Rangpur ( bn, রংপুর) is a district in Northern
Bangladesh
Bangladesh (}, ), officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the eighth-most populous country in the world, with a population exceeding 165 million people in an area of . Bangladesh is among the mos ...
. It is a part of the
Rangpur Division
Rangpur Division ( bn, রংপুর বিভাগ) is one of the Divisions in Bangladesh. It was formed on 25 January 2010, as Bangladesh's 7th division. Before that, it was under Rajshahi Division. The Rangpur division consists of eight di ...
.
Geography
Under the Rangpur Division (one of eight divisions) composed of eight districts of northern Bangladesh, the District of Rangpur is bordered on the north by
Nilphamari District, on the south by
Gaibandha District
Gaibandha ( bn, গাইবান্ধা জেলা, ''Gaibandha Jela'' or ''Gaibandha Zila'') is a district in Northern Bangladesh. It is a part of the Rangpur Division. Gaibandha subdivision was established in 1875. Gaibandha was previously ...
, on the east by
Kurigram, and on the west by
Dinajpur
Dinajpur ( bn, দিনাজপুর ) is a city and the District headquarters of Dinajpur district situated in Rangpur Division, Bangladesh. It was founded in 1786. It is located 413 km north-west of Dhaka in Bangladesh. It is bounde ...
district.
Rangpur town is the divisional headquarter. The soil composition is mainly
alluvial
Alluvium (from Latin ''alluvius'', from ''alluere'' 'to wash against') is loose clay, silt, sand, or gravel that has been deposited by running water in a stream bed, on a floodplain, in an alluvial fan or beach, or in similar settings. Alluv ...
soil (80%) of the
Teesta River
Teesta River is a long river that rises in the Pauhunri Mountain of eastern Himalayas, flows through the Indian states of Sikkim and West Bengal through Rangpur, and enters the Bay of Bengal. It drains an area of . In India, it flows through ...
basin, and the remaining is
barind Barind Tract (alternately called the Varendra Tract in English and Borendro Bhumi in Bengali) is the largest Pleistocene era physiographic unit in the Bengal Basin. It covers most of Dinajpur, Rangpur, Pabna, Rajshahi, Bogra, and Joypurhat d ...
soil. The temperature ranges from , and the annual rainfall averages .
Travel
The main transportation methods here are by air, rail, or road. To travel by air, people have to first travel to Dhaka Domestic Airport and then fly to
Saidpur Airport
Syedpur Airport (Bengali: সৈয়দপুর বিমানবন্দর '' Saiẏadapur bimānabandar'') is a domestic airport located in Syedpur, Nilphamari, Bangladesh.
Syedpur is a city of Nilphamari district in Rangpur divis ...
(DAC-SPD route). Seven flights travel this route daily. The
US-Bangla Airlines
US-Bangla Airlines ( bn, ইউএস বাংলা এয়ারলাইন্স) is a privately owned Bangladeshi airline headquartered in Dhaka and based at Shahjalal International Airport under the umbrella companies of US-Bangla Group ...
,
Novoair
NOVOAIR ( bn, নভোএয়ার) is an airline based in Dhaka, Bangladesh operating mostly domestic flights. It operates 25 flights each day from Dhaka to its seven destinations.
History
NOVOAIR was established in October 2007 as an aviat ...
, and the Biman offer the flights. The distance by airways from Dhaka to Saidpur is . By rail, the district is accessible from
Kamalapur Railway Station
Kamalapur Railway Station, officially known as Dhaka Railway Station, is the central railway station in Dhaka, capital of Bangladesh. It is the largest station and the busiest infrastructure for transportation in the country that acts as a gatew ...
which runs a daily-except-Sunday train "Rangpur Express" to Rangpur Railway Station. The total journey by rail is of . By road, travelers have to travel using the Savar-Kaliakair route or using the Tongi-Mawna route, Shamu.
History
Rangpur was conquered by the army of
Raja Man Singh
Man Singh I, popularly known as Mirza Raja Man Singh (21 December 1550 – 6 July 1614) was the 29th Kachwaha Rajput Raja of Amer, later known as Jaipur state, in Rajputana. He was the most powerful and trusted general of the Mughal empe ...
, a commander of the Mughal emperor, and
Akbar
Abu'l-Fath Jalal-ud-din Muhammad Akbar (25 October 1542 – 27 October 1605), popularly known as Akbar the Great ( fa, ), and also as Akbar I (), was the third Mughal emperor, who reigned from 1556 to 1605. Akbar succeeded his father, Hum ...
, in 1575, but it was only until 1686 that it was fully integrated into the
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire was an early-modern empire that controlled much of South Asia between the 16th and 19th centuries. Quote: "Although the first two Timurid emperors and many of their noblemen were recent migrants to the subcontinent, the d ...
. Place names such as ''Mughalbasa'' ('Mughal locality') and ''Mughalhat'' ('Mughal market') bear testimony to the Mughal association and past of Rangpur and its hinterland. Later on, Rangpur passed under the control of "Sarker" of
Ghoraghat
Ghoraghat ( bn, ঘোড়াঘাট) is an upazila of Dinajpur District in the Division of Rangpur, Bangladesh.
History
Ghoraghat was established in the time of Bakhtlar Khilji (see Blochmanu's Contr., J.A.S,1873, p. 215, Tabaqat-i-Na ...
. During the period of the
East India Company
The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (the Indian subcontinent and Southea ...
, the
Fakir-Sannyasi rebellion
The Sannyasi rebellion or monk rebellion 1770-77 ( bn, সন্ন্যাসী/ সাধু বিদ্রোহ, The monks' rebellion) was a revolt by the ''sannyasis'' and sadhus (Hindu ascetics, respectively) in Bengal, India in the late ...
took place. The Greater Rangpur district was divided in five districts in 1984.
The population of the district is 2.9 million according to the 2011 census. There has been a 1.2% annual population growth between 2001 and 2011. The population density of the area is 1,200/km² .
Demographics
According to the
2011 Bangladesh census
In 2011, the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, conducted a national census in Bangladesh, which provided a provisional estimate of the total population of the country as 142,319,000. The previous decennial census was the 2001 census. Data were reco ...
, Rangpur District had a population of 2,881,086, of which 1,443,816 were males and 1,437,270 females. Rural population was 2,438,373 (84.63%) while the urban population was 542,713 (15.37%). Rangpur district had a literacy rate of 48.60% for the population 7 years and above: 51.30% for males and 45.90% for females.
Muslims make up 90.39% of the population, while Hindus are 8.98% of the population. Ethnic minorities were 18,561.
Administrative sub-divisions
The district has 1 city corporation and 3 municipalities, namely, Rangpur city corporation, Badarganj, Haragach and Peerganj, and eight
Upazilas
An ''upazila'' ( bn, উপজেলা, upôzela, lit=sub-district pronounced: ), formerly called ''thana'', is an administrative region in Bangladesh, functioning as a sub-unit of a district. It can be seen as an analogous to a county or a ...
, namely:
*
Badarganj
*
Mithapukur
*
Gangachara
*
Kaunia
''Kaunia'' is a genus of South American shrubs or small trees in the family Asteraceae. Its range is centered in Bolivia but it is also found in Argentina, southern Brazil, Peru and Ecuador.
Genus is named for Edward Kaun of Baltimore, Maryland ...
*
Rangpur Sadar
*
Pirgacha
*
Pirganj
*
Taraganj
Rangpur town, covering an area of around 43 square kilometers, lies on the bank of the Ghaghat river and was turned into a municipality back in 1869.
Rangpur City Corporation
Rangpur City Corporation ( bn, রংপুর সিটি কর্পোরেশন - in short: RCC) established in 28 June, 2012, is one of the city corporations of Bangladesh. Current mayor of RpCC is Mostafizar Rahman Mostafa who was Nomi ...
, which was founded in 1979, has a population of 294,000. The city has an area of .
Education
Begum Rokeya University is the only university in the Rangpur district. The
Rangpur Medical College
Rangpur Medical College (RpMC) is a public medical college located in Rangpur, Bangladesh. The college is founded in 1972 and affiliated with Rajshahi Medical University.
History
To meet the growing needs of modern medicine the government esta ...
, is one of the major government medical colleges in
Bangladesh
Bangladesh (}, ), officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the eighth-most populous country in the world, with a population exceeding 165 million people in an area of . Bangladesh is among the mos ...
.
Carmichael College
Carmichael College is an educational institution in Rangpur, Bangladesh. It was established on 10 November 1916 and was named after Thomas David Baron Carmichael of Skirling.
The college is situated in Lalbag, to the south from zero point of ...
, established in 1916 by some leading zamindars, is a postgraduate college offering courses in 14 subjects in the faculties of arts, social science, science, and commerce.
The most renowned educational institution in this region is
Rangpur Cadet College
Rangpur Cadet College is a military college
A military academy or service academy is an educational institution which prepares candidates for service in the officer corps. It normally provides education in a military environment, the exact ...
. Other renowned institutions include
Cantonment Public School & College, Rangpur (CPSCR),
Rangpur Government College,
Police Lines School and College
Police Lines School and College, Rangpur also known as PLSCR is an educational institution in Rangpur District, Bangladesh.This institution is located in the heart of Rangpur city. This institution is controlled by the Superintendent of Police ...
and
Rangpur Zilla School
Rangpur Zilla School (Rangpur District School) is a school located in Rangpur District, Bangladesh. It is one of the earliest schools established in Bengal.
History
The school was established in 1832 as Rangpur Zamindar School, by the loca ...
. Zilla School is established in 1832, this higher secondary school is known for the quality of education it offers.
Other prominent educational institutions include Rangpur Government College, Begum Rokeya College, and Govt. Commercial Institute. Besides there is one polytechnic institute, one vocational institute, around 282 high schools, 722 government primary schools, 38 junior high schools, 193 NGO (Non-Government Organization) operated schools and almost 370
Madrasah
Madrasa (, also , ; Arabic: مدرسة , pl. , ) is the Arabic word for any type of educational institution, secular or religious (of any religion), whether for elementary instruction or higher learning. The word is variously transliterated '' ...
s in Rangpur. Rangpur Model College is now an honors college.
Places of interest
Just south of the city of Rangpur lies the Tajhat Zamindar's palace. After the end of the British Raj, the building was abandoned and decayed rapidly, although it was used for a few years as a courthouse during the 1980s. In the year 2004, it was largely restored and turned into a museum with ancient inscriptions, art, and coins from the area on display. RDRS (Rangpur and Dinajpur Rural Service) Bangladesh,
[RDRS Bangladesh]
/ref> an NGO in northwest Bangladesh, has a large office and guesthouse/convention center in the town of Rangpur.
A museum and women's training center was established in Pairabondh, the birthplace of Begum Rokeya
Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain") is the commonly used spelling of Rokeya's full married name, Rokeya herself is never seen to use her full married name in this English spelling. In much of her correspondence in English, she used just her initials: ...
. It is half an hour's drive away from Rangpur city.
There is an ancient auditorium named 'Town Hall' at the center of the city, where different cultural programs are held. In the great Rangpur region, no economic development took place until the 90's, mainly because of the yearly flooding the region used to see before the making of "Teesta Barrage."
"Bhinno Jogot" is a theme park and a picnic spot which is situated 15 kilometers from Rangpur Town.
Jadu Nibash in Radhaballav was the house of former senior minister of Bangladesh, Mashiur Rahman Jadu Mia
Mashiur Rahman (9 July 1924 12 March 1979), also known as Jadu Mia (Man of Magic), was a senior minister, with the rank and status of prime minister in charge of the Ministry of Railways, Roads and Highways of Bangladesh from 29 June 1978 to 12 ...
(1924–1979).
Media
Bangladesh Betar Rangpur (BBR) has a broadcasting station in Rangpur. Bangladesh Television
Bangladesh Television ( bn, বাংলাদেশ টেলিভিশন), commonly known by its acronym BTV ( bn, বিটিভি), is the state-owned television network of Bangladesh. The network was originally established as the East ...
(BTV) has a satellite station in Rangpur. The Rangpur Press Club is situated in Rangpur. Rangpur has almost 19 cinema halls. There are several locally published newspapers in the district.
Development organisations
RDRS Bangladesh – previously Rangpur-Dinajpur Rural Service – has its main operational headquarters in Rangpur town at the RDRS Complex.[
]
Notable people
* William Beveridge
William Henry Beveridge, 1st Baron Beveridge, (5 March 1879 – 16 March 1963) was a British economist and Liberal politician who was a progressive and social reformer who played a central role in designing the British welfare state. His 194 ...
, British economist.
* Roquia Sakhawat Hussain
Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain") is the commonly used spelling of Rokeya's full married name, Rokeya herself is never seen to use her full married name in this English spelling. In much of her correspondence in English, she used just her initials: ...
, writer and social worker.
* Mashiur Rahman Jadu Mia
Mashiur Rahman (9 July 1924 12 March 1979), also known as Jadu Mia (Man of Magic), was a senior minister, with the rank and status of prime minister in charge of the Ministry of Railways, Roads and Highways of Bangladesh from 29 June 1978 to 12 ...
, former Prime Minister of Bangladesh
The Prime Minister of Bangladesh ( bn, বাংলাদেশের প্রধানমন্ত্রী, translit=Bangladesher Prodhanmontri), officially Prime Minister of the People's Republic of Bangladesh ( bn, গণপ্রজা ...
(1979).
* Hussein Muhammad Ershad
Lt. Gen. Hussain Muhammad Ershad ( bn, হুসেইন মুহাম্মদ এরশাদ; 1 February 1930 – 14 July 2019) was a Bangladeshi Army Chief politician who served as the President of Bangladesh from 1983 to 1990, a time ma ...
, former President of Bangladesh
The president of Bangladesh ( bn, বাংলাদেশের রাষ্ট্রপতি — ) officially the President of the People's Republic of Bangladesh ( bn, গণপ্রজাতন্ত্রী বাংলাদেশে ...
.
* Shawfikul Ghaani Shawpan, former Minister of Housing and Public Works.
*Buddhadeb Guha
Buddhadeb Guha (29 June 1936 – 29 August 2021) was an Indian writer of fiction in Bengali language. Apart from writing, he was a trained singer and a painter too.
Career
Born in Calcutta, Guha studied at St. Xavier's College of the Universi ...
, popular Bengali novels and fictions writer.
* Anisul Huq, poet and writer.
* Dr. Rashid Askari, Bengali-English writer, fictionist
Fictionist is an American alternative rock band from Provo, Utah, United States, with origins in Salt Lake City and Sacramento. The band consists of Stuart Maxfield (lead vocals, bass guitar), Robbie Connolly (lead vocals, guitar), Brandon Kitt ...
, columnist, translator, media personality and the 12th vice-chancellor of Kushtia Islamic University
The term "Islamic university" ( ar, الجامعة الإسلامية, ''Jami'ah Islamiyah''), sometimes called madrasah jāmiʿah ( ar, مدرسة جامعة), can be used to describe secular educational institutions that were founded by people ...
-Bangladesh.
* Rezwana Choudhury Bannya, Bangladeshi Rabindra Sangeet artist.
* M. A. Wazed Miah
M. A. Wazed Miah ( bn, এম এ ওয়াজেদ মিয়া; 6 February 19429 May 2009) was a Bangladeshi physicist and the writer of a number of texts in physics and some political history books, a former Chairman of the Bangladesh ...
, nuclear scientist.
* Abu Sadat Mohammad Sayem
Abu Sadat Mohammad Sayem (29 March 1916 – 8 July 1997) was a Bangladeshi jurist and statesman. He was first Chief Justice of Bangladesh from 1972 to 1975. He became the President of Bangladesh in the aftermath of counter-coups in November 197 ...
, 6th President of Bangladesh
The president of Bangladesh ( bn, বাংলাদেশের রাষ্ট্রপতি — ) officially the President of the People's Republic of Bangladesh ( bn, গণপ্রজাতন্ত্রী বাংলাদেশে ...
, first chief justice of Bangladesh,
* Sajeeb Wazed Joy
Sajeeb Ahmed Wazed ( bn, সজীব আহমেদ ওয়াজেদ; born 27 July 1971), also known as Sajeeb Wazed Joy (), is a Bangladeshi businessman and politician. He is a member of the Awami League and serves as Advisor to the Gover ...
, Bangladeshi houng global leader, ICT consultant and political campaigner.
* G M Quader, Bangladeshi politician, the former Minister of Commerce and former Minister of Civil Aviation,
* Nasir Hossain
Nasir Hossain ( bn, নাসির হোসেন; born 30 November 1991) is a Bangladeshi cricketer. He represents Rangpur Division at domestic level. He made his international debut for Bangladesh in August 2011.
Asian Games
Hossain was ...
, Bangladeshi all-round cricketer.
* Ahmed Hossain, Chairman Rangpur District Board and Minister for Agriculture, Forest and Fisheries (Undivided Bengal)
*General Mustafizur Rahman
Mustafizur Rahman (20 January 1941 – 3 August 2008) was a Bangladeshi Army general who served as the Chief of Army Staff of the Bangladesh Army from December 1997 until 23 December 2000.
Early life
Rahman was born in Rangpur, East Pakistan. H ...
, Former Chief of Army Staff of the Bangladesh Army.
* Mostafa Kamal, Chief Justice of Bangladesh.
*Sharif Imam
Shariful Alam Imam Ahmed ( bn, শরীফ ইমাম) (October 30, 1925—December 13, 1971) was a participator in Bangladesh Liberation War. He is most widely remembered as the husband of "''Shaheed Janani''" (Mother of Martyrs) Jahanar ...
, husband of Shahid Janani Jahanara Imam.
*Jahanara Imam
Jahanara Imam (3 May 1929 – 26 June 1994) was a Bangladeshi writer and political activist. She is known for her efforts to bring those accused of committing war crimes in the Bangladesh Liberation War to trial. She has been called "Shaheed Ja ...
, Bangladeshi writer and political activist.
* Abbasuddin Ahmed, prominent Bhawaiya singer
*Rathindranath Roy
Rathindranath Roy is a Bangladeshi musician. He was a performer in Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra. Roy sang Bhawaiya songs from the Rangpur area. He is also a playback singer. He has won awards like BACHSHASH (Bangladesh Cine Journalists Society) Aw ...
, founder of Bhawaiya academy and singer.
*Ferdausi Rahman
Ferdausi Rahman (; born 28 June 1941) also known as Ferdausi Begum is a Bangladeshi playback singer. She is the daughter of folk singer Abbas Uddin. She sang some popular film songs for Pakistani films also in the 1960s especially working with th ...
, folk singer.
*Hassan Mahmood Khandker
Hassan Mahmood Khandker is a former Bangladeshi police officer who served as the 26th Inspector General of Bangladesh Police from 31 August 2010 to 30 December 2014. He was the longest serving Inspector General in Bangladesh Police's history. It w ...
, Bangladeshi former Inspector General of Bangladesh Police.
* Mohammad Nurul Islam, former governor of Bangladesh Bank.
*Mishrat Jahan Moushumi
Mosammat Mishrat Jahan Moushumi (born 8 June 2001) is a Bangladeshi professional women's footballer who plays as a midfielder or winger for both the Bangladesh Women's Football League club Bashundhara Kings Women and the Bangladesh women's na ...
, women's footballer, Bangladesh Women's National Team.
* Mosammat Sirat Jahan Shopna, women's footballer, Bangladesh women's national team.
* Akbar Ali, Bangladeshi U-19 captain.
*Mohammad Naim
Mohammad Naim Sheikh (born 22 August 1999) is a Bangladeshi cricketer. He made his international debut for the Bangladesh cricket team in November 2019.
Domestic career
Naim made his List A debut for Legends of Rupganj in the 2017–18 Dhaka Pr ...
, Cricketer, Bangladesh National Team
*Zamindars of Mahipur
The zamindars of Mahipur ( bn, মহিপুরের জমিদার) were a Bengali aristocratic family of feudal landowners. The zamindari estate encompassed the Chakla of Qazirhat under the Cooch Behar State since the Mughal period. Al ...
, aristocratic family of feudal lords
Members of tenth Jatiyo Sangsad
The members of the national parliament are:
* Rangpur-1
Rangpur-1 is a constituency represented in the Jatiya Sangsad (National Parliament) of Bangladesh since 2014 by Moshiur Rahman Ranga of the Jatiya Party (Ershad).
Boundaries
The constituency encompasses Gangachhara Upazila and wards 1 through ...
: Md. Moshiur Rahman Ranga rom Jatiya Party
* Rangpur-2
Rangpur-2 is a constituency represented in the Jatiya Sangsad (National Parliament) of Bangladesh since 2014 by Abul Kalam Md. Ahasanul Hoque Chowdhury of the Awami League.
Boundaries
The constituency encompasses Badarganj and Taraganj upaz ...
: Abul Kalam Md. Ahasanul Hoque Chowdhury rom Awami League
* Rangpur-3
Rangpur-3 is a constituency represented in the Jatiya Sangsad (National Parliament) of Bangladesh. Saad Ershad is the current MP of this constituency.
Boundaries
The constituency encompasses Rangpur Sadar Upazila and wards 9 through 33 of Rang ...
: Alhaj Hussain Muhammad Ershad rom Jatiya Party
* Rangpur-4
Rangpur-4 is a constituency represented in the Jatiya Sangsad (National Parliament) of Bangladesh since 2008 by Tipu Munshi
Tipu Munshi (born 25 August 1950) is a Bangladeshi politician who has served as the Awami League Member of Parliament f ...
: Tipu Munshi rom Awami League
* Rangpur-5: H.N. Ashequr Rahman rom Awami League
* Rangpur-6
Rangpur-6 is a constituency represented in the Jatiya Sangsad (National Parliament) of Bangladesh since 2014 by Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury of the Awami League.
Boundaries
The constituency encompasses Pirganj Upazila.
History
The constituency ...
: Dr. Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury rom Awami League
Notes
References
External links
Rangpur Municipality
Official website for Rangpur Municipality
Rangpur Education
Information about Rangpur District
{{Authority control
Districts of Bangladesh
Districts of Bangladesh established before 1971