Tangail

Tangail টাঙ্গাইল
City of Culture (সংস্কৃতি নগরী) town also became famous when
From top to bottom: 1. The City Skyline from "Suparibagan"; 2. The Open Stage of Tangail Poura Uddan; 3. Tangail District Court Building; 4. The city gate called "Shamsul Huq Toron"; 5. DC Lake at District Headquarters
Tangail Location of Tangail in Bangladesh
Coordinates: 24.264423°N 89.918140°ECoordinates: 24.264423°N 89.918140°E
Country	Bangladesh
Division	Dhaka Division
District	Tangail District
Upazila	Tangail Sadar Upazila-Part, Delduar Upazila-Part
Incorporated	1887
Government
• Type	Pourashava
• Present Mayor	Md.Jamilur Rahman Miron (Bangladesh Awami League)
Area
• Total	29.04 km2 (11.21 sq mi)
Elevation	14 m (46 ft)
Population (2017)
• Total	750,000
Time zone	BST (UTC+6)
Postal codes	1900, 1901, 1902
Area code(s)	0921
Website	Tangail District

Tangail (Bengali: টাঙ্গাইল, [ʈaŋgail]) is a city of Dhaka Division in the central region of Bangladesh 98 km north-west of Dhaka, the capital. It is one of the important cities of Central Bangladesh and main urban area of Tangail District. The city is on the bank of Louhajang River.

Etymology

During the early 19th century, horse carts were the main transportation medium for carrying goods and passengers in the present city area. A long line of horse carts used to stand at that time. There is a common belief that the name Tangail has been originated from the word tanga meaning horse carts.

History

Tangail was a popular local business centre since the early 19th century. But the name came on focus when the headquarter of a subdivision of the Greater Mymensingh District was shifted in 1860 from Atia to there due to its fertility and high elevation near Louhajong River. At the same time, The subdivision was named as Tangail.
The Municipal Corporation or pourashava was established on 1 July 1887. During its establishment the town was composed of five wards. Tangail pourosova website http://tangailpourashava.gov.bd

} Afterwards, the pourashava was reshaped into four wards:

• Ward no. 1 as Central
• Ward no. 2 as Betka
• Ward no. 3 as Dighulia
• Ward no. 4 as Santosh

In 1988 it was subdivided into six wards:

• Ward no. 1 as Central
• Ward no. 2 as Betka
• Ward no. 3 as Dighulia
• Ward no. 4 as Santosh
• Ward no. 5 as Zila Sadar
• Ward no. 6 as Kazipur
• Ward no. 13 as Purbo Adalat Para

After decisions for a few years, in 1999 the city was subdivided into 18 wards and gained its present shape. The first election of the city was held in November 1887. In that election eight ward commissioners from four wards were elected by direct vote of the citizens of the city. On the other hand, the then Subdivision Commissioner of Tangail, Shashi Shekhar Dutt, was appointed as the first administrator of Tangail city. There was no pakka street in this city then. No lamp post could be seen in the roads. In the 1890s the city was lacking safe water supply, too. The regional zamindarsand subdivision board came forward and helped financially to dig ponds, lakes and canals. Those sources served the local people with a safe water supply. In the early 1900s, the pourashava authority lit the roads for the first time by kerosene lambs. The pourashava gradually became populated in the first half of the 20th century. At that time, many tube wells were set up in the town. The main way of transportation was horse carsin the town. People used cattle for transportation, too. The people of Tangail used to visit Kolkatathrough Charabari by launchand Dhakathrough Mymensingh. In the early 1930s, electricity line was first provided in the town. The rickshawsstarted to roll in town's streets. In the 1960s, pakka roads were constructed in the town. In the meantime, Tangail was directly connected to Dhaka by road. Many bridges and culvertswere constructed to develop the area. The town got water by pipelines at that time. In 1985 Tangail City was promoted to 'B Class' from 'C Class'. In 1989 the pourashava was promoted to 'A Class'. In the 1990s, The city was financed by Asian Development Bankand Government of Bangladeshto develop water supply, sanitation, wastewater drainage, bus terminal, supermarkets and other infrastructure.

Sports

Cricket is the most popular sport in Tangail. Football and kabaddi are also popular. All important sports events of the city are held in Tangail Stadium which is beside Bhashani hall and Tangail Eid-gah. The stadium has hosted national events. It was the home venue of Bangladesh Football Premier League club Team BJMC. It was converted into a cricket stadium in 2015. First Division Cricket is regularly hosted in this venue.

Administration

The total area of Tangail city is 35.22 km2. The government of Bangladesh has planned to expand the city. After expansion it will have a proposed area of 81.75 km2.The city consists of 18 wards and 64 mahallas until 2016.

Ward No.	Area
1	Tangail Kanda Para, Par Dighulia, Akur Takur Para
2	Korer Betka, Mirer Betka, Nondir Betka, Sabalia, Dorun, Ashekpur, Nagor Jalfai, Boali
3	Garai, Berai, Kazipur, Bachrakandi, Potol, Bajitpur, Berabuchna, Valluk kandi
4	Kagmari, Sontosh, Aloa, Boitta, Patuli, Ekrampur
5	Kalipur, Dighulia, Sakrail, Kaiyamara, Beradoma, Basha, Khanpur
Ward No.	Region	Households	Population (2011)
1	Akur Takur Para-north, Dewla, District hq	2070	10388
2	Enayetpur	2142	8760
3	West Akur Takur Para, North Kagmara, South Kagmara	3205	13903
4	Bepari Para, Fakir Para, Bera Doma, Dighulia, Char Dighulia	2119	9208
5	Kalipur, Lakshimpur, Sarutia, Shakrail	1614	7235
6	College Para, Paradise Para, Par Dighulia-part	1569	6712
7	Baluk Kandi, Bagbari, Patuli Bhabani Bagbari, Uttar Santosh-part, Santosh Palpara	1674	7325
8	Aloa Bhabani Pahim, Aloa Pahim, Dakshin Santosh-part	1797	8026
9	Aloa Baratia, Aloa Paikasta, Aloa Tarini, Baluk Kandi-part, Char Patuli, Purba Aloa, Aloa Bhabani	1888	8575
10	Bajitpur, Berai, Basrakandi, Kazipur, Patal	1458	6189
11	Berabuchna, Kachua Para,Kanda Para	1929	7536
12	Adi Tangail, Bepari Para, Bil Para	1628	7160
13	Tangail Mahalla, Chayanir Bazar, Pachanir Bazar, Thana Para, Uttar Thana Para	1792	7572
14	Purba Adalat Para, Adalat Para, Biswas Betka-part S.W corn, Shaha Para	2790	11786
15	Ashekpur, Biswas Betka-part	2745	12118
16	Akur Takur Para-part, Par Dighulia-part	2459	10670
17	Kumudini College Para, Munshi Para, Registry Para, Biswas Betka-west	2128	11081
18	Kodalia, Sabalia	2600	13168

Karatia is the suburb of Tangail.

Transport

"New Bus Terminal", Dewla, Tangail. 

It takes approximately 1 hour and 55 minutes to reach Tangail from Dhaka city, via Kaliakair and Tongi. The distance is around 98 km. From Mohakhali (মহাখালী) bus terminal, several buses run to this city. Among them Nirala, Dhaleshwari, Jhatika and High Choice are notable.
Several trains are available from Dhaka to Tangail. Among them the most popular is "Sirajganj Express". Other notable intercity trains that stop in Tangail railway station are Padma Express, Ekota Express, Nilsagor Express, Silk City Express, Sundarban Express, Drutojan Express, Rangpur Express etc. Some local trains stop in the station, too. Those are Rajshahi Express, Rajshahi Mail, Rangpur Express, Fast Passenger, etc.

Traditional foods

• Chomchom, a famous dessert of Tangail
• Pineapple

Parks

• Tangail Poura Uddan
• Soul Park
• DC Lake
• SP Lake and Park

Education

The literacy rate of the city area is 71.8%.
There are eight notable high schools in the city:

1. Bindu Basini Govt. Boys' High School (established in 1880 by zamindar of Santosh of the famous Roy Chowdhury family)
2. Bindu Basini Govt. Girls' High School (established in 1882 by zamindar of Santosh of the famous Roy Chowdhury family)
3. Shibnath High School
4. Vivekananda High School
5. Police Lines High School
6. Zila Sadar Girls' High School
7. Santosh Jannabi Govt. High School
8. P.T.I. High School

There are several colleges in the city.

1. Major General Mahmudul Hassan College
2. Kumudini College
3. Mawlana Mohammad Ali Govt. College
4. Govt. Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib Mohila College
5. Vivekananda College
6. Police Lines College

Furthermore, Tangail Medical College, Bangabandhu Textile Engineering College, Textile Institute of Tangail and Tangail Polytechnic Institute are located here. There is a technological university named Mawlana Bhashani Science and Technology University in Santosh, Tangail.

Religion

Religions of Tangail City, 2011
Religion			Percent
Muslims			88.2%
Hindus			11.7%
Others			.1%

The majority of Tangail city's people are Muslims (88.2%) like most other parts of Bangladesh. Other religious groups include Hindus (11.7%), Christians (.08%) and Buddhists (0.02%).

Notable residents

• Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani, Islamic scholar, political leader, ex-president of the Awami League
• Shamsul Huq, first general secretary of the Awami League
• Abu Sayeed Chowdhury, second president of Bangladesh
• Qader "Tiger" Siddiqi, erstwile Pakistan Army havildar and famed Mukti Bahini leader (decorated Bir Uttom), MP 1999-2013 and founding leader of Kirshak Sromik Janata League
• SM Aslam Talukder aka Manna, film actor and producer