Monday, August 15, 2011

Gopalganj District

Gopalganj is a district (zila in Bangla) in the Dhaka division (bibhag in Bangla) of Bangladesh. The district has about 1.1 million inhabitants and its surface area is 1,490 km². The main city of the district is also called Gopalganj.

The district is the political bastion of the Awami League. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the first Prime Minister of Bangladesh, hailed from the village of Tungipara in the district. Sheikh Mujib's nephew Sheikh Fazlul Haq Mani had also been elected to parliament from Gopalgonj-2 constituency. Both were assassinated on August 15, 1975 and the country was lifted from the ruins of socialist style dictatorship of the Mujib family and Awami League sycophants.
Since the restoration of multi-party democracy and freedom of the press by President Ziaur Rahman, and again by Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, Sheikh Mujib's daughter Sheikh Hasina Wajed, had the pleasure in contesting elections, thus has been elected four times from Gopalgonj-3 constituency and twice Prime Minister of Bangladesh. Her cousin and Sheikh Mani's brother, Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim has been elected four times from Gopalgonj-2 constituency.
Recently Office of the Deputy Commissioner, Gopalganj has constructed a webportal of the district as www.dcgopalganj.gov.bd under Access to Information program of the Prime Minister's Office. This has been done under the Digital Bangladesh implementation concept of the incumbent government.

History of Gopalganj District
Gopalgonj district consists of 5 Upazillas and Thana. They are Gopalgonj Sadar, Kotalipara, Kashiani, Muksedpur and Tungipara. The main town is known as Gopalgonj. Gopalgonj was far away for administration. So it was made Thana by referring Calcutta Gazette in 1870. In the year of 1909 Gopalgonj became sub division comprising Sadar, Kotalipara, Kashiani, Muksedpur. Tungipara was then included in Sadar. Gopalganj District was established in 1984, prior to this it was a subdivision of (Faridpur District). The first SDO (sub-divisional officer) was Mr. Suresh Candra Sen. Tungipara was emancipated as upazilla in 1984 by breaking sadar. After the liberation war Gopalgonj sadar become Pourashava. As close fellow of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Panna Biswas of Gimadanga was selected as first chairman.
It has great administrative power, more than 15 MPs are from here. Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was born here. His political life was started from here. His daughter Sheikh Hasina is now prime minister of Bangladesh. Molla Jalal, Khan Saheb Sheikh Mosharrof Hossain was popular leader of this area.
In liberation war freedom fighters of this district was prominent. Hemaet Uddin, leader of hemaet bahini also the son of this soil. His gallantry contribution is known to all. More than 5 police members who took part in first protest at Rajarbag Police Line are also born here.
It has a great transportation system. It will take 5 hours from the capital of Dhaka ( depending on traffic).

Subdivisions
Gopalganj is subdivided into five subdistricts (upazila/thana).

1) Gopalganj Sadar Upazila
Gopalgonj(Town) consists of 21 wards and 72 mahallas. Gopalgonj municipality was constituted in 1972. The area of the town is 46.88 km². The town has a population of 85398; male 51.07%, female 46.93%. The density of population is 6874 per km². The literacy rate among the town people is 75.1%.
2) Kashiani Upazila
3) Kotalipara Upazila
4) Muksudpur Upazila
5) Tungipara Upazila
Tungipara is one of the upazilla of Gopalgonj. Father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was born and his grave is also here.In 1995 it become upazilla. Present Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina is also born here. Here is the birth place of great saint Shamsul Haque Foridpuri.Panna Biswas is a prominent leader and first chairman of Gopalgonj Pourashava. His father late Moulavi Abdul Bari Biswas was an SDO (Sub Divisional Officer)of Pakistan government.He is now a prominent journalist of Gopalgonj. Solaiman Biswas,son of Laek Ali Biswas former president of upazilla Awami league is now Upazilla chairman.


The district of Gopalganj consists 3456 mosques, 359 temples, six churches and four tombs.

Places of Interest
Ulpur has a former Zamindar palace which is currently used a Tafsil Office and many other Zamindar mansions. It was the home of the Basu Roy Chowdhury family. Arpara has a zamindar palace of former zaminder Late Munshi Abdur Razzak Chowdhury. Tomb of Bangabandhui Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Gaohor Danga Madrasa, Madhumati river, Bornir Baor.

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