Tongi
Encyclopedia
Tongi is a township in Bangladesh
with a population of 350,000 that hosts the Biswa Ijtema, features a BSCIC industrial area
, which produces BDT
1500 crore of industrial products annually, and marks the northern border of Dhaka
, the capital of Bangladesh, since 1786. Tongi Shahid Memorial School compound is mass burial site of the genocide
in Liberation War of Bangladesh.
along with Joydebpur
since 1983, is located immediately north of Dhaka. It lies within the jurisdiction Gazipur District
, which is a part of the Dhaka Division.
Geologically, the Tongi area comprises the southern extension of the Madhupur tract
, a long narrow tract of tectonically elevated area of older sediments only a few metres above the surrounding rivers the Turag. Locally, the Tract is subdivided into the Bhawal Garh terrace which is a part of an inlier, an elevated area surrounded by lowlands by very young riverine sediments occupying the surrounding valleys. The older sediment sequence consists of sandstone of the Dupi Tila Formation overlain by Madhupur Clay, which in turn is overlain by alluvium. The elevation of the Tract varies from 2 to 14 m above mean sea level and it has shallow bedrock which forms a firm substrate for supporting large structures.
. Also Tongi people take a web address for future Tongi online newspaper web site is http://www.tonginews.com
subadar (1660–1663). The subadar also built a bridge over the river Turag. Mir Jumla constructed a road, now a part of the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway, that connected Tongi with Bag-e-Badshahi
. It served as an axis of urban growth in the 19th and 20th centuries as sites for establishment of new urban settlements - Gulshan (formed in 1961), Banani (in 1964), Baridhara (in 1972) and Uttara (in 1965) - were picked off the highlands along that axis road.
In 1786, Tongi-Jamalpur was designated as the northern boundary of Dhaka by the East India Company
, reaffirmed by John Taylor, the first English Commercial Resident of Dhaka in 1800.
The Narayanganj-Dhaka-Mymensingh State railway, laid almost parallel to the Mughal road from Tongi through Tejgaon and Kawranbazar to Shahbagh, was opened in 1885-86.
Tongi is a break of gauge junction station on the Bangladesh Railway
where the new cross country line across the Jamuna Bridge
from the western section joins the eastern section.
Tongi is situated on the bank of the river Turag, transport boats and cargo boats are also available here.
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
with a population of 350,000 that hosts the Biswa Ijtema, features a BSCIC industrial area
Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industry Corporation
Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation provides a package of services to private sector entrepreneurs in Bangladesh in the small and cottage industries sector...
, which produces BDT
Bangladeshi taka
The Taka is the currency of Bangladesh. Bangladesh Bank, the central bank of the country controls the issuance of the currency except one taka and two taka notes, which are the responsibility of Ministry of Finance of the government of Bangladesh...
1500 crore of industrial products annually, and marks the northern border of Dhaka
Dhaka
Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka Division. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia. Located on the banks of the Buriganga River, Dhaka, along with its metropolitan area, had a population of over 15 million in 2010, making it the largest city...
, the capital of Bangladesh, since 1786. Tongi Shahid Memorial School compound is mass burial site of the genocide
1971 Bangladesh atrocities
Beginning with the start of Operation Searchlight on 25 March 1971 and continuing throughout the Bangladesh Liberation War, there were widespread violations of human rights in East Pakistan perpetrated by the Pakistan Army, with support from local political and religious militias, especially...
in Liberation War of Bangladesh.
Geography and administration
Tongi, a thana (police station) within the Gazipur Sadar UpazilaGazipur Sadar Upazila
Gazipur Sadar is an Upazila of Gazipur District in the Division of Dhaka, Bangladesh.-Geography:Gazipur Sadar is located at . It has 116163 units of house hold and total area 446.38 km².-Demographics:...
along with Joydebpur
Gazipur District
Gazipur District is a district of Dhaka Division, it has an area of 1741.53 km2 and is bounded by Mymensingh and Kishoreganj districts on the north, Dhaka, Narayanganj and Narsingdi districts on the south, Narsingdi on the east, Dhaka and Tangail districts on the west. Annual average...
since 1983, is located immediately north of Dhaka. It lies within the jurisdiction Gazipur District
Gazipur District
Gazipur District is a district of Dhaka Division, it has an area of 1741.53 km2 and is bounded by Mymensingh and Kishoreganj districts on the north, Dhaka, Narayanganj and Narsingdi districts on the south, Narsingdi on the east, Dhaka and Tangail districts on the west. Annual average...
, which is a part of the Dhaka Division.
Geologically, the Tongi area comprises the southern extension of the Madhupur tract
Madhupur tract
Madhupur tract a large upland area of 4,244 km² in north central of Bangladesh, stretching from east of Jamalpur in the north, to Fatullah and Narayanganj, in the south. The tract is mostly one large tract, unlike the Barind Tract. It is approximately one to ten metres above the nearby...
, a long narrow tract of tectonically elevated area of older sediments only a few metres above the surrounding rivers the Turag. Locally, the Tract is subdivided into the Bhawal Garh terrace which is a part of an inlier, an elevated area surrounded by lowlands by very young riverine sediments occupying the surrounding valleys. The older sediment sequence consists of sandstone of the Dupi Tila Formation overlain by Madhupur Clay, which in turn is overlain by alluvium. The elevation of the Tract varies from 2 to 14 m above mean sea level and it has shallow bedrock which forms a firm substrate for supporting large structures.
Demography
Many of the people who live in Tongi commute to Dhaka each day, mainly by bus. Many people are also employed at factories in Export Processing Zones (EPZ), areas given special tax and tariff exemptions by the government in order to stimulate industry. Tongi is located near Turag RiverTurag River
The Turag River is the upper tributary of the Buriganga, a major river in Bangladesh. The Turag originates from the Bangshi River, the latter an important tributary of the Dhaleshwari River, flows through Gazipur and joins the Buriganga at Mirpur in Dhaka District...
. Also Tongi people take a web address for future Tongi online newspaper web site is http://www.tonginews.com
History
Mir Jumla (1660–1663) built a fort to protect the northern entry of Dhaka during his reign as a MughalMughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
subadar (1660–1663). The subadar also built a bridge over the river Turag. Mir Jumla constructed a road, now a part of the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway, that connected Tongi with Bag-e-Badshahi
Shahbag
Shahbag is a major neighbourhood and a police precinct or Thana in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. It is also a major public transport hub, and serves as a junction between two contrasting sections of the city—Old Dhaka and New Dhaka—which lie, respectively, to its north and south...
. It served as an axis of urban growth in the 19th and 20th centuries as sites for establishment of new urban settlements - Gulshan (formed in 1961), Banani (in 1964), Baridhara (in 1972) and Uttara (in 1965) - were picked off the highlands along that axis road.
In 1786, Tongi-Jamalpur was designated as the northern boundary of Dhaka by the East India Company
British East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
, reaffirmed by John Taylor, the first English Commercial Resident of Dhaka in 1800.
Education
There are several good educational institutions in Tongi. They are:- Tongi Govt. College and University
- Tongi Pilot School & Girls' College
- Shafiuddin Sarkar Academy and College
- Ta'mirul Millat Kamil Madrasha, Tongi Campus
- Siraj Uddin Sarker Vidyaniketan
- Shahaj Uddin Sarkar Adarsho Biddalaya
- Tongi Islamia Sinior Madrasha
- Sataish High School
Transport
The newly constructed Tongi Diversion Road forms another important artery of the road network leading to Dhaka.The Narayanganj-Dhaka-Mymensingh State railway, laid almost parallel to the Mughal road from Tongi through Tejgaon and Kawranbazar to Shahbagh, was opened in 1885-86.
Tongi is a break of gauge junction station on the Bangladesh Railway
Bangladesh Railway
Bangladesh Railway is the state-owned rail transport agency of Bangladesh. It operates and maintains the entire railway network of the country...
where the new cross country line across the Jamuna Bridge
Jamuna Bridge
Bangabandhu Bridge, also called the Jamuna Multi-purpose Bridge , is a bridge opened in Bangladesh in June 1998. It connects Bhuapur on the Jamuna River's east bank to Sirajganj on its west bank. It was the 11th longest bridge in the world when constructed in 1998 and currently the 6th longest...
from the western section joins the eastern section.
Tongi is situated on the bank of the river Turag, transport boats and cargo boats are also available here.