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 Toke and Ekdala which continued to be used as late as the 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, which the ruins of can still be seen today. Another fort was built in Dardaria in 1200.[2]
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.
According to the 2022 Census of Bangladesh, Gazipur District had 1,579,781 households and a population of 5,263,450. 827,272 (15.72%) were under 10 years of age. The population density was 2914 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. 64.29% of the population lived in urban areas.[1]
At the 2011 census, the district had a population of 3,403,912. 94.02% are Muslims, 5.19% Hindus and 0.70% Christians. Unlike most of Bangladesh, religious minorities are more concentrated in rural areas than urban areas. The Christians are largely concentrated in few unions of Kaliganj Upazila, and are the Bhawal Catholics who converted during Portugese times.
Points of interest
The Haji Abdus Sattar Mosque in Vangnahati, Sreepur.
Gazipur is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Bangladesh. There are several tourist attractions in this area. Most notable are:
Gazipur (town) has 9 wards and 31 mahallas. The area of the town is 49.32 km2. The town's population is 123,531; male 52.52%, female 47.48%; density is 2,505 per km2.
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.[12]
^Mawlana Nur Muhammad Azmi. "2.2 বঙ্গে এলমে হাদীছ" [2.2 Knowledge of Hadith in Bengal]. হাদীছের তত্ত্ব ও ইতিহাস [Information and history of Hadith] (in Bengali). Emdadia Library. p. 24.
^Sharif Ahmad Shamim (19 Nov 2017). ঈশা খাঁর কবর গাজীপুরে! [Isa Khar Qobor Gazipure]. Kaler Kantho (in Bengali). Gazipur. Archived from the original on 21 October 2019. Retrieved 21 October 2019.
Bangladesh
