Gazipur District

{{About|the district in Bangladesh|the Indian district|Ghazipur District}} {{More citations needed|date=May 2014}} {{Infobox settlement | name = Gazipur District | native_name = গাজীপুর জেলা | native_name_lang = bn | official_name = | type = [[Districts of Bangladesh|District of Bangladesh]] | image_skyline = {{Photomontage |size = 250 |photo1a = IUT Lake Auditorium.jpg |photo1b = Bhawal Estate.jpg |photo2a = মৎস্য কন্যা.JPG |photo2b = Lotus in front of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Safari Park.jpg |photo3a = Bhawal National Park 07.jpg |photo4a = Shaheed_Minar,_DUET.jpg }} | imagesize = | image_alt = | image_caption = [[Islamic University of Technology|IUT]] at [[Gazipur]], Bhawal Zamindar Bari, [[Gazipur Safari Park]], [[Bhawal National Park]], [[Nuhash Polli]], [[DUET]] | image_flag = | image_seal = | image_shield = | nickname = | nicknames = | motto = | mottoes = | image_map = BD Gazipur District locator map.svg | map_caption = Location of Gazipur District in Bangladesh | mapframe = yes | mapframe-zoom = 8 | mapframe-point = none | pushpin_map = | pushpin_label_position = right | pushpin_map_caption = Location of Gazipur in Bangladesh | coordinates = {{coord|24.00|90.43|region:BD|display=inline,title}} | coordinates_footnotes = | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = {{flag|Bangladesh}} | subdivision_type1 = [[Divisions of Bangladesh|Division]] | subdivision_name1 = [[Dhaka Division|Dhaka]] | established_title = | established_date = | seat_type = Headquarters | seat = [[Gazipur]] | leader_party = | leader_title = District Council Administrator | leader_name = [[Ishrak Ahmed Siddiky]] | leader_title1 = [[Deputy Commissioner (Bangladesh)|Deputy Commissioner]] | leader_name1 = Md. Nurul Karim Bhuiyan | area_footnotes = <ref name="census2022">{{Cite book |url=http://nsds.bbs.gov.bd/storage/files/1/Publications/PHCensus/Dhaka/District%20Report%20Gazipur%20Full.pdf |title=Population and Housing Census 2022 - District Report: Gazipur |date=June 2024 |publisher=[[Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics]] |isbn=978-984-475-264-1 |series=District Series |location=Dhaka |pages= |archive-date=2024-12-03 |access-date=2024-10-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241203034234/http://nsds.bbs.gov.bd/storage/files/1/Publications/PHCensus/Dhaka/District%20Report%20Gazipur%20Full.pdf |url-status=dead}}</ref> | area_total_km2 = 1806.36 | area_metro_km2 = | area_note = | elevation_footnotes = | elevation_m = | population_footnotes = <ref name="2022census" /> | population_total = 5263450 | population_as_of = [[2022 Bangladeshi census|2022]] | population_rank = | population_density_km2 = auto | population_demonym = Gazipur basi | population_demonyms = | population_note = | timezone1 = [[Bangladesh Standard Time|BST]] | utc_offset1 = +06:00 | postal_code_type = [[List of postal codes in Bangladesh|Postal code]] | postal_code = 1700 | area_code = 0681 | iso_code = BD-18 | website = {{URL|gazipur.gov.bd}} | footnotes = }} '''Gazipur District''' ({{langx|bn|গাজীপুর জেলা}}) is a district in central [[Bangladesh]], that is part of the [[Dhaka Division]]. It has an area of 1806.36 km2.<ref name="census2022" /><ref name=Banglapedia>{{cite Banglapedia |author=Ahmed, Muhammad Farid Uddin |article=Gazipur District}}</ref> It is the home district of [[Tajuddin Ahmad]], the first [[Prime Minister of Bangladesh]] and has been a prominent centre of battles and movements throughout history. Gazipur is home to the [[Bishwa Ijtema]] (lit. "world congregation"), the second-largest annual Muslim gathering in the world with over 5 million attendees.<ref name="telegraph.co.uk">{{cite news |last=Lemos |first=Eirini |date=7 January 2016 |title=What is the festival of Bishwa Ijtema and where is it held? |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/bangladesh/12088120/What-is-the-festival-of-Bishwa-Ijtema-and-where-is-it-held.html |newspaper=The Telegraph}}</ref> The district is home to numerous universities, colleges, the [[Gazipur Safari Park]], [[Bhawal National Park]] as well as the country's only [[business park]] - the [[Hi-Tech City, Kaliakoir]].

==History== The ancient city of Dholsamudra in present-day Gazipur served as one of the capitals of the Buddhist [[Pala Empire]]. In the sixth century, forts were built in [[Kapasia Upazila|Toke and Ekdala]] which continued to be used as late as the [[Mughal Empire|Mughal Period]]. The area became known as a strategic region with the establishment of more forts such as that of Karnapur, the digging of the Twin Ponds in 1045. Chinashkhania was the capital of the Chandalas and Shishu Pal had his capital in modern-day [[Sreepur Upazila, Gazipur|Sreepur]], which the ruins of can still be seen today. Another fort was built in Dardaria in 1200.<ref name=Banglapedia/>

During the reign of the [[Sultan of Bengal]] [[Alauddin Husain Shah]] (1494-1519), an Islamic scholar known as Shaykh Muhammad ibn Yazdan Bakhsh Bengali visited [[Kapasia Upazila|Ekdala]] where he transcribed [[Sahih al-Bukhari]] and gifted it to the Sultan in nearby [[Sonargaon]]. The manuscript is currently kept at the [[Khuda Bakhsh Oriental Library]] in [[Bankipore]], [[Patna]], Bihar.<ref name=emd>{{cite book |script-title=bn:হাদীছের তত্ত্ব ও ইতিহাস |page=24 |language=bn |publisher=Emdadia Library |chapter=2.2 বঙ্গে এলমে হাদীছ |author=Mawlana Nur Muhammad Azmi |trans-title=Information and history of Hadith |trans-chapter=2.2 Knowledge of Hadith in Bengal}}</ref><ref>Tarikh al-Hadith Ma`arif</ref>

The anti-Mughal leader of the [[Baro-Bhuiyan]]s, [[Isa Khan]], died of natural causes in September 1599. He was buried in the village of [[Kaliganj Upazila, Gazipur|Bakhtarpur]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.kalerkantho.com/print-edition/priyo-desh/2017/11/19/567241 |work=[[Kaler Kantho]] |date=19 Nov 2017 |script-title=bn:ঈশা খাঁর কবর গাজীপুরে! |language=bn |trans-title=Isa Khar Qobor Gazipure |author=Sharif Ahmad Shamim |location=Gazipur |access-date=21 October 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191021164023/https://www.kalerkantho.com/print-edition/priyo-desh/2017/11/19/567241 |archive-date=21 October 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref> During the governorship of [[Subahdar]] [[Mir Jumla II]], a bridge was constructed in [[Tongi]].

The British colonials built [[indigo]] factories in Raniganj and Barmi. The first armed resistance of the 1971 [[Bangladesh Liberation War]] took place in Gazipur on 19 March 1971.

==Demographics== {{Historical populations |align=center |percentages=pagr |1974 |898264 |1981 |1176429 |1991 |1621562 |2001 |2031891 |2011 |3403912 |2022 |5263450 |footnote= Sources:<ref name="2022census" /><ref name="census2011">{{cite web |url=http://203.112.218.101/storage/files/1/Publications/PHC_Zila_2011/DHAKA%20DIVISION/Zila_Gazipur.pdf |title=Bangladesh Population and Housing Census 2011 Zila Report – Gazipur |website=[[Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics]]}}</ref> }}

According to the [[2022 Bangladeshi census|2022 Census of Bangladesh]], Gazipur District had 1,579,781 households and a population of 5,263,450 with an average 3.29 people per household. Among the population, 827,272 (15.72%) inhabitants were under 10 years of age. The population density was 2,914 people per km2. Gazipur District had a literacy rate (age 7 and over) of 81.42%, compared to the national average of 74.80%, and a sex ratio of 923 females per 1000 males. Approximately, 64.29% of the population lived in urban areas. The ethnic population was 9,773.<ref name="2022census">{{Cite book |url=https://bbs.portal.gov.bd/sites/default/files/files/bbs.portal.gov.bd/page/b343a8b4_956b_45ca_872f_4cf9b2f1a6e0/2023-11-20-05-20-e6676a7993679bfd72a663e39ef0cca7.pdf |title=Population and Housing Census 2022 National Report |publisher=[[Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics]] |date=November 2023 |isbn= |volume=1 |pages=}}</ref>

{{bar box |title=Religions in Gazipur District (2022)<ref name="2022census"/> |titlebar=#Fcd116 |left1=Religion |right1=Percent |float=left |bars= {{bar percent|[[Islam in Bangladesh|Islam]]|green|94.45}} {{bar percent|[[Hinduism in Bangladesh|Hinduism]]|darkorange|5.01}} {{bar percent|[[Christianity in Bangladesh|Christianity]]|dodgerblue|0.50}} {{bar percent|Other or not stated|black|0.04}} }}

{| class="wikitable sortable" |+Religion in present-day Gazipur District ! rowspan="2" |Religion ! colspan="2" |1941<ref name="1941religion">{{cite web |title=Census of India, 1941 Volume VI Bengal Province |url=https://dspace.gipe.ac.in/xmlui/bitstream/handle/10973/37365/GIPE-020591.pdf?sequence=3&isAllowed=y}}</ref>{{rp|94–95}}{{Efn|1941 figures refer to Kaliganj, Kapasia, Joydepur, Sripur and Kaliakair thanas of erstwhile Dacca district, which roughly corresponds to the present district. District and thana borders have shifted since then.}} ! colspan="2" |1981<ref name="census2011" /> ! colspan="2" |1991<ref name="census2011" /> ! colspan="2" |2001<ref name="census2011" /> ! colspan="2" |2011<ref name="census2011" /> ! colspan="2" |2022<ref name="2022census" /> |- !{{Abbr|Pop.|Population}} !% !{{Abbr|Pop.|Population}} !% !{{Abbr|Pop.|Population}} !% !{{Abbr|Pop.|Population}} !% !{{Abbr|Pop.|Population}} !% !{{Abbr|Pop.|Population}} !% |- |[[Islam in Bangladesh|Islam]] [[File:Star and Crescent.svg|15x15px]] |366,601 |73.76% |1,066,863 |90.69% |1,486,648 |91.68% |1,872,943 |92.18% |3,200,383 |94.02% |4,971,543 |94.45% |- |[[Hinduism in Bangladesh|Hinduism]] [[File:Om.svg|16x16px]] |127,450 |25.64% |104,312 |8.87% |126,993 |7.83% |137,678 |6.78% |176,582 |5.19% |263,490 |5.01% |- |[[Christianity in Bangladesh|Christianity]] [[File:Christian cross.svg|21x21px]] |1,715 |0.35% |4,190 |0.36% |5,951 |0.37% |20,124 |0.99% |23,843 |0.70% |26,189 |0.50% |- |Others {{efn|Including [[Jainism]], [[Buddhism]], [[Zoroastrianism]], [[Judaism]], [[Ad-Dharmi]]s, or not stated}} |1,279 |0.60% |1,064 |0.08% |1,970 |0.12% |1,146 |0.05% |3,104 |0.09% |2,228 |0.04% |- !Total Population !497,045 !100% !'''1,176,429''' !100% !1,621,562 !100% !2,031,891 !100% !3,403,912 !100% !5,263,450 !100% |}

At the 2011 census, the district had a population of 3,403,912. 94.02% are [[Muslims]], 5.19% [[Hindus]] and 0.70% [[Christianity in Bangladesh|Christians]]. Unlike most of Bangladesh, religious minorities are more concentrated in rural areas than urban areas. The Christians are largely concentrated in a few unions of Kaliganj Upazila around the village of Nagori which were part of [[Rupganj Upazila]] until the 1990s, and are the Bhawal Catholics who converted during Portuguese times.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=De Rozario |first=Tapan |date=2011 |title=Christian Mission and Evangelization in Bangladesh |url=https://d1wqtxts1xzle7.cloudfront.net/76923860/Religion_20-_20Rozario-libre.pdf?1640061398=&response-content-disposition=inline%3B+filename%3DChristian_Mission_and_Evangelization_in.pdf&Expires=1731734736&Signature=FjodMObp6nUASz6XZdWzgrFewevksajuNuMxGRkm735ebcV9qkUaz7wpUNrRhIzlB~JdR6GQqPPazWNtd-hak0ymRcLuAWslF4vyQNXT8wMQEDD9I0YfTbgTJicr-u2fB9d1BkMK1a-m7yyu8w6-CQ4aZYPtEejXdVRJPWvsPSfkG~oe31q4AmnBHaQTe1gTMp540Y1vdEjhmGm~aRRtMIGwGNIaJaWfBNw-pvCSQiCcD9clNMF1UVaPMj-TH~OhADvVZrkDmcCZiR9S5OGIE0h24OYV0l9VjGaaddHD9E3MJqvdsq0V8LXc4DKMi8aszBAYk3KC~URnM4hUnF3uGw__&Key-Pair-Id=APKAJLOHF5GGSLRBV4ZA |journal=Bangladesh e-Journal of Sociology |volume=8 |issue=1}}</ref>

==Points of interest== [[File:A Beautiful Mosque 2.jpg|thumb|The Haji Abdus Sattar Mosque in Vangnahati, [[Sreepur Upazila, Gazipur|Sreepur]].]] Gazipur is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Bangladesh. There are several tourist attractions in this area. Most notable are: * [[Gazipur Safari Park]] * [[Bhawal National Park]] * [[Nuhash Polli]] * [[Bhadun]]

==Administration== [[File:Gazipur District upazila geocode map - Small Area Atlas Bangladesh.svg|thumb|Gazipur District upazila geocode map]]

[[File:GAZIPUR.gif|thumb|Gazipurs All Sub-Districts]] Gazipur District was established in 1984. It has one [[city corporation]], the [[Gazipur City Corporation]], and is divided into the following upazilas: * [[Gazipur Sadar Upazila]] * [[Kaliakair Upazila]] * [[Kapasia Upazila]] * [[Sreepur Upazila, Gazipur|Sreepur Upazila]] * [[Kaliganj Upazila, Gazipur|Kaliganj Upazila]]

Gazipur city has 57 wards. The area of the town is 321.32 km2. The town's population is 2890796; male 52.52%, female 47.48%; density is 2,905 per km2. * Mayor of Gazipur City Corporation: Jayeda khatun * Administrator of Zila Parishod: Akhteruzzaman<ref>{{cite news |title=AL men appointed administrators |date=December 16, 2011 |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-214399 |work=The Daily Star}}</ref> * Deputy Commissioner: Nurul Islam<ref>{{cite news |url=https://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/10-districts-get-new-dcs |title=10 districts get new DCs |date=16 January 2012 |newspaper=bdnews24.com}}</ref>

==Transport== * [[Dhaka]]-[[Tongi]] diversion road connects [[Gazipur, Dhaka Division|Gazipur]] with Dhaka. * Dhaka-Savar-Tangail road connects Gazipur With Savar and Manikgonj. * There are seven railway stations in the Gazipur district.

==Education== {{Update section|date=April 2025}} There are six universities in Gazipur: [[Dhaka University of Engineering and Technology]], [[Islamic University of Technology]], [[Gazipur Agricultural University]] (formerly the Institute of Postgraduate Studies on Agriculture), [[Bangladesh Open University]], German University Bangladesh, [[Bangladesh National University]], and [[Gazipur Digital University]].

Establishments such as Gazipur Cantonment College, [[Bangladesh Rice Research Institute]] (BRRI), [[Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute]] (BARI) and others are located here.

There are two masters level colleges in the district: [[Bhawal Badre Alam Government College]] and [[Tongi Government College]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://moedu.portal.gov.bd/sites/default/files/files/moedu.portal.gov.bd/npfblock//Masters%20Level%20College.xls |title=Masters Level College |author= |website=Ministry of Education |access-date=July 15, 2014}}</ref>

There are 19 degree colleges in the district. Honors level colleges include: Kaliakair Degree College, Jatir Pita Bangabandhu Degree College, Kaligonj Sramik College, Kapasia Degree College (founded in 1965), and Kazi Azim Uddin College.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://moedu.portal.gov.bd/sites/default/files/files/moedu.portal.gov.bd/npfblock//Degree%20%28Pass%29%20Level%20College.xls |title=Degree (Pass) Level College |author= |website=Ministry of Education |access-date=July 15, 2014}}</ref>

Notable secondary and higher secondary schools include [[Rani Bilashmoni Government Boys' High School]], founded in 1905, [[Safiuddin Sarker Academy and College]], [[M. E. H. Arif College]], [[Tongi Pilot School & Girls' College]], and Mamdee Mollah High School.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://moedu.portal.gov.bd/sites/default/files/files/moedu.portal.gov.bd/npfblock//School%20%26%20College.xls |title=School & College |author= |website=Ministry of Education |access-date=July 15, 2014}}</ref>

The madrasa education system includes 26 fazil and 3 kamil madrasas.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://moedu.portal.gov.bd/sites/default/files/files/moedu.portal.gov.bd/npfblock//Fazil%20Madrasha.xls |title=Fazil Madrasha |author= |website=Ministry of Education |access-date=July 15, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://moedu.portal.gov.bd/sites/default/files/files/moedu.portal.gov.bd/npfblock//kamil%20Madrasha.xls |title=Kamil Madrasha |author= |website=Ministry of Education |access-date=July 15, 2014}}</ref>

== Notable people ==   * [[Afsaruddin Ahmad]], lawyer * [[Tajuddin Ahmad]], 1st [[Prime Minister of Bangladesh]] * [[Zahir Uddin Ahmed]], former chief of naval staff, Bangladesh Navy * [[M. Zahid Hasan]], quantum physicist * [[Mozammel Haque (Bangladesh Awami League politician)|Mozammel Haque]], [[Ministry of Liberation War Affairs (Bangladesh)|Ministry of Liberation War Affairs]] and member of parliament * [[Ahsanullah Master]], trade union leader and former member of parliament * [[Simeen Hussain Rimi]], politician and member of parliament * [[Zahid Ahsan Russel]], former [[Ministry of Youth and Sports (Bangladesh)|Minister of State for Youth and Sports]] and member of parliament * [[Meghnad Saha]], astrophysicist and developer of the [[Saha ionization equation]] * [[Mohammad Sanaullah]], physician * [[Hannan Shah]], army officer * [[Mohammad Shahidullah]], politician * [[Abu Jafar Shamsuddin]], author * [[Sohel Taj]], former minister, politician and television host * [[Mohammad Obaid Ullah]], politician

==See also== * [[Districts of Bangladesh]]

== Notes == {{reflist|group=lower-alpha}}

==References== {{Commons category}} {{Wikivoyage}} {{Reflist}}

[[Category:Gazipur District| ]] [[Category:Districts of Bangladesh]] [[Category:Districts and regions of Greater Dhaka]]