Shariatpur shares much of the history of the rest of the Faridpur and Barisal region. Formerly at the border of the regions of Vanga and Samatata, it passed through the hands of various local dynasties before Muslim rule in the late 13th century. A fort of Zamindars Chand Rai and Kedar Rai, of the Baro Bhuyans, was constructed in Shariatpur area. It was established as a district on 1 March 1984. In 1971, the Pakistan army in collaboration with their local collaborators conducted mass killing and plundering; they also set many houses of the district on fire. During the
Bangladesh War of Independence, a number of encounters were held in
Shariatpur Sadar Upazila between pro-independence militants and the Pakistan army in which about 313 Pakistani troops were killed. Numerous pro-independence fighters were killed in two encounters and one frontal battle with the Pak army in
Bhedarganj Upazila. Nine pro-independence fighters including Ahsanul Hoque and Abdul Wahab were killed in an encounter with the Pakistan army at a place on the southern side of Damudya College, pro-independence militants and
Mujib Bahini jointly conducted attack on the Pakistan army by using guerrilla warfare tactics in the upazila. Five fighters were killed in an encounter with the Pakistan army in
Gosairhat Upazila. The fighters of Naria raided the Naria Police Station and captured all the arms and ammunitions of the thana. In retaliation, the Pakistan army sacked the nearby villages. During
Bangladesh War of Independence, a number of encounters were held between pro-independence fighters and the Pakistan army in
Zanjira Upazila in which a number of pro-independence militants were killed. In recent years, a large number of people from this district have migrated to Italy for work. A huge number of Bangladeshi populations in
Italy comes from the Shariatpur district. Recently the
Padma Bridge, which crosses the Padma from Dhaka to Barisal, was constructed in this district. ==Geography==