Tangail Sadar Upazila

Tangail Sadar Upazila (tangail district) area 334.26 sq km, located in between 24°10' and 24°22' north latitudes and in between 88°46'and 89°59' east longitudes. It is bounded by kalihati upazila on the north, nagarpur and delduar upazilas on the south, basail upazila on the east, belkuchi and chauhali upazilas on the west.

Population Total 521104; male 260170, female 260934; Muslim 483976, Hindu 36957, Buddhist 26, Christian 128 and others 17.

Water bodies Main rivers: jamuna, dhaleshwari, Lohajang.

Administration Tangail Sadar Thana was formed in 1962 and it was turned into an upazila in 1984. Tangail Municipality was formed in 1887.

Upazila
Municipality	Union	Mouza	Village	Population		Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
				Urban	Rural		Urban	Rural
1	12	249	276	167412	353692	1559	71.8	43.9

Municipality
Area (sq km)	Ward	Mahalla	Population	Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
33.80	18	64	167412	4953	71.8

Union
Name of union and GO code	Area (acre)	Population		Literacy rate (%)
		Male	Female
Karatia 59	4699	23612	22877	58.9
Kakua 71	8712	13955	13305	31.8
Katuli 65	6652	14632	15179	33.0
Gala 41	4042	14123	14143	52.0
Gharinda 47	4908	15440	16377	45.1
Danya 39	4907	15363	16077	47.7
Porabari 90	3404	10835	10787	39.9
Baghil 37	5193	14989	15448	41.0
Magra 77	5717	15803	16306	43.6
Mahamudnagar 80	5675	9382	9775	36.0
Silimpur 83	4106	9932	10862	46.4
Hugra 53	8434	17363	17127	37.0

Source Bangladesh Population Census 2011, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics.

Archaeological heritage and relics Santosh Zamindar Bari, Karatia Zamindar Bari.

Historical events The Awami League held its Council Conference and cultural functions at Kagmari of the upazila during the period from 6 to 10 February 1957. The historic event is known as the kagmari conference.

War of Liberation During the war of liberation about 17000 freedom fighters led by Bangabir Kader Siddiqui fought against the Pak army in various places of the upazila. There is a mass killing site at a place adjacent to the water tank on the northern side of the Deputy Commissioner’s Office and a martyrs' memorial in the upazila.

For details: see টাঙ্গাইল সদর উপজেলা, বাংলাদেশ মুক্তিযুদ্ধ জ্ঞানকোষ (Encyclopedia of Bangladesh War of Liberation), বাংলাদেশ এশিয়াটিক সোসাইটি, ঢাকা ২০২০, খণ্ড ৪।

Religious institutions Karatia Jami Mosque and Chandra Narayan Das Math are notable.

Literacy rate and educational institutions Average literacy 53.1%; male 57.3%, female 48.8%. Educational institutions: university 1, university college 1, college 7, primary teachers training institute (PTI) 1, polytechnic institute 1, secondary school 47, primary school 147, madrasa 1. Noted educational institutions: Maulana Bhasani Science and Technology University (1997), Institution School and College (1900), Government Sadat University College (1926), Kumudini Government College (1943), Government Maulana Mohammad Ali College (1968), Major General Mahmud Hasan College (1989), Lion Nazrul Islam College (1993), Tangail Polytechnic Institute (1987), Pathrail Bangla School (1862), English Medium School (1870), Government Bindubashini Boys'; High School (1880), Government Bindubashini Girls'; High School (1882), Porabari High School (1896), Tangail Sibanath High School (1907), BS Bisweswari High School (1926), Rokeya Senior Fazil Madrasa (1925).

Newspapers and periodicals Daily: Deskatha, Mufassal (1987), Majlumer Kantha (1995), Lokkatha, Ajker Telegram, Nagarik Kantha; defunct weekly: Tangail Hitoishi (1890), Naba Mihir (1891), Probaho (1914), Durbin (1947), Janata (1954), Joy Bangla (1971), Purbakash (1994), Lohajang, Khamos, Mou Bazar, Bidrahi Kantha, Parjukti, Mul Srata, Tangail Barta; defunct fortnightly: Ahmadi, Hitakari (1892), Rayat(1936); defunct monthly: Naba Yug (1890), Naba Bidhan (1890), Prajasakti (1931), Balark (1970).

Cultural organisations Library 1, club 4, shilpakala academy, sports club 1, cinema hall 6, theatre stage 1 (Bhasani Hall), theatre group 2, women organisation 1, playground 20, literary society 3, cultural society 3.

Main sources of income Agriculture 36.81%, non-agricultural labourer 3.66%, industry 1.91%, commerce 19.09%, transport and communication 7.14%, service 12.18%, construction 2.14%, religious service 0.20%, rent and remittance 1.51% and others 15.36%.

Ownership of agricultural land Landowner 55.95%, landless 44.05%; agricultural landowner: urban 47.27% and rural 59.52%.

Main crops Paddy, jute, mustard, wheat, potato, sugarcane, ground nut, maize, vegetables.

Extinct or nearly extinct crops Varieties of pulse, china, linseed, sweet potato, turmeric, ginger, coriander.

Main fruits Mango, jackfruit, plum, papaya, wood apple.

Fisheries, dairies and poultries Fishery 16, poultry 200. This upazila has a number of dairies.

Communication facilities Pucca road 140.5 km, Semi-pucca road 3.58 km, mud road 322.75 km; railway 10 km, waterway 35 km. Bridge-culvert 287.

Extinct or nearly extinct traditional transport Palanquin, horse carriage, bullock cart, buffalo cart.

Noted manufactories Flour mill, ice factory, rice mill, oil mill, pulse mill, chira mill, biscuit factory, engineering workshop, book binding factory, pipe factory, soap factory, aluminum factory.

Cottage industries Goldsmith, blacksmith, weaving, bidi factory, embroidery, brass and bell metal work, bamboo work, wood work.

Hats, bazars and fairs Hats and bazars are 22, most noted of which are Karatia Hat, Pala Hat, Pashbaithor, Suruj Hat, Porabari Hat, Jugan Hat, Panchani Bazar, Chayani Bazar, Baghil Bazar and Bhuter Mela (Shibpur).

Main exports Milk and milk products, cotton sari, jute, leather, sugarcane molasses, mustard.

Access to electricity All the wards and unions of the upazila are under rural electrification net-work. However 65.2% of the dwelling households have access to electricity.

Sources of drinking water Tube-well 89.2%, tap 9.3% and others 1.5%.

Sanitation 65.0% of dwelling households of the upazila use sanitary latrines and 31.2% of dwelling households use non-sanitary latrines; 3.8% of households do not have latrine facilities.

Health centres Hospital 4, clinic 2, upazila health complex 1, family planning centre 17, satellite clinic 5.

Natural disasters Many people of the upazila were victims of the famine of 1943.

NGO activities Operationally important NGOs are brac, proshika, asa, CARE. [Nazrul Islam]

References Bangladesh Population Census 2001 and 2011, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics; Cultural survey report of Tangail Sadar Upazila 2007.