Gopalganj District

Gopalganj District (dhaka division) area 1468.74 sq km, located in between 22°50' and 23°01' north latitudes and in between 89°40' and 90°02' east longitudes. It is bounded by faridpur district on the north, pirojpur and bagerhat districts on the south, madaripur and barisal districts on the east, narail district on the west.

Population Total 1172415; male 577868, female 594547; Muslim 805115, Hindu 353794, Buddhist 80, Christian 12951 and others 475.

Water bodies Main rivers: madhumati, Hunda, Ghagar, old Kumar; Wapda canal and Madaripur Beel Route are notable.

Administration Gopalganj district was established in 1984. Earlier it was a subdivision under Faridpur district. Of the five upazilas of the district gopalganj sadar is the largest (391.35 sq km, it occupies 26.27% of the total area of the district) and tungipara is the smallest upazila (127.25 sq km).

District
Area (sq km)	Upazila	Municipality	Union	Mouza	Village	Population		Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
						Urban	Rural
1468.74	5	4	68	607	889	128705	1043710	798	58.1

Others Information of District
Name of Upazila	Area (sq km)	Municipality	Union	Mouza	Village	Population	Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
Kashiani	286.31	-	14	149	162	207615	725	59.2
Kotalipara	355.90	1	12	101	208	230493	648	59.2
Gopalganj Sadar	389.61	1	21	125	197	344008	883	61.8
Tungipara	128.53	1	5	33	67	100893	785	56.6
Muksudpur	308.36	1	16	195	255	289406	939	52.5

Source Bangladesh Population Census 2011, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics.

War of Liberation Two freedom fighters were killed in an encounter with the Pak army on 7 April 1971 at GopalgonjSadar. Ten freedom fighters were killed in an encounter between the freedom fighters and the Pak army at village Shasabaria under Urafi Union. On 14 May, the Pak army killed about 150 innocent persons at Kalabari of Kotaliparaupazila; they also set many houses on fire. On 19 May a contingent of the Pak army killed a number of dwellers in the house of Bangabandhu at Tungiparaupazila; they also set fire on many houses of the area. The Pak army brutally killed 13 persons at village Paikkandhi of Gopalganj Sadarupazila in late May. About 84 Pak soldiers including police and local razakars were killed on 9 August when the freedom fighters and the civilians of Muksudpurupazila launched attack on them. Seven Pak soldiers were killed on 5 October while the freedom fighters attacked the Pak army base at the Bhatiapara Wireless Station of Kashianiupazila. An encounter was held between the freedom fighters and the Pak army and the razakars on 12 October at Bamandanga of Muksudpurupazila in which 22 Pak soldiers and razakars were killed. On the same day the Pak army brutally killed about 200 villagers at Kalabari area of Kotaliparaupazila. Besides, at the end of October about 30 Pak soldiers were killed in an encounter with the freedom fighters in Kashianiupazila. In early December about 17 Pak soldiers were killed in an encounter between the freedom fighters and the Pak army in Kashianiupazila. There is a mass killing site and 2 mass graves in the district and two memorial monuments had been built.

Literacy rate and educational institutions Average literacy 58.1%; male 60.3%, female 56.0%. Educational institutions: college 23, secondary school 188, primary school 786, community primary school 24, kindergarten 38, madrasa 62. Noted educational institutions: Government SK College (1942), AR Ali Khan College (1942), Muksudpur Degree College (1972), Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Degree College (1986), Ulpur PC High School (1900), Modanmohan High School (1900), Girish Chandra Pilot High School (1902), Kalinagar High School (1907), Orakandi High School (1909), Gopinathpur Secondary School (1911), Nilfa Boyra High School (1917), Batikamari Higher Secondary School (1921), Purbo Kotalipara Union High School (1925), Baultali Sahapur Sammilani High School (1928), Saber Miah Jasimuddin Model' High School (1928), Sajail Gopi Mohan High School (1929), Kumaria Lakshmipur Secondary School (1914), Batikamari Government Primary School (1919), West Kotalipara Union Institution (1923), Bongram Islamia Dakhil Madrasa (1925).

Main sources of income Agriculture 61.75%, non-agricultural labourer 2.23%, industry 0.58%, commerce 13.92%, transport and communication 2.30%, service 11.14%, construction 1.60%, religious service 0.29%, rent and remittance 0.70% and others 5.49%.

Newspapers and periodicals Daily: Jugakatha, Surjasha, Bhorer Bani, Sheren, Banglar Sanket, Bishwa Darpan; Weekly: Janapader Katha; Monthly: Motua Darpan (Orakandi); Defunct: Dipti (1983), Nabadipti (1983), Fulki (1961), Madhumati (1973), Madhuchakra (1983), Sree Haridarshan, Orakandi (1979), Rupali Fite (1987), Alor Dishari '(1977), Rabirasshi (1985), Gopalganj Sahitya Patra (1986).

Folkculture Rhymes, proverbs, riddle, Sarigan, Murshidigan, Haloigan, Bratageeti, Gambhira song are notable.

Tourists spots Bangabandhu Memorial Complex (Tungipara), Akramuzzaman Park' (Arpara, Gopalganj Sadar Upazila). [Rabindranath Adhikari]

See also The upazilas under this district.

References Bangladesh Population Census 2001 and 2011, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics; Cultural survey report of Gopalganj District 2007; Cultural survey report of Upazilas of Gopalganj District 2007.