Manikganj District
Manikganj ( ) is a district in central Bangladesh. It is a part of the Dhaka Division. History. War of Liberation. Liberation war in 1971 in Manikganj District was organized and led by Abdul Halim Chowdhury, Abdul Matin Chowdhury, Principal Abdur Rouf Khan and other heroes of the district. During October 1971, at the Northwest corner of Golaidanga village, Baldhara union in Singair upazila, a group of Freedom Fighters attacked the boats carrying the Pakistani intruding soldiers and a terrible battle occurred on the Nuruni ganga (canal of Kaliganga river).Eighty one Pak soldiers were killed and many others held with  injuries in a fierce battle with freedom fighters at Golaidanga village in Singair upazila on 29 October. Freedom fighter Engr Tobarak Hossain Ludu led the operation. He was the commander of muktibahini Lodu group None of the Mukti Bahini Freedom Fighters were killed during this battle which is one of the significant liberation fight against Pakistani military in Manikgonj. After this short duration battle, the Mukti Bahini Freedom Fighters leave the battle field and the PAK soldiers enhanced their strength bringing more soldiers and they burnt 160 houses surrounding area of Golaidanga village of the battle place and killed 09  local people who were mostly elderly stayed at home. Some local young boys helped freedom fighters in that ambush. They are Abdul Ali, Mohiuddin Alamgir and Zakir (Wrong Message, Mr. Mohiuddin Alamgir & Mr. Zakir are not real Freedom Fighter) and many others. After golaidanga fight singair upozilla became free from Pak occupied army on 13 November 1971. In the last week of November in 1971, fresh groups of freedom fighters entered different areas of Manikganj and defeated Pakistani troops in a few battles. On 14 December 1971, a group of PAK Bahini moving toward Dhaka entered into Barundi village under  Manikganj Sadar upazila, a group of liberation forces (Mujib Bahini) under leadership of Shahadat Hossain Biswas Badal were preparing to attack them within a suitable place. Understanding this, the PAK Soldiers immediately left the village leaving two soldiers from their troops. One of them was arrested by the liberation forces (Mujib Bahini) at night on 14 December 1971 and another was arrested by the same group of freedom fighters next day after a small fight. Finally they declared the then sub-division free on 13 December. It was turned into a district in 1984. Daulatpur-Saturia tornado. On 26 April  1989, Manikganj was the site of the Daulatpur–Saturia tornado, which became the deadliest tornado in recorded history. 1,300 people were initially reported as having been killed with 12,000 injured. The towns of Saturia and Manikganj Sadar were leveled and about 80,000 people were made homeless. Geography. Manikganj is a district in Dhaka Division. It comprises an area of . Annual average temperatures reach a maximum of 36 °C and a minimum to 12.7 °C with the annual rainfall total being . Rivers. There are quite a few rivers in the Manikganj District. The names of the some important rivers  of this district are as follows: Population. Manikganj District has a population of 1,671,985; Religion. 90.62% are Muslims, 9.34% are Hindus. The district of Manikganj has 3575 mosques, 160 temples, 10 churches, five Buddhist temples and a pagoda. Economy. There are total 166 Haats and Bazars. Besides 54 fairs (Mela) are held in Manikganj. "Manikganj Bijoy Mela"-(Manikganj), "Bahadia Boishakhi Mela,(Bahadia) "Joymontop Modhor Mela,(Joymontop) Bahadia Bazar "Majhi Barir Mela"-(Diabari), "Zinda Shah Mela"-(Jhitka), "Belal/Billal Paglar Mela"-(Harganj), "Rowth Jatra Mela"-(Katigram), "Poush Mela"-(Atigram), "Bathaimuri Mela"-(Bathaimuri), "Baher Paglar Mela"-(Bangala), "Baher Paglar Mela"-(Mohadebpur), "Sadhur Mela"-( South Jamsha), "Sadhinota Mela"-(Maluchi), "Aziz paglar Mela"- (kachidhara), " Baruni Mela"-  (Butni),are famous and favorite all over Manikganj. Mohadebpur Bazar, Barangail Bazar, Baira Bazar, Jhitka Bazar, jamsha bazar, Diabari Bazar, Gheor Bazar, Singair Bazar, Bangala Bazar, Maluchi Bazar(Balla bazar), Intazganj Bazar,Butni Bazar are famous bazar in manikganj. Subdivisions. The upazilas are: Education. There is one medical school in the district, Colonel Malek Medical College. A private university, NPI University of Bangladesh, is planned. There are 27 colleges in the district. They include Government Debendra College, founded in 1942. According to Banglapedia, Baliati Iswar Chandra High School, founded in 1919, Barangail Gopal Chandra High School (1924), Dhankora Girish Institution (1917), Dhulla  B. M. High School (1920), Ghior D. N. Pilot High School (1929), Ibrahimpur Iswar Chandra High School (1923), Jamirtta S. G. High School (1921), Jhitka Ananda Mohan High School (1926), Joymontop High School (1921), Manikganj Government High School (1884), Manikganj Model High School (1925), Nali Bararia Krishna Chandra High School (1915), Patgram Anath Bandhu Government High School (1915), Teota Academy (1891), and Terosree K. N. Institution (1922), Bajpara high school (1995), Hatipara High School, Diabari High School are notable secondary schools. The madrasa education system includes two fazil madrasas and one kamil madrasa, Manikganj Islamia Kamil Madrasa, founded in 1953 . The technical education system includes the Government Textile Vocational Institute Manikganj.