Tangail

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.

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.

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

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 zamindars and 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 cars in the town. People used cattle for transportation, too.

The people of Tangail used to visit Kolkata through Charabari by launch and Dhaka through Mymensingh. In the early 1930s, electricity line was first provided in the town. The rickshaws started 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 culverts were 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 Bank and Government of Bangladesh to develop water supply, sanitation, wastewater drainage, bus terminal, supermarkets and other infrastructure.[3]

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.

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.[4] The city consists of 18 wards and 64 mahallas until 2016.

Karatia is the suburb of Tangail, Besides the old reputed Govt. Saadat College was established here.

"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,tangail 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.[6] Jamuna Bridge, the largest bridge of Bangladesh, is situated here. Through this bridge, it is connected to sirajganj

• Chomchom, a famous dessert of Tangail
• Pineapple

• Tangail Poura Uddan
• Soul Park
• SP Lake
• DC Lake
• Jamuna Ananda Park
• BTRC Park
• Madhupur National Park
• jamuna eco park

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. Police Lines High School
4. Santosh Jannabi Govt. High School
5. Vivekananda High School
6. Zila Sadar Girls' High School
7. Shibnath High School
8. P.T.I. High SchoolTemplate:Tangail school
9. mirzapur Cadet College,
10. tangail Polytechnic Institute, 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. Sristy College
7. Shaheen School and college

Furthermore, Govt. Saadat College in karatia, Tangail Medical College, Bangabandhu Textile Engineering College, Textile Institute of Tangail and Tangail Polytechnic Institute[7] are located here. There is a technological university named Mawlana Bhashani Science and Technology University[8] in Santosh, Tangail.

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 (0.08%) and Buddhists (0.02%).

• Madhab Lal Choudhury, noted zamindar, philanthropist and educationist in pre-partition Bengal; headmaster of the Bindubashini Girls High School, named after Rani Bindu Basini Roy Chowdhurany, widow of the zamindar of Santosh, who patronized the school and following her death, managed by a Trust administered by her two sons, Pramath Nath Roy Chowdhury and Sir Monmath Nath Roy Chowdhury.
• 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
• Abdul Mannan, Home and Family Planning Minister (1972-1975), MNA (1970), MP (1996-2001). Established: Tangail General Hospital, Govt. Sheikh Fajilatunnesa Mujib College, Atia College.
• Qader "Tiger" Siddiqi, erstwhile 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
• Tarana Halim, M.P., Film Actress

Nayeem, Film Actor

Amit Hassan, Film Actor

• Yar Mohammad Khan, political leader, founder treasurer of the Awami League

• Tangail Airdrop
• Tangail Airport
• Handloom industry in Tangail

• District portal of Tangail