# Tungipara Upazila

Tungipara (Bengali: টুঙ্গিপাড়া) is an upazila of Gopalganj District in Dhaka Division, Bangladesh. It is the birthplace of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founder of independent Bangladesh. In 1995, it was carved out of Gopalganj Sadar Upazila to become an upazila.

## Etymology

There is a legend that this area used to be flooded. Some saints who practiced Islam relocated to this area from Persia. They started living in this area by making canopied houses at low cost. Such houses are called "Tong" in Bengali hence the name of the place is Tungipara (Tungi+para). "Para" means neighborhood.

## Geography

Tungipara is located at 22°54′00″N 89°53′00″E﻿ / ﻿22.9000°N 89.8833°E﻿ / 22.9000; 89.8833 on the north-eastern bank of the Modhumoti River. It is the most southern upazila of Gopalganj District. To the north is Gopalganj Sadar, the east is Kotalipara Upazila, on the south Nazirpur Upazila in Pirojpur District and in the west is Chitalmari Upazila of Bagerhat District. Tungipara Upazila has 20,575 households and a total area of 128.53 km$^2$.
The famous river Madhumati divides Tungipara from Bagerhat District.

## Demographics

Religions in Tungipara Upazila (2022) :
| Religion | Religion | Percent | Percent |
| Islam | Islam | 73.64% | 73.64% |
| Hinduism | Hinduism | 26.26% | 26.26% |
| Other or not stated | Other or not stated | 0.10% | 0.10% |
According to the 2011 Census of Bangladesh, Tungipara Upazila had 20,575 households and a population of 100,893. 25,517 (25.29%) were under 10 years of age. Tungipara had a literacy rate (age 7 and over) of 56.61%, compared to the national average of 51.8%, and a sex ratio of 997 females per 1000 males. 38,020 (37.68%) lived in urban areas.
As of the 1991 Census of Bangladesh, Tungipara has a population of 88,102. Males constitute 51.25% of the population, and females 48.75%. This Upazila's 18+ population is 42,147. Tungipara has an average literacy rate of 63.3% (7+ years), and the national average of 32.4% literate.

## Points of interest

* Mausoleum of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
* Borni'r Baor
* Madhumati River
* Patgati Bazar
* Baghir River

## Administration

Tungipara Upazila is divided into Tungipara Municipality and five union parishads: Barni, Dumuria, Gopalpur, Kushli, and Patgati. The union parishads are subdivided into 34 mauzas and 67 villages.
Tungipara Municipality is subdivided into 9 wards and 13 mahallas.

## Education

There are 24 main educational institutes in Tungipara.

### College

* Govt. Shaikh Muzibur Rahman College, Patgati
* Dr. Imdadul Haque Memorial Degree College, Bashbaria

### School

* Govt. Gimadanga Tungipara High School
* Khan Saheb Sheikh Mosarrof Hossain School & College
* Guadanga Silna B.B.H High School
* Saptapalli J. High School
* Gopalpur Panchapalli High School
* Nilfa Borni High School
* Kusli Islamia High School
* Basuria S. High School
* Barni High School
* Govt. Bangobandhu Smriti Girls High School
* Gimadanga Ideal High School
* Bashbaria Jhanjhania High School
* Dumuria ML. High School
* Tarail Adarsha High School
* Baladanga SMM High School
* Khan Saheb Sheikh Mosarraf Hossain High School
* Begum Fatema Jr. Girls School
* Treepalli Shaikh Abu Naser Jr. School
* Kusli Khan Saheb Sheikh Mosarraf Hossain Jr. School
* Patgati Jr. School

### Madrasa

* Gaohordanga Madrasa
* Darul Ulam Gaohordanga Madrasha (Kawmi)
* Bashbaria Jhanjhania Islamia Madrasha (Kawmi)
* Gimadanga Senior Madrasha (Alia)
* Gimadanga Gozalia Mohila Fazil Madrasha (Alia)

## Notable people

* Abul Hassan, poet, was born at Barnigram in Tungipara in 1947
* Shamsul Haque Faridpuri, Islamic scholar
* Sheikh Hasina, Ex-Prime Minister, was born in Tungipara in 1947
* Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Bangladesh's Father of the Nation and first president, was born in Tungipara in 1920