Tongibari Thana with an area of 149.96 km, is bounded by Narayanganj sadar upazila on the north, Naria and Zanjira upazilas on the south, Munshiganj sadar upazila on the east, Lauhajang and Serajdikhan upazilas on the west. Main rivers are Padma and Dhaleshwari.

Tongibari (Town) consists of 4 mouzas. The area of the town is 6.61 sq km. The town has a population of 13148; male 53.49% and female 46.51%. Literacy rate among the town people is 42.4%.

Administration Tongibari thana was turned into an upazila in 1983. It consists of 12 union parishads, 113 mouzas and 160 villages.

Archaeological heritage and relics Touchstone images (now preserved in the National Museum), math and temple.

Historical events During the War of Liberation in 1971 the Pakistani soldiers killed 15 innocent villagers at Paler-bari in Abdullahpur union. At the end of September, the freedom fighters attacked the police station of Tongibari and acquired a large number of arms and ammunitions.

Mark of War of Liberation Memorial 1.

Population 176,881; Male 52.45%, Female 47.55%; Muslim 90.94%, Hindu 9.03%, others 0.03%.

Religious institutions Mosque 305, temple 16, idgah 48, most noted of which are Abdullahpur Jami Mosque, Betka Jami Mosque, Seven storied Minar Mosque at Pura, Dargah of Fazu Fakir.

Literacy and educational institutions Average literacy 35.6%; male 40.1%, female 30.6%. Educational institutions: college 1, high school (government) 4, (non-government) 15, junior high school 5, primary school (government) 77, (non-government) 5, madrasa 20, mass education institute 658. Old institution: Paikpara Union High School (1903).

Cultural organisations Club 48, cultural society 2, cinema hall 3.

Main occupations Agriculture 29.81%, agricultural labourer 25.74%, commerce 19.97%, service 6.97%, wage labourer 2.46%, fishing 2.41% and others 12.64%.

Land use Cultivable land 4378 hectares; single crop 10%, double crop 90%. Cultivable land under irrigation 6%.

Land control Among the peasants, 27% are landless, 58% small, 14% intermediate and 1% rich; cultivable land per head 0.0248 hectare.

Main crops Paddy, jute, potato, betel leaf, tomato.

Extinct and nearly extinct crops Wheat, sesame, pulse.

Main fruits Mango, jackfruit, banana, papaya.

Fisheries dairies and poultries Fishery 92, poultry 6, dairy 10.

Communication facilities Roads: pucca 41 km, semi pucca 28 km and mud road 230 km.

Traditional transport Boat, bullock cart (nearly extinct), palanquin (extinct).

Manufactories Jute mill 1, cotton mill 4, insulation factory 1, cold storage 27.

Cottage industries Weaving, welding, bamboo and cane work, wood work, tailoring, goldsmith, blacksmith.

Hats, bazars and fairs Hats and bazars are 18, fair 5, most noted of which are Tongibari, Betka, Subachani, Dighirpar, Abdullahpur Bazar, Panchgaon Bazar, Dighali Bazar.

Main exports Betel leaf, jute, potato, banana, vegetables, yarn.

NGO activities Operationally important NGOs are brac, asa, grameen bank, CARE, RSD.

Health centres Upazila health complex 1, satellite clinic 5, family planning centre 11.

Page last updated 01-07-2005 @ 1320 GMT