Rajshahi Division ( bn, রাজশাহী বিভাগ) is one of the eight first-level administrative
divisions of Bangladesh. It has an area of
and a population at the 2011 Census of 18,484,858. Rajshahi Division consists of 8 districts, 70
Upazila
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 ...
s (the next lower administrative tier) and 1,092
Unions (the lowest administrative tier).
The region has historically been dominated by various feudal
Raja
''Raja'' (; from , IAST ') is a royal title used for South Asian monarchs. The title is equivalent to king or princely ruler in South Asia and Southeast Asia.
The title has a long history in South Asia and Southeast Asia, being attested ...
s,
Maharaja
Mahārāja (; also spelled Maharajah, Maharaj) is a Sanskrit title for a "great ruler", "great king" or " high king".
A few ruled states informally called empires, including ruler raja Sri Gupta, founder of the ancient Indian Gupta Empire, a ...
s and
Zamindars
A zamindar ( Hindustani: Devanagari: , ; Persian: , ) in the Indian subcontinent was an autonomous or semiautonomous ruler of a province. The term itself came into use during the reign of Mughals and later the British had begun using it as a ...
.
[Encyclopedia of Bangladesh pp 6]
/ref> Formerly comprising 16 districts, a new division (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 d ...
) was formed with the 8 northern districts of the old Rajshahi Division from early 2010.
Etymology and names
The Rajshahi Division is named after Rajshahi District. Dominated by various feudal Raja
''Raja'' (; from , IAST ') is a royal title used for South Asian monarchs. The title is equivalent to king or princely ruler in South Asia and Southeast Asia.
The title has a long history in South Asia and Southeast Asia, being attested ...
s, Maharaja
Mahārāja (; also spelled Maharajah, Maharaj) is a Sanskrit title for a "great ruler", "great king" or " high king".
A few ruled states informally called empires, including ruler raja Sri Gupta, founder of the ancient Indian Gupta Empire, a ...
s and Zamindars
A zamindar ( Hindustani: Devanagari: , ; Persian: , ) in the Indian subcontinent was an autonomous or semiautonomous ruler of a province. The term itself came into use during the reign of Mughals and later the British had begun using it as a ...
of mixed origins throughout history,[ the name is a compound of the words ''Raj'' and ''Shahi'', both of which can be translated into reign or kingdom. Archaic spellings in the English language also included ''Rajeshae''. The capital city of the division was formerly known as ''Rampur Boalia'' but was later renamed to Rajshahi too, to match the name of the district.
]
History
Economy
Agriculture
Rajshahi is well known for its fruit, particularly for mango
A mango is an edible stone fruit produced by the tropical tree '' Mangifera indica''. It is believed to have originated in the region between northwestern Myanmar, Bangladesh, and northeastern India. ''M. indica'' has been cultivated in Sout ...
and lichi. Rajshahi also produces a lot of crops and vegetables like potato, carrot, rice, onion, wheat, sugarcane, pulses, spices, banana etc. Naogaon is known as the storehouse of food of Bangladesh.
Geography
Rajshahi lies in the west of Bangladesh. To its south is Khulna division, to its east is Dhaka
Dhaka ( or ; bn, ঢাকা, Ḍhākā, ), List of renamed places in Bangladesh, formerly known as Dacca, is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Bangladesh, largest city of Bangladesh, as well as the world's largest ...
and Mymensingh
Mymensingh ( bn, ময়মনসিংহ) is the capital of Mymensingh Division, Bangladesh. Located on the bank of Brahmaputra River, about north of the national capital Dhaka, it is a major financial center and educational hub of north- ...
divisions, to its north is Rangpur division and to the west is West Bengal
West Bengal (, Bengali: ''Poshchim Bongo'', , abbr. WB) is a state in the eastern portion of India. It is situated along the Bay of Bengal, along with a population of over 91 million inhabitants within an area of . West Bengal is the fou ...
state of India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area, the List of countries and dependencies by population, second-most populous ...
.The country is entirely flat plains, with several tracts still covered by forest. The division is bordered by the Padma to its west, which forms the international border with India, and the Jamuna to the east. These rivers merge at the southeastern tip of Rajshahi division in Pabna district. Apart from these main rivers, there are numerous tributaries to these rivers such as the Atrai, Karatoya
Karatoya River (also spelt Korotoa River) is a small stream in Rajshahi Division of Bangladesh.
Etymology
The name of the river is formed of two Sanskrit words ''kar'' (hand) and ''toa'' (water).
Course
The Karatoya, known as Phuljhur rises i ...
and Mahananda.
Culture
Historically Rajshahi division, being in the north-centre of the historical Bengal region, was a centre for Buddhist learning. In the early-modern period Rajshahi town was well known for silk weaving, and Rajshahi silk is still one of its most popular exports. The Varendra Research Museum in Rajshahi is the first of its kind in Bangladesh and houses numerous cultural artifacts from Bengal's ancient past.
Rajshahi division has produced contributions to Bengali literature. Rassundari Devi
Rassundari Devi ( bn, রাসসুন্দরী দেবী) (c. 1809-1899) was a Bengali woman who is identified as the author of first full-fledged autobiography in modern Bengali literature. She is among the earliest woman writers in Ben ...
, the first modern autobiographer in Bengali literature, was born in Pabna, Rajshahi division in 1809.
All festivals of Bangladesh are widely celebrated here. Pohela Baisakh, Bengali New Year, Eid ul-Fitr, Eid ul-Adha, Durga Puja, are all celebrated widely.
Demographics
At the time of the 2011 census, Rajshahi division had a population of 18,484,858. Muslims
Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...
are 17,248,861 which is 93.31% of the population, while Hindus
Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...
are 1,081,584 which is 5.85% of the population. Other religions (almost entirely Christianity and indigenous faiths) are only 0.24% of the population and are mainly found among the ethnic minorities.[ See individual Zila files for religion and population information]
The vast mass of people speak Bengali. The dialect of the region is similar to that in Malda and Murshidabad of West Bengal, called Varendri. It has more influence from Bihari languages. Ethnic population is 206,919 which is 1.12% of the population. This consists mainly of Munda peoples such as Santals and Mundas as well as the Dravidian Kurukh, who still speak their original languages.[
]
Points of interest
Rajshahi is a well known tourist destination within Bangladesh, with there being many interesting landmarks.
Notable places include:
* Sompur Bihar, a large Buddhist monastery.
* Varendra Research Museum in Rajshahi is one of the foremost museums specializing in history of ancient Bengal.
* Mahasthangarh
Mahasthangarh ( bn, মহাস্থানগড়, ''Môhasthangôṛ'') is one of the earliest urban archaeological sites so far discovered in Bangladesh. The village Mahasthan in Shibganj upazila of Bogra District contains the remain ...
, home to archaeological sites of Hindu, Buddhist and Muslim periods.
* Puthia Temple Complex and Palaces, the palaces of old ''Jamidars'', some Kilometers drive from Rajshahi
Rajshahi ( bn, রাজশাহী, ) is a metropolitan city and a major urban, commercial and educational centre of Bangladesh. It is also the administrative seat of the eponymous division and district. Located on the north bank of the P ...
city.
* Bagha Mosque, in Bagha thana of Rajshahi District.
* Jamuna Bridge
Bangabandhu Bridge, also known as the Jamuna Multi-purpose Bridge ( bn, যমুনা বহুমুখী সেতু ''Jomuna Bohumukhi Setu'') is a bridge opened in Bangladesh in June 1998. It connects Bhuapur Upazila, Bhuapur on the Jamun ...
, Sirajganj District
* Uttara Gonobhaban
The Uttara Ganabhaban ( bn, উত্তরা গণভবন, Uttora Gonobhobon, Northern People's House) is an 18th-century (1734) royal palace also known as Dighapatia Palace ( bn, দিঘাপতিয়া রাজবাড়ী, Digh ...
, palace of the famous Queen of Dighapatia, located in Natore district.
* Nabaratna Temple, Sirajganj District
* Kusumba Mosque, Naogaon
Naogaon ( bn, নওগাঁ ''Nôogã'') is a city and district headquarter of Naogaon District in northern Bangladesh. It is located in the bank of Mini Jamuna river. It is the centre of commerce within the Naogaon District. The area of th ...
.
* Sona Mosque, Chapai Nawabgonj
* Chalan Beel, the largest water body in Bangladesh, spreading in Sirajganj
Sirajganj ( bn, সিরাজগঞ্জ) is a city in north-western Bangladesh on the right bank of the Jamuna River. It is the administrative headquarters of Sirajganj District, and with a population of 167,200 is the fourteenth most popul ...
, Natore and Pabna districts.
* Shahzadpur Kachharibari
thumb
Kachharibari ( bn, কাছারি-বাড়ি ''revenue office'') also known as Rabindra Kachharibari (রবীন্দ্র কাছারি বাড়ি) or Rabindra Memorial Museum in Shahzadpur, Sirajganj District in ...
, Sirajganj District
Districts
* Natore
* Rajshahi
Rajshahi ( bn, রাজশাহী, ) is a metropolitan city and a major urban, commercial and educational centre of Bangladesh. It is also the administrative seat of the eponymous division and district. Located on the north bank of the P ...
* Sirajganj
Sirajganj ( bn, সিরাজগঞ্জ) is a city in north-western Bangladesh on the right bank of the Jamuna River. It is the administrative headquarters of Sirajganj District, and with a population of 167,200 is the fourteenth most popul ...
* Pabna
* Bogura
Bogra ( bn, বগুড়া), officially known as Bogura, is a major city located in Bogra District, Rajshahi Division, Bangladesh. The city is a major commercial hub in Northern Bangladesh. It is the second largest city in Rajshahi Divi ...
* Chapainawabganj
Chapainawabganj (Bengali language, Bengali: চাঁপাইনবাবগঞ্জ) is located in the north-western part of Bangladesh. It is a part of the Rajshahi Division, and was formerly a sub-division of Malda district. The north and ...
* Naogaon
Naogaon ( bn, নওগাঁ ''Nôogã'') is a city and district headquarter of Naogaon District in northern Bangladesh. It is located in the bank of Mini Jamuna river. It is the centre of commerce within the Naogaon District. The area of th ...
* Joypurhat
Joypurhat ( bn, জয়পুরহাট জেলা, ''Joypurhat Jela'', also ''Joypurhat Zila'') is a district in the northern part of Bangladesh. It is one of the 8 districts of Rajshahi Division.
History
Ancient history
Joypurhat was ...
Major cities and towns
The major cities of Rajshahi division are Rajshahi
Rajshahi ( bn, রাজশাহী, ) is a metropolitan city and a major urban, commercial and educational centre of Bangladesh. It is also the administrative seat of the eponymous division and district. Located on the north bank of the P ...
, Natore, Sirajganj
Sirajganj ( bn, সিরাজগঞ্জ) is a city in north-western Bangladesh on the right bank of the Jamuna River. It is the administrative headquarters of Sirajganj District, and with a population of 167,200 is the fourteenth most popul ...
, Pabna, Bogra and Chapai Nawabganj.
Education
The major educational institutes in Rajshahi are:
* University of Rajshahi (RU)
* Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology (RUET)
* Rajshahi Medical University ( RMC)
* North Bengal International University (NBIU)
* Shah Makhdum Management University (SMMU)
* Rajshahi Medical College (RMC)
* EXIM Bank Agriculture University
* Bangladesh Army University of Engineering & Technology
* Rajshahi Science & Technology University
* Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College, Bogra
* Joypurhat Girls Cadet College, Joypurhat
Joypurhat ( bn, জয়পুরহাট জেলা, ''Joypurhat Jela'', also ''Joypurhat Zila'') is a district in the northern part of Bangladesh. It is one of the 8 districts of Rajshahi Division.
History
Ancient history
Joypurhat was ...
* Rajshahi College
* Rajshahi Govt. City College, Rajshahi
* New Govt. Degree College, Rajshahi
* Rajshahi Cadet College
Rajshahi Cadet College ( bn, রাজশাহী ক্যাডেট কলেজ), or RCC, is a military high school, located in Sardah, Rajshahi, Bangladesh. It is situated by the bank of river Padma at Mukhtarpur village of Sardah in Cha ...
* Azizul Haque College, Bogra
* Bogra Zilla school
Bogra Zilla School ( bn, বগুড়া জিলা স্কুল) is one of the oldest high schools in the Bogra District of Bangladesh and one of the top-ranked schools in the country. It provides education from class three (Grade-3) to c ...
* Pabna Zilla school
Pabna Zilla School ( bn, পাবনা জিলা স্কুল) is the oldest high school in the Pabna District of Bangladesh. It provides education from class Three to Ten. It has two shifts - morning and day. The morning shift starts at 7: ...
* Pabna Cadet College
* Pabna Textile Engineering College
* Govt. Edward College, Pabna
Govt. Edward College, Pabna is one of the oldest colleges in Bangladesh.
History
It was established in July 1898 in Pabna. The college was first named as "Pabna Institution" and founded by Shree Gopal Chandra Lahiri, the famous educationist at ...
* Pabna University of Science and Technology
* Pabna Medical College, Pabna
* Joypurhat Government College
Joypurhat Government College is the highest educational institution of Joypurhat. The college was established 1963 and is located near Joypurhat railway station. The college was nationalized in 1980. It is a National University College with the c ...
* Shaheed M. Monsur Ali Medical College, Sirajganj
* Sirajgonj polytechnic Institute, Sirajganj
* Belkuchi Govt. College, Sirajganj
* G S K L High School, Belkuchi, Sirajgonj
* Seroil Government High School, Rajshahi (SGHS),Rajshahi
* Government Laboratory High School Rajshahi
* Rajshahi Collegiate School
Rajshahi Collegiate School ( bn, রাজশাহী কলেজিয়েট স্কুল) in Boalia Thana in the center of Rajshahi, a city in northern Bangladesh, is the oldest school in the country.
History
After completing MA in Phi ...
(RCS), Rajshahi
* Naogaon K.D. Government High School,Naogaon
The University of Rajshahi (established 1953) is the second largest university of Bangladesh with around 50 disciplines and 6 institutes. Rajshahi Collegiate School
Rajshahi Collegiate School ( bn, রাজশাহী কলেজিয়েট স্কুল) in Boalia Thana in the center of Rajshahi, a city in northern Bangladesh, is the oldest school in the country.
History
After completing MA in Phi ...
(established in 1828) is one of the oldest school in the country and Indian sub-continent which became again the best school in Bangladesh in 2018.
Notable residents
* Montazur Rahman Akbar
Montazur Rahman Akbar is a Bangladeshi film director, screenwriter, producer, social activist and entrepreneur. He is known for his work in the Bengali-language film industry, which is centered in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Akbar also fought in the 1 ...
, film-maker, grew up in Akkelpur.
* Group Captain (Rtd.) Saiful Azam
Saiful Azam (11 September 1941 – 14 June 2020) was a Bangladeshi pilot and politician who first served as a fighter pilot for the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) (1960–1971) and later the Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) (1971–1979). During his car ...
, fighter pilot, was Member of Parliament (MP) for Pabna-3
Pabna-3 is a constituency represented in the Jatiya Sangsad (National Parliament) of Bangladesh since 2008 by Mokbul Hossain of the Awami League In Urdu language, Awami is the adjectival form for '' Awam'', the Urdu language word for common peopl ...
from 1991 to 1996.
* Manzoor Alam Beg
Manzoor Alam Beg ( bn, মনজুর আলম বেগ; 1 October 193126 July 1998) was a Bangladeshi photographer. He was awarded Ekushey Padak in 2007 by the Government of Bangladesh.
Personal life
Beg was the third child of Professor Hu ...
, photographer, was born in Rajshahi district in 1931.
* Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani
Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani (12 December 1880 – 17 November 1976), often shortened as Maulana Bhashani, was a Bengali politician. His political tenure spanned the British colonial India, Pakistan and Bangladesh periods.
Maulana Bhashani was po ...
* Apu Biswas
Abonti Biswas (born 11 October 1989) known by her stage name as Apu Biswas, is a Bangladeshi film actress, model and the former wife of notable Bangladeshi actor Shakib Khan. Biswas made her debut in the film industry with the film ''Kal Shokale' ...
* Mohammad Ali Bogra
Sahibzada Syed Mohammad Ali Chowdhury ( bn, সৈয়দ মোহাম্মদ আলী চৌধুরী; Urdu: سید محمد علی چوہدری), more commonly known as Mohammad Ali Bogra ( bn, মোহাম্মদ আলী ...
* General Jayanto Nath Chaudhuri OBE, former Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army
The Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) (unofficially known as the Army Chief) is a statutory position in the Indian Army held usually by a four star general. As the highest ranking officer to serve solely in the Indian Army, the chief is the profess ...
.
* Pramatha Chaudhuri
Pramathanath Chaudhuri ( bn, প্রমথনাথ চৌধুরী; 7 August 1868 – 2 September 1946), known as Pramatha Chaudhuri, ''alias'' Birbal, was a Bengali writer and an influential figure in Bengali literature. He was the nephe ...
, writer
* Samson H. Chowdhury
* Zahid Hasan
Zahid Hasan (born 4 October 1965) is a Bangladeshi film, television and stage actor. He has been working as an actor in the show business arena of Bangladesh since the 1990s. He is also a TV commercial model. He was awarded Bangladesh National F ...
* Amjad Hossain (Member of National Assembly of Pakistan
The National Assembly ( ur, , translit=Aiwān-e-Zairīñ, , or ur, قومی اسمبلی, romanized: ''Qaumi Assembly'') is the lower legislative house of the bicameral Parliament of Pakistan, which also comprises the Senate of Pakistan (upp ...
), organiser of Liberation War of Bangladesh in 1971.
* A. B. Mirza Azizul Islam
A. B. Mirza Azizul Islam is a Bangladeshi bureaucrat and the former Advisor of the Caretaker Government led by Fakhruddin Ahmed. He was in charge of the finance ministry.
Career
Islam is the former chairman of Bangladesh Securities and Exchange C ...
* Taijul Islam
* Abdul Jalil
* James
* Air Vice Marshal (Rtd.) A. K. Khandker
Air Vice Marshal (Retd.) Abdul Karim Khandker, Bir Uttom (born 1930) is a former planning minister of the Government of Bangladesh. He is a retired diplomat and was the Deputy Chief of Staff of the Bangladesh Armed Forces during the Banglade ...
, first Chief of Staff
The title chief of staff (or head of staff) identifies the leader of a complex organization such as the armed forces, institution, or body of persons and it also may identify a principal staff officer (PSO), who is the coordinator of the supporti ...
of Bangladesh Air Force
The Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) ( bn, বাংলাদেশ বিমান বাহিনী, Bangladesh Biman Bahini) is the aerial warfare branch of the Bangladesh Armed Forces. The Air Force is primarily responsible for air defence of ...
(1971–1975), Former Minister, Ministry Planning of People's Republic of Bangladesh
* Mahiya Mahi
Mahiya Sharmin Akter Nipa (born 27 October), known as Mahiya Mahi, is a Bangladeshi film actress. She is considered as the current highest paid actress of Bangladeshi film industry. She made her debut in the film '' Bhalobashar Rong'' in 2012 w ...
* Amiya Bhushan Majumdar
Amiya Bhushan Majumdar ( Bengali: অমিয় ভূষণ মজুমদার) (22 March 1918 – 8 July 2001) was an Indian novelist, short-story writer, essayist and playwright. In a writing career spanning over four decades, Majumdar ...
, Indian novelist
* Partha Pratim Majumder
Partha Pratim Majumder ( bn, পার্থ প্রতিম মজুমদার; born 18 January 1954) is a Bangladeshi mime artist who is considered the "forerunner" of mime art in Bangladesh. Born in Pabna District in the north-western ...
* Bande Ali Mia
Bande Ali Mia (17 January 1906 – 27 June 1979) was a Bangladeshi poet, lyricist, novelist, dramatist, essayist, children’s writer and journalist. He was awarded the Bangla Academy Literary Award in 1962 and Ekushey Padak in 1988.
Early lif ...
, poet
* Bidya Sinha Saha Mim
Bidya Sinha Saha Mim is a Bangladeshi actress and model. She made her debut in 2008 appearing in Amar Ache Jol directed by Humayun Ahmed and produced by Impress Telefilm Limited.
Career
Mim participated in '' Lux Channel I Superstar'' in 2007. ...
* Mohammed Fazle Rabbee, cardiologist
Cardiology () is a branch of medicine that deals with disorders of the heart and the cardiovascular system. The field includes medical diagnosis and treatment of congenital heart defects, coronary artery disease, heart failure, valvular ...
, intellectual, murdered in the intellectual killing during the 24 Dec 1971 genocide in Bangladesh
* Mushfiqur Rahim
* Arifur Rahman
Arifur Rahman (born August 8, 1984) is a Bangladeshi- Norwegian political cartoonist, illustrator and animator. He is a self-taught cartoonist who is renowned for his contribution to cartoons both on the internet and in print media. In Bangladesh ...
* Engineer Habibur Rahman Professional IT Expert, Belkuchi, Sirajgonj
* Tarique Rahman
* Ziaur Rahman
Lt. General Ziaur Rahman (19 January 1936 – 30 May 1981), was a Bangladeshi military officer and politician who served as the President of Bangladesh from 1977 to 1981. He was assassinated on 30 May 1981 in Chittagong in an army coup ...
* Khaleda Zia
References
External links
E-Rajshahi
An online portal for information and government services managed by Rajshahi City Corporation
{{Authority control
Divisions of Bangladesh
Northern Bengal
Divisions of British India