Manikganj, a district under the jurisdiction of dhaka division is consist of about 1,383.66 sq km of the area. The district of Manikganj is located in between 89°41′ and 90°08′ east longitudes and in between 23°38′ and 24°03′ north latitudes. Total population of the district is 1,671,985 of which the parcentages of male and female are 52.02% and 56.34%. The density of population is 3674. Majority of the people of the district which is 1155202, is Muslim. Beside that, 129488 Hindu, 214 Bhuddist, 28 Christian and 148 people from other religions also live in the district. Manikganj is the home of 3575 mosques, 160 Hindu temples, 10 churches, 5 Buddhist temples and 1 pagoda. The district is boardered with Faridpur and Dhaka districts on the south, Tangail district on the north, Pabna, Rajbari and Sirajganj districts on the west and Dhaka district on the east. Main water bodies of the district are Padma, Jamuna, Ichamati, Dhaleshwari, Gazikhali and Kaliganga. Average literacy rate of the district is 41.02%. The parcentages of male and female literacy are accordingly 46.03% and 35.98%. Annual average temperatures of the district is maximum 36°C to minimum 12.7°C. Annual rainfall of the district is about 2,376 mm in total.
In earlier days, Manikganj was a subdivision of Dhaka District formed in 1845. In 1984, It was turned into a district. Manikganj is consists of 7 upazilas, of which Saturia is the smallest with the area of about 140.12 sq km. and Harirampur is the largest with about 245.42 sq km. of the area. The district of Manikganj is also can be sub-divided into 1 municipality, 65 union parishads, 9 wards, 1357 mouzas, 1647 villages and 49 mahallas. The supremacy of the mughal kingdom was founded in bhati region with a great battle. The Mughal army had to fought with the united forces of the Bara Bhuiyans under the supervision of Musa Khan. The battle occurred at Jatrapur and Dakchara on the Ichamati of Harirampur upazila. By defeating Bara Bhuiyans in this battle, the Mughal establishmed their supremacy over the region. The exapandation of the indigo uprising was in the second half of the nineteenth century over the district. On 12 February 1932, Hiralal Mohanta, a anti-British revolutionist along with his group of revolutionists of Manikganj town looted the postal despatch.
In 1971, Capt. Halim Chowdhury, Principal Abdur Rouf Khan, Abdul Matin Chowdhury along with other heroes of the district led the war of liberation in Manikganj district. Pakistani army conducted a great massacre in the district includes genocide, rape and violence, forced convertion, destroying properties. During the month of October, a horrible battle occurred between the freedom fighters and the Pakistani army when a group of freedom fighters attacked the boats crrying Pakistani soilders on a canal of Kaliganga river at Singair upazila. A incessive battle took place at Golaidanga village on 29 October led by Engr. Tobarak Hossain Ludu, Commander of one of the freedom fighters group ‘Ludu Bahini’. In the battle the freedom fighters killed eighty one Pakistani soilders and many other get injured. No freedom fighters were killed during the battle. Abdul Ali, Mohiuddin Alamgir and Zakir and many others young people of the district helped the freedom fighters in this battle. It was one of the most remarkable liberation battle of Manikganj. The freedom fighters left the field after the battle but, the Pakistani soilders meliorated their strength by calling more soilders. They burnt about 160 houses and killed 9 elderly people of the Golaidanga village. Singair upazila become liberated on 13 November, 1971. Many fresh group of freedom fighters entered in different areas of Manikganj in the last week of November. They fought few battles against the Pakistani army and defeated them. On 14 December, a group of liberation forces (Mujib Bahini) led by Shahadat Hossain Biswas Badal were planning to strike on a team of the Pakistani soilders who were trying to entering Dhaka through the Barundi village of Manikganj Sadar upazila. The Pakistani soilders got hints about the planning of the freedom fighters. They left the village as soon as possible only leaving two soilders. Mujib Bahini captured one of these two soilders on 14 December. Another of these two was caught by the same group the next day. On 13 December, the district of Manikganj was liberated from the Pakistani army.
1 Mass grave, 4 mass killing site 4 at Saturia Pilot High School compound, Residence of Balai Babu, Primary Training Institute Campus and Tara Ghat, 2 memorial monument at Terasree village and at a place on the western side of the Manikganj Bus-stand are still upholding the history of the war of liberation.
The economy of the district mostly depend on Agriculture which is 56.15%. Most of the people of the district have taken agriculture as their profession. There are total 166 Haats and Bazars in Manikganj. Mohadebpur Bazar, Baira Bazar, Barangail Bazar, Jhitka Bazar, Diabari Bazar, jamsha bazar, Gheor Bazar, Bangala Bazar, Singair Bazar, Maluchi Bazar(Balla bazar), Butni Bazar, Intazganj Bazar, are the most popular bazar in Manikganj. 54 different kinds of fairs (Mela) take place in Manikganj. “Manikganj Bijoy Mela” at Manikganj, Joymontop Modhor Mela at Joymontop, “Bahadia Boishakhi Mela, at Bahadia, Zinda Shah Mela” at Jhitka, Bahadia Bazar, “Majhi Barir Mela” at Diabari, ” are some of them.
In terms of folk culture Manikganj contains very unique and divers culture from the rest of the country. The district is filled with different folk traditions, folk tales and folk games. Manikganj is very rich concerning folk songs. Onni song, Jarigan, Sarigan, Rakhali, Bhatiali, Kavigan, Murshidi, Marfati, Gazir gaan, Baul song, Poush Parbaner’ gan (songs sung on the occasion of Poush Parvan), Gazaner gaan, Dhua gaan, Behular gan, Fakiri gaan, Banger biyer gan (song imagining marriage of frogs), Ghetu Jatra, Bichar gan, Baromasi gan sung by women, songs sung on the occasion of collecting mehedi for bride and bridegroom, songs sung on the occasion of preparing turmeric for applying on the bride, songs sung on the occasion of gaye halud and marriage ceremony, Marsia, Panchali, etc. along with Bera Bhasan, Bichhat are very famous tradition among the people of Manikganj.
| At a glance of Manikganj | ||
| 01 | Area | 1,383.66 km2
(534.23 sq mi). |
| 02 | Population | 1,671,985
Men: 52.02% Women: 47.98% |
| 03 | Founding Year | 1984 |
| 03 | Density | 3674 |
| 04 | Literacy Rate | 41.02% |
| 05 | Seats in the Parliament | 03
|
| 06 | Postcode | 1800 |
| 07 | Sector in Liberation War | |
Upazilas:
Manikganj is divided into 7 upazilas.
- Manikganj Sadar Upazila
- Singair Upazila
- Shivalaya Upazila
- Saturia Upazila
- Harirampur Upazila
- Ghior Upazila
- Daulatpur Upazila.
Rivers
Padma, Jamuna, Dhaleshwari, Ichamati and Kaliganga.
Places of interest:
Manikganj has always been the attraction of tourists because of its diversity and atmosphere. There are many places that reflect the history and geographical diversity of the district. Some of these interested places are:
- Baliati Zamindari Home, Saturia
- Padmar Par, Harirampur
- Teota Jamindar Bari, Shivalaya upazila
- Taota Noboratna Modh, Shibalaya
- Narayan Sadhur Asrom
- Historical Shrine and Mosque of Machaine Village
- Kabiraj Bari
- Beutha Bridge
- Betila Palace
- Betila Mondir
Notable personalities:
Manikganj is the home of many famous personalities of the country like poet, singer, actor, social activist, poltician etc. Namely,
- Khan Asifur Rahman Agun, singer
- Begum Badrunnessa Ahmed, politician and social worker
- Naib Uddin Ahmed, photographer
- Rafiq Uddin Ahmed, Bengali language movement martyr
- Momtaz Begum, singer and politician
- Amalendu Biswas, stage actor
- Aruna Biswas, television and film actress
- Parbati Sankar Roy Choudhury, zamindar
- Abdul Halim Chowdhury, politician
- Bulbul Chowdhury, dancer
- Munier Choudhury, educator, dramatist, and literary critict
- Hemanta Kumari Debi, zamindar
- Sumita Devi, actress
- Nina Hamid, folk singer
- Khandaker Delwar Hossain, politician
- Khandkar Manwar Hossain, statistician
- K. M. Nurul Islam, Vice President of Bangladesh (1986–1989)
- Mohammad Kaykobad, computer scientist
- Mohammad Ali Reza Khan, ornithologist
- Mubarak Ahmad Khan, scientist
- Muhammad Siddiq Khan, librarian
- Shamsul Islam Khan, former minister
- Shamsuzzaman Khan, academician and folklorist
- Zahid Maleque, former minister
- Tareque Masud, film director and producer
- Mishuk Munier, journalist
- Khan Ataur Rahman, actor, filmmaker, and composer
- Naimur Rahman Durjoy, cricketer and politician
- Kaniz Fatema Roksana, first Bangladeshi women pilot
- Kiran Chandra Roy, folk singer
- Ranadaprasad Saha, businessman
- Dinesh Chandra Sen, educator, writer, and folklorist
- Hiralal Sen, filmmaker
- Amartya Sen, economist
- Himansu Kumar Sarkar, soil scientist.
Written & Edited by Shaima Akter Sethu.