| Gazipur District | |
| Native Name: | গাজীপুর জেলা |
| Native Name Lang: | bn |
| Type: | District |
| Map Caption1: | Expandable map of Gazipur District |
| Pushpin Label Position: | right |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location of Gazipur in Bangladesh |
| Coordinates: | 24°N 90.43°W |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: |  Bangladesh |
| Subdivision Type1: | Division |
| Subdivision Name1: | Dhaka |
| Seat Type: | Headquarters |
| Seat: | Gazipur |
| Leader Title: | Deputy Commissioner |
| Leader Name: | Mr. Anisur Rahman |
| Area Total Km2: | 1806.36 |
| Population Total: | 5263450 |
| Population As Of: | 2022 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Population Demonym: | Gazipur basi |
| Timezone1: | BST |
| Utc Offset1: | +06:00 |
| Postal Code Type: | Postal code |
| Postal Code: | 1700 - 1704 |
Gazipur (Bengali: গাজীপুর) is a district in central Bangladesh that is part of the Dhaka Division. It has an area of 1741.53 km2.[1] It is the home district of Tajuddin Ahmad, the first Prime Minister of Bangladesh and has been a prominent centre of battles and movements throughout history. Gazipur is home to the Bishwa Ijtema, the second-largest annual Muslim gathering in the world with over 5 million attendees.[2] The district is home to numerous universities, colleges, the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Safari Park, Bhawal National Park as well as the country's only business park - the Bangabandhu Hi-Tech City.
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.[1]
During the reign of the Sultan of Bengal Alauddin Husain Shah (1494-1519), an Islamic scholar known as Shaykh Muhammad ibn Yazdan Bakhsh Bengali visited Ekdala where he transcribed Sahih al-Bukhari and gifted it to the Sultan in nearby Sonargaon. The manuscript is currently kept at the Khuda Bakhsh Oriental Library in Bankipore, Patna, Bihar.[3] [4]
The anti-Mughal leader of the Baro-Bhuiyans, Isa Khan, died of natural causes in September 1599. He was buried in the village of Bakhtarpur.[5] During the governorship of Subahdar Mir Jumla II, a bridge was constructed in Tongi.
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.[6]
| 366,601 | 73.76% | 4,971,105 | 94.45% | ||
| 127,450 | 25.64% | 263,468 | 5.01% | ||
| 1,715 | 0.35% | 26,187 | 0.50% | ||
| Others | 1,279 | 0.60% | 2,690 | 0.04% | |
| Total Population | 497,045 | 100 | 5,263,450 | 100% |
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 Portuguese times.
Gazipur is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Bangladesh. There are several tourist attractions in this area. Most notable are:
Gazipur District was established in 1984. It has one city corporation, the Gazipur City Corporation, and is divided into the following upazilas:
Gazipur city has 57 wards. The area of the town is 321.32 km2. The town's population is 2890796; male 52.52%, female 47.48%; density is 2,905 per km2.
There are six universities in Gazipur: Dhaka University of Engineering and Technology, Islamic University of Technology, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University (formerly the Institute of Postgraduate Studies on Agriculture), Bangladesh Open University, German University Bangladesh, Bangladesh National University, and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Digital University.
Establishments such as Gazipur Cantonment College, Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI), Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI) and others are located here.
There are two masters level colleges in the district: Bhawal Badre Alam Government College and Tongi Government College.[10]
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.[11]
Notable secondary and higher secondary schools include Rani Bilashmoni Government Boys' High School, founded in 1905, Safiuddin Sarker Academy and College, M. E. H. Arif College, and Tongi Pilot School & Girls' College.[12]
The madrasa education system includes 26 fazil and 3 kamil madrasas.[13] [14]