Kotalipara Upazila (gopalganj district) with an area of 362.05 sq km, is bounded by rajoir and madaripur sadar upazilas on the north, nazirpur and wazirpur upazilas on the south, agailjhara, gournadi and kalkini upazilas on the east, gopalganj sadar and tungipara upazilas on the west. Main rivers: Ghagar, Baghda and Shailadaha.

Kotalipara (Town) a municipal Town, consists of 9 wards and 8 mahallas. The area of the town is 5.12 sq km. The town has a population of 4824; male 50.95%, female 49.05%; density of population is 942 per sq km. Literacy rate among the town people is 39.4%. The town has one dakbungalow.

Administration Kotalipara upazila consists of one municipality, 12 unions, 100 mouzas and 196 villages.

Archaeological heritage and relics Kotalipara Union Institution (1898), Shikdar Bari Mosque at Bahutali (about 200 years old).

Historical events During the War of Liberation in 1971 direct encounters between the Hemayet Bahini (a group of freedom fighters led by its commander Hemayet Uddin) and the Pak army was held at Ramshil Union. Hemayet Uddin was given the Bir Bikram title for his heroic role in this battle.

Marks of the War of Liberation Memorial monument 1 (in memory of 16 freedom fighters).

Population 206195; male 50.48%, female 49.52%; Muslim 43.70%, Hindu 53.01%, Christian 3.26%, Buddhist 0.02% and others 0.01%.

Religious institutions Mosque 189, temple 225, church 39, sacred place 2.

Literacy and educational institutions Average literacy 34.8%; male 42.2% and female 27.3%. Educational institutions: college 4, high school 29, junior high school 8, madrasa 2, government primary school 104, non-government primary school 48, training centre1.

Cultural organisations Club 31, public library 1, jatra group 1, cinema hall 1, literary society 1, circuit house 1.

Main occupations Agriculture 49.8%, fishing 1.9%, agricultural labourer 22.04%, wage labourer 1.37%, commerce 9.65%, service 5.21%, hawker 2.39%, construction 1.59% and others 6.05%.

Land use Total cultivable 27060.92 hectares, fallow land 575.75 hectares; single crop 66.37%, double crop 30.67% and treble crop 2.96%.

Land control Among the peasants 9.84% are landless, 31.54% small, 31.02% marginal, 23.67% intermediate and 3.93% rich.

Value of land Market value of land of the first grade is approximately Tk 7500 per 0.01 hectare.

Main crops Paddy, wheat, ground nut, mesta.

Extinct or nearly extinct crops Jute, sesame, linseed, aus paddy, china, kaun.

Main fruits Watermelon, palm and fut.

Fisheries, poultries Fishery 8, poultry 3.

Communication facilities Roads: pucca 12 km, semi pucca 30 km and mud road 267.

Traditional transport Palanquin, horse carriage. These means of transport are either extinct or nearly extinct.

Cottage industries Wood work 500, goldsmith 30, blacksmith 120, potteries 300, bamboo work 23, tailoring 50.

Total number of Hats, bazars and fairs hats and bazars are 36, fair 3, most noted of which are Bhangar Hat, Ghagar Hat, Radhaganj, Kaliganj Hat and Kaliganj Mela.

Main exports Paddy, fish.

NGO activities Operationally important ngos are brac, asa, proshika, World Vision, ccdb, BDS, CHCP, Taranga, Suryamukhi, caritas, Jagarani, Janakalyan, Ashar Alo, RDS, Mayer Dak, Universal Seba Unnayan Sangstha.

Health centres Upazila health complex 1, union health and family planning centre 12, satellite clinic 2. [Swapan Gain]