazila

NGOs working in Dhamrai

• SOJAG: Works throughout Dhamrai and adjoining upazilas of Mirzapur, Shaturia, Kaliakoir, and Singair. The headquarters is at village Shailan under Shombhag Union.
• Grameen Choa: Located at Dhantara Bazar, Dhamrai
• SDI: Located at Dhamrai Bazar, Dhamrai
• ASA: Located at, Dhamrai, Shimulia, Dhantara, Kalampur, Kushura, Kawalipara, Bathuli, Suapur.
• JCF: Located at, Dhamrai, Shimulia, Dhantara, Kalampur, Kushura, Kawalipara, Bathuli, Suapur.

Dhamrai Ratha Yatra

The annual Jagannath roth jatra (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 ulto roth (return of the chariot) occurring approximately one week later. To mark this occasion, Dhamrai holds a month-long roth mela (Bengali: রথ মেলা). This festival commemorates the annual journey of the Hindu deities Jagannath, Balarama, and their sister Subhadra to their aunt's temple.^[11]

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 45 feet (14 m) tall and is pulled by the assembled pilgrims.^{[citation needed]}

Handmade crafts

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.^[12] 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.^[13][14][15]

Additionally, Dhamrai is home to several families engaged in the declining practice of earthenware crafting.^[16]

High schools

• Dhamrai Hardinge High School & College, established in 1914 after the British Viceroy Lord Hardinge^{[citation needed]}
• Kushura Abbas Ali High School, established in 1941^{[citation needed]}
• Abdus Subhan Model High School
• Haralal High School, Amta established in 1887^{[citation needed]}
• Hamida-Afaz Girls High School, Kushura
• Ruail High School, established in 1857, as one of the oldest schools not only in Dhamrai but in India and Bangladesh. It is one of the four schools established in British India as early as 1857, the year of the Sepoy Mutiny^{[citation needed]}
• Elokeshi High School, Jalshin, established in 1924^{[citation needed]}
• Jadavpur B M High School, established in 1929^{[citation needed]}
• Berosh Shibnath Shastri Institution, established in 1936^{[citation needed]}
• Suapur Nannar High School, established in 1939^{[citation needed]}
• Bhalum Ataur Rahman Khan High School, established in 1957^{[citation needed]}
• Balia Wadudur Rahman High School, established in 1957^{[citation needed]}
• Dhamrai Girls' High School, established in 1959^{[citation needed]}
• Beliswar Mohini Mohon High School, established in 1967^{[citation needed]}
• Nikla Z. Haque High School, established in 1970^{[citation needed]}
• Bannol Lakkhu Haji High School, established in 1969^{[citation needed]}
• Jalsha High School, established in 1972^{[citation needed]}
• Shailan Surma High School, established in 1973^{[citation needed]}
• Afazuddin High School, established in 1988^{[citation needed]}
• Shailan Surma High School
• Rajapur Kahela Baharam Mollik High School, established in 1985^{[citation needed]}
• Dhalkunda High School, established in 1973^{[citation needed]}

Colleges

• Dhamrai Govt. University College, the highest educational institute of the locality.
• Dhamrai Hardinge High School and College
• Nobojug University College, established in 1972 in Kushura
• Abul Bashar Krishi College, established in 2003 in Mongolbari, Dhamrai
• Bhalum Ataur Rahman School Degree College, established in 1987, Bhalum, Kalampur
• Afaz Uddin School & College, established in 1988 in Sharifbag, Dhamrai
• Rajapur Begum Anowara Girls' College, established in Rajapur, Dhamrai
• Monmon School & College