Tanore Upazila

Tanore (তানোর) is an Upazila of Rajshahi District in the Division of Rajshahi, Bangladesh. Tanore police station was established in February 1869 and it was declared sub-district or upazila in 1983.

Geography
Tanore is 30 kilometers from Rajshahi city. It is surrounded by Niamatpur Upazila and Manda Upazila of Naogaon District to the north, Mohanpur Upazila of Rajshahi district to the east, Paba Upazila and Godagari Upazila of Rajshahi district to the south, Chapai Nawabganj Sadar Upazila and Nachol Upazila of Chapai Nawabganj District to the west. There is a river at Tanore Upazila called Shiba River. The main river is the Shiba.

History
The literal meaning of tanore in the Bengali language is "dismal area." In ancient times this area was a desert-like place with few trees or people. As time went by, the area became more habitable and people began to settle there. Indigenous tribal groups, including the Santhal and Mahali lived there for many years.

Independence war
Tanore Upazila was freed from Pakistan on 30 November 1971. A last battle was fought on the night of 29 November. Safikur Rahman Raja was a final year student at Rajshahi University at that time and led the freedom fighters.

Six fighters were captured by Pakistani army with the help of local collaborators (Rajakars) near the river port of Buruj on 29 November. They were tortured in Tanore police station. A guerrilla team consisting of 30 to 35 freedom fighters divided into four groups attacked the police station that night to free them. They were led by Safikur Rahman Raja. Although the freedom fighters had less ammunition, they forced the enemy to retreat and freed the captives. Three fighters were killed while Sirajul Islam, alias Hanif Mridha, survived his wounds. The martyrs were Monayem Monjur, student of Rajshahi Polytechnic institute, Muhammad Islam, student of class ten of Maskatadighi school at Katakhali and an indigenous youth whose name was not known. Pakistan army withdrew their soldiers and police forces from this area on 30 November. Safikur Rahman Raja hoisted the flag of independent Bangladesh at Tanore on 17 December. A place of execution is located at Gollapara Bazaar in Tanore that bears the testimony of oppressions, tortures and atrocities done by autocratic Pakistan army.

Demographics
According to the 2011 Bangladesh census, Tanore Upazila had 47,425 households and a population of 191,330. 38,492 (20.12%) were under 10 years of age. Tanore had a literacy rate (age 7 and over) of 72.31%, compared to the national average of 51.8%, and a sex ratio of 1035 females per 1000 males. 53,419 (27.92%) lived in urban areas. Ethnic population was 13,531 (7.07%), of which Santal were 9,166.

Culture
The area has 510 mosques, 200 Eid-gahs, 22 temples, 16 churches and 1 Pagoda.

Economy
Agricultural covers approximately 22,665 hectares including 21,295 cultivable hectares. The main crops are paddy, potato, wheat, maize, tomato, brinjal, onion and garlic. Rice is the staple food. Mango and jack fruit are cultivated.

Administration
Tanore Upazila is divided into Mundumala Municipality, Tanore Municipality, and seven union parishads: Badhair, Chanduria, Kalma, Kamargaon, Pachandar, Saranjai, and Talanda. The union parishads are subdivided into 211 mauzas and 169 villages.

Education
The literacy rate of Tanore Upazila is 72.31%. The area offers 127 primary schools (49 government and 78 non-government), 62 high/junior-high schools, 18 colleges (including 2 technical and vocational colleges) and 28 madrasas.

Transport
The Tanore sub-district can be reached by road. No railway connection is present. Tanore Upazila Parisad is approximately 30 kilometers away from the Rajshahi Bus stand. In the rainy season, the Shiba river is used to transport goods to this upazila. The area has 216 km of metalled road, 51 km semi-metalled road and 427 km unmetalled road.

Notable people

 * Omor Faruk Chowdhury has been Member of Parliament for constituency Rajshahi-1 since 2008.
 * Mahiya Mahi, film actress.