Rajshahi (, ) is a metropolitan city and a major

urban Urban means "related to a city". In that sense, the term may refer to: * Urban area, geographical area distinct from rural areas * Urban culture, the culture of towns and cities Urban may also refer to: General * Urban (name), a list of people ...

, administrative, commercial and educational centre of

Bangladesh Bangladesh, officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, eighth-most populous country in the world and among the List of countries and dependencies by ...

. It is also the administrative seat of the eponymous division and

district A district is a type of administrative division that in some countries is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or county, counties, several municipality, municip ...

. Located on the north bank of the

Padma River The Padma () is a major river in Bangladesh. It is the eastern and main distributary of the Ganges, flowing generally southeast for to its confluence with the Meghna River, near the Bay of Bengal. The city of Rajshahi is situated on the banks ...

, near the

Bangladesh–India border The Bangladesh–India border, known locally as the Radcliffe line, is an international boundary, international border running between the republics of Bangladesh and India. Six Divisions of Bangladesh, Bangladeshi divisions and five States and ...

, the city is surrounded by the satellite towns of Nowhata and Katakhali, which together build an urban agglomeration of about 1 million population. Modern

Rajshahi Rajshahi (, ) is a metropolis, metropolitan city and a major Urban area, urban, administrative, commercial and educational centre of Bangladesh. It is also the administrative seat of the eponymous Rajshahi Division, division and Rajshahi Distr ...

lies in the ancient region of

Pundravardhana Pundravardhana or Pundra kingdom (), was an ancient kingdom of Iron Age India located in the Bengal region of the Indian subcontinent with a territory that included parts of present-day Rajshahi and parts of Rangpur Division of Bangladesh a ...

. The foundation of the city dates to 1634, according to epigraphic records at the mausoleum of

Sufi Sufism ( or ) is a mysticism, mystic body of religious practice found within Islam which is characterized by a focus on Islamic Tazkiyah, purification, spirituality, ritualism, and Asceticism#Islam, asceticism. Practitioners of Sufism are r ...

saint Shah Makhdum. The area hosted a Dutch settlement in the 18th century. The Rajshahi municipality was constituted during the

British Raj The British Raj ( ; from Hindustani language, Hindustani , 'reign', 'rule' or 'government') was the colonial rule of the British The Crown, Crown on the Indian subcontinent, * * lasting from 1858 to 1947. * * It is also called Crown rule ...

in 1876. Rajshahi is a historic center of

silk Silk is a natural fiber, natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be weaving, woven into textiles. The protein fiber of silk is composed mainly of fibroin and is most commonly produced by certain insect larvae to form cocoon (silk), c ...

production.

Varendra Research Museum Varendra Museum () is a museum, research centre, and popular visitor attraction at the heart of Rajshahi and maintained by Rajshahi University in Bangladesh. It is considered the oldest museum in Bangladesh. It was the first museum to be estab ...

, the oldest of its kind in Bangladesh, is located in the city. Sometimes the city is referred to as the ''City of Education'', on account of being home to many renowned educational institutions of Bangladesh. The head office of Rajshahi Agricultural Development Bank and Barind Multipurpose Development Authority (BMDA) is situated in the city. The Shah Makhdum Airport serves Rajshahi. According to ''

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'' and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardi ...

'', Rajshahi is the cleanest city of Bangladesh, and it is also the most environmentally friendly city in the country.

History

Etymology

The name "Rajshahi" originates from the Bengali words "Raj" (meaning "kingdom") and "Shahi" (meaning "royal"), reflecting its historical association with ruling dynasties and governance. The region was historically part of the

Pundra Kingdom Pundravardhana or Pundra kingdom (), was an ancient kingdom of Iron Age India located in the Bengal region of the Indian subcontinent with a territory that included parts of present-day Rajshahi and parts of Rangpur Division of Bangladesh a ...

and later saw rule by various empires, including the

Maurya The Maurya Empire was a geographically extensive Iron Age historical power in South Asia with its power base in Magadha. Founded by Chandragupta Maurya around c. 320 BCE, it existed in loose-knit fashion until 185 BCE. The primary sourc ...

and

Gupta Gupta () is a common surname of Indian origin, meaning "guardian" or "protector". Origins and distribution The name is based on the Sanskrit word गोप्तृ ''goptṛ'', which means "guardian" or "protector". According to historian ...

empires.

Early history

Rajshahi has a rich history dating back to ancient times. The region was a significant center during the Mauryan period, and archaeological evidence suggests it was an important hub for trade and cultural exchange. The area was later part of the

Pala Empire The Pāla Empire was the empire ruled by the Pala dynasty, ("protector" in Sanskrit) a medieval Indian dynasty which ruled the kingdom of Gauda Kingdom, Gauda. The empire was founded with the election of Gopala, Gopāla by the chiefs of Kingdo ...

, which contributed to its

Buddhist Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...

and

Hindu Hindus (; ; also known as Sanātanīs) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism, also known by its endonym Sanātana Dharma. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pp. 35–37 Historically, the term has also be ...

heritage. It was also under the rule of the

Sena dynasty The Sena/Sen dynasty was a List of Hindu empires and dynasties, Hindu dynasty during the Classical India, early medieval period on the Indian subcontinent, that ruled from Bengal through the 11th and 12th centuries. The empire at its peak cover ...

before the

Muslim conquest The Muslim conquests, Muslim invasions, Islamic conquests, including Arab conquests, Arab Islamic conquests, also Iranian Muslim conquests, Turkic Muslim conquests etc. *Early Muslim conquests **Ridda Wars **Muslim conquest of Persia ***Muslim conq ...

in the 13th century.

Medieval period

During the

medieval period In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of World history (field), global history. It began with the fall of the West ...

, Rajshahi came under the rule of the

Delhi Sultanate The Delhi Sultanate or the Sultanate of Delhi was a Medieval India, late medieval empire primarily based in Delhi that stretched over large parts of the Indian subcontinent for more than three centuries.

and later the

Bengal Sultanate The Bengal Sultanate (Middle Bengali: , Classical Persian: ) was a Post-classical history, late medieval sultanate based in the Bengal region in the eastern South Asia between the 14th and 16th century. It was the dominant power of the Ganges- ...

. The region saw the influence of

Persian Persian may refer to: * People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language ** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples ** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...

and

Mughal culture Indo-Persian culture refers to a cultural synthesis present on the Indian subcontinent. It is characterised by the absorption or integration of Persian aspects into the various cultures of modern-day republics of Bangladesh, India, and Pakista ...

, which is still reflected in its architecture and traditions. The Mughal Empire played a crucial role in developing Rajshahi as a trade center, especially for

silk production Sericulture, or silk farming, is the cultivation of silkworms to produce silk. Although there are several commercial species of silkworms, the caterpillar of the domestic silkmoth is the most widely used and intensively studied silkworm. This spe ...

British colonial rule

Under

British rule The British Raj ( ; from Hindustani , 'reign', 'rule' or 'government') was the colonial rule of the British Crown on the Indian subcontinent, * * lasting from 1858 to 1947. * * It is also called Crown rule in India, * * * * or dire ...

, Rajshahi became an important administrative and commercial hub. The British established educational institutions and modern infrastructure, including railways, which boosted trade and connectivity. The region was particularly known for its silk industry, which flourished under British patronage. However, it was also a center of nationalist movements, with local leaders actively participating in the struggle for independence.

Post-independence development

After the partition of

India India, officially the Republic of India, 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 by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

in 1947, Rajshahi became part of

East Pakistan East Pakistan was the eastern province of Pakistan between 1955 and 1971, restructured and renamed from the province of East Bengal and covering the territory of the modern country of Bangladesh. Its land borders were with India and Burma, wit ...

and later, following the Liberation War in 1971, an integral part of independent Bangladesh. The city continued to grow as a major educational and cultural center, housing prestigious institutions such as the

University of Rajshahi The University of Rajshahi (), also known as Rajshahi University (RU), is a public research university located in Rajshahi, Bangladesh. It is the second oldest and third largest university in Bangladesh. The university's 59 departments are or ...

. Today, Rajshahi is recognized for its contributions to education.

Geography

Topography

Geographically Rajshahi is situated within

Barind Tract 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 di ...

, 23 m (75 ft) above sea level, and lies at . The city is located on the alluvial plains of the

, which runs through the southern side of the city. It is bounded on the east, north, and west by Paba Upazila (a subdivision of a district) of the district. Rajshahi District is bounded by

Naogaon District Naogaon District () is a district in northern Bangladesh, and part of Rajshahi Division. It is named after its headquarters, the city of Naogaon in Naogaon Sadar Upazila. Demographics According to the 2022 Census of Bangladesh, Naogaon Distri ...

to the north,

Natore District Natore district () is a district in Rajshahi Division located in northern Bangladesh. It borders the metropolitan city of Rajshahi and used to be a part of Rajshahi District. History Natore was the district headquarters of Rajshahi from 1769 to ...

to the east, and

Chapai Nawabganj District Chapai Nawabganj or Chapainawabganj District () is a district of Rajshahi Division. It is located in the north-western part of Bangladesh. The north and western-part of Chapainawabganj is bounded by Malda and Murshidabad districts of India, ...

and the river Padma &

Kushtia District Kushtia District (; ) is a district in the Khulna Division, Khulna administrative division of western Bangladesh. Kushtia is the second largest municipality in Bangladesh and the eleventh largest city in the country. Kushtia has existed as a sepa ...

to the south.

Climate

Under the

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...

, Rajshahi has a

tropical wet and dry climate Tropical savanna climate or tropical wet and dry climate is a tropical climate sub-type that corresponds to the Köppen climate classification categories ''Aw'' (for a dry "winter") and ''As'' (for a dry "summer"). The driest month has less than ...

. The climate of Rajshahi is generally marked with

monsoon A monsoon () is traditionally a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation but is now used to describe seasonal changes in Atmosphere of Earth, atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with annu ...

s, high temperature, considerable

humidity Humidity is the concentration of water vapor present in the air. Water vapor, the gaseous state of water, is generally invisible to the human eye. Humidity indicates the likelihood for precipitation (meteorology), precipitation, dew, or fog t ...

and moderate rainfall. The hot season commences early in March and continues till the middle of July. The maximum mean temperature observed is about during April, May, June, and July and the minimum temperature recorded in January is about . The highest rainfall is observed during the months of monsoon. The annual rainfall in the district is about . Although once noted for its

air pollution Air pollution is the presence of substances in the Atmosphere of Earth, air that are harmful to humans, other living beings or the environment. Pollutants can be Gas, gases like Ground-level ozone, ozone or nitrogen oxides or small particles li ...

, since 2014 the levels of

particulates Particulate matter (PM) or particulates are microscopic particles of solid or liquid matter suspension (chemistry), suspended in the atmosphere of Earth, air. An ''aerosol'' is a mixture of particulates and air, as opposed to the particulate ...

have been dramatically reduced by various efforts to switch to cleaner fuels and to battery-powered vehicles, to pave earth streets, to encourage walking and bicycle transport, and to plant vegetation. The levels of PM10 dropped by 67% and PM2.5 which are particularly harmful to human health, dropped from 70 to 37 micrograms per cubic meter between 2014 and 2016. Lowest recorded temperature in Rajshahi was 3.4 °C on 9 January 2003 and highest recorded temperature was 45.1 °C on 18 May 1972.

Parks and greenery

Shaheed A.H.M Qamaruzzaman Central Park and Zoo Shaheed A.H.M Qamaruzzaman Central Park and Zoo (Bengali: শহীদ এ.এইচ.এম কামারুজ্জামান কেন্দ্রীয় উদ্যান ও চিড়িয়াখানা) is a large public park ...

is one of the popular public places in Rajshahi city. A wide area with green trees and grasses houses different animal species. It is located by the bank of the

. Other parks in the city are Bhubon Mohon Park and Captain Monsur Ali Park. Shahid Zia's children's park is specially designed for children's amusement. The bank of the Padma River along the city is also a destination for recreation. The bank is a planned zone in many parts of the city to accommodate city dwellers for recreation purposes. In 2015, Munsguard Park near the old Dutch

Boro Kuthi Boro Kuthi () is a historic building in Rajshahi, Bangladesh built by Dutch traders in eighteenth century. The building was also used as the first administrative center for Rajshahi University. The building is now under the Ministry of Cultural a ...

building and Lalonshah Park near Shahmukhdum Eidgah was built bordering the bank to provide residents a place to enjoy the views of the Padma river.

Points of interest

* Banks of the Padma River: One of the largest rivers in South Asia. During the Monsoon season, the water level rises. *

: Established in 1910, the museum is dedicated to ancient history and culture. It has a collection of artifacts relating to Hindu, Buddhist, and Muslim heritage. Some of these date back to the 16th century. It is maintained by the university, located in the center of town. * Shrine of

Shah Makhdum Rupos ‘Abd al-Quddūs Jalāl ad-Dīn (), best known as Shah Makhdum (), and also known as Rupos, was a Sufi Muslim figure in Bangladesh. He is associated with the spread of Islam into the Varendra region of Bengal. He arrived in Bengal with his elde ...

: A

dargah A Sufi shrine or dargah ( ''dargâh'' or ''dargah'', Turkish: ''dergâh'', Hindustani: ''dargāh'' दरगाह درگاہ, ''dôrgah'') is a shrine or tomb built over the grave of a revered religious figure, often a Sufi saint or dervi ...

(tomb) was established to mark the resting place of Shah Makhdum in 1635. He was the first preacher of Islam in the region. Legend has it that he arrived by riding down the Padma on two crocodiles. To preserve this myth, some crocodiles are kept in the pond next to the shrine. *

: The park is a wide area with trees and grass. The zoo houses a variety of animal species. It is located by the bank of the river Padma. * Shahid Zia Park: An amusement park, it has a

mono rail A monorail is a railway in which the track consists of a single rail or beam. Colloquially, the term "monorail" is often used to describe any form of elevated rail or people mover. More accurately, the term refers to the style of track.The te ...

and bumping cars. It is under the Rajshahi City Corporation. *

: This campus is within a few kilometers of the city center. The second largest university in Bangladesh. * Shaheb Bazar: This is the center of the city, where most of the shopping malls and commercial buildings are located. * Ghoramara: The oldest part of Rajshahi City, consisting of most of the oldest (70 to 100 years old) buildings. *

: In the compound of the Barakuthi there is a small cemetery with groves dating back to the nineteenth century. There are 14 tombs with thirteen

epitaph An epitaph (; ) is a short text honoring a deceased person. Strictly speaking, it refers to text that is inscribed on a tombstone or plaque, but it may also be used in a figurative sense. Some epitaphs are specified by the person themselves be ...

s within the cemetery. * Upashohor: This is a planned model town. Rajshahi Cantonment is located beside this area. * Motihar:

Rajshahi University The University of Rajshahi (), also known as Rajshahi University (RU), is a Public university, public research university located in Rajshahi, Bangladesh. It is the second oldest and third largest university in Bangladesh. The university's 59 ...

is situated in this area on a large campus surrounded by mango groves. * Kashia-Danga: From this area a massive mango tree garden area of Rajshahi starts. It is in the western part of the city, near Rajshahi Court railway station. * Santal Para: Located inside the Mahish-Bathan Area. Some Santal tribes people live here. * Bangabandhu Novo Theatre, Rajshahi: Establishment of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Novo Theatre, Rajshahi is being implemented. File:Saheb Bazaar Rajshahi.jpg, Saheb Bazaar Rajshahi File:Shahid Zia Shishu Park 03.jpg, Shahid Zia Shishu Park File:Boddhovumi, University of Rajshahi.JPG, The site of mass grave inside Rajshahi University campus File:Rajshahi from Padma river.jpg, View of Rajshahi city from the

File:Smriti Amlan 02.jpg, Smriti Amlan Monument

Administration

Rajshahi is the headquarters of one of the eight administrative

divisions of Bangladesh Divisions are the first-level administrative divisions in Bangladesh. As of 2024, there are eight divisions of Bangladesh, each named after the major city within its jurisdiction that also serves as the administrative seat of that division. Eac ...

. The Divisional Commissioner, who is the administrative chief of the Rajshahi Division, the DIG for the Rajshahi division, and other divisional civil servants have their own offices in the city, which function as part of the government administrative setup. Deputy Commissioner (DC) who is the administrative chief of Rajshahi District, Civil Surgeon, and other district-level civil servants have their offices in the city. District judges as well as Metropolitan magistrates have their offices within the city. Rajshahi is one of seven metropolitan cities in Bangladesh. One mayor and 30 ward commissioners are elected for five-year terms by direct votes.

Rajshahi City Corporation Rajshahi City Corporation (), is a local governing body that manages all civic services in the Rajshahi, the city of Bangladesh. The RCC government is elected by popular vote every five years. It is headed by a mayor, who presides over 40 counc ...

is responsible for all the administrative work related to city governance under its jurisdiction.

Rajshahi Metropolitan Police Rajshahi Metropolitan Police (RMP) is a unit of Bangladesh Police, which is responsible for law enforcement within the metropolitan area of Rajshahi. History Rajshahi Metropolitan Police was established on 1 July 1992. RMP began with four poli ...

(RMP), headed by a Commissioner, controls law and order as well as traffic movements within the metropolitan area. Rajshahi Unnayan Kortripokhkho/Rajshahi Development Authority (RDA) plans and coordinates the development-related works within the metropolitan area. Rajshahi WASA is responsible for the water supply and drainage system within the city area.

Demographics

At the time of the 2022 census, Rajshahi had a population of 553,288 in 213,467 households. Rajshahi has a sex ratio of 942 females per 1000 males and a literacy rate of 75.17%

Bengali Bengali or Bengalee, or Bengalese may refer to: *something of, from, or related to Bengal, a large region in South Asia * Bengalis, an ethnic and linguistic group of the region * Bengali language, the language they speak ** Bengali alphabet, the w ...

is the main language for the citizens of the city. Many distinctive Bengali dialects and regional languages are also spoken. There is a minority Urdu-speaking population, who are descendants of displaced Muslims from the eastern part of British India who sought refuge during the separation of India and Pakistan in 1947. Rajshahi has been famous for its silk textiles since the British period. There are also several jute mills in Rajshahi. At present many glass-making factories have been set up in Rajshahi. Rajshahi City Corporation has constructed BSIC. Industrial City-02 in Paba Upazila of Rajshahi. And work is underway on a leather industry area. There will also be a 1,200-acre industrial zone under the Bangladesh Economic Zone (BEPZA). Bangabandhu Hi-Tech Park will play an important role in the development of IT in Rajshahi. When completed, it will revolutionize information and communication technology in the region, which will employ about 50,000 people. There is also a char on the banks of the river Padma near the city of Rajshahi. Rajshahi City Corporation has plans to build another economic zone on the char. When the construction of the char is completed, it will become the commercial center of

North Bengal North Bengal ( , Uttar Banga) is a cross-border cultural–geographic region consisting of the north-western areas of Bangladesh as well as the northern part of the West Bengal state of India. Bounded to the east by the Jamuna and in the south ...

Culture

Arts and festivals

Rajshahi is famous for

Rajshahi silk Rajshahi silk is the name given to the silk products produced in Rajshahi, Bangladesh. It is famous because it is a high quality fabric used for clothing, especially for saris. In 2021, it was given Geographical indication status as a product of B ...

, which has a special status as clothing material in the Indian subcontinent. Rajshahi is the home of the region's best mangoes and lichis. Rajshahi is also the location of Barendra Museum, which is known for its collection of local sculptures and other artifacts dating from medieval times. It also has some important structures made by the British like the T Dam. ''

Pohela Baishakh Pohela Boishakh () is the Bengali New Year celebrated by the Bengali people worldwide and as a holiday on 14 April in Bangladesh and 15 April or 14 April (leap year) in the Indian states of West Bengal, Tripura, Jharkhand and Assam ( Goalpara ...

'', the Bengali New Year, and

Pahela Falgun Pohela Falgun () is a festival observed the first day of Spring of the Bengali month of Falgun in Bangladesh. The celebration was started in 1991 by students of Dhaka University's Faculty of Fine Arts. Before 2019, the first of Falgun used to ...

, the first day of

spring Spring(s) may refer to: Common uses * Spring (season), a season of the year * Spring (device), a mechanical device that stores energy * Spring (hydrology), a natural source of water * Spring (mathematics), a geometric surface in the shape of a he ...

of the Bengali month

Falgun Falgun or Phalgun (; ) or Phagun () is the eleventh month of the year in the Bengali calendar, the Assamese calendar, and the Nepali calendar. In the revision of the Bengali calendar used in Bangladesh since October 2019, the month has 29 days ...

, in the

Bengali calendar The Bengali Calendar or Bangla Calendar (, colloquially , or , , "Bangla Year") is a solar calendar used in the Bengal region of the Indian subcontinent. In contrast to the traditional Indian Hindu calendar, which begins with the month Chait ...

, is festively celebrated in the city. There are widespread celebrations of

Muslim Muslims () are people who adhere to Islam, a Monotheism, monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God ...

festivals of

Eid ul-Fitr Eid al-Fitr () is the first of the two main festivals in Islam, the other being Eid al-Adha. It falls on the first day of Shawwal, the tenth month of the Islamic calendar. Eid al-Fitr is celebrated by Muslims worldwide because it marks the ...

Eid ul-Adha Eid al-Adha () is the second of the two main Islamic holidays, festivals in Islam alongside Eid al-Fitr. It falls on the 10th of Dhu al-Hijja, the twelfth and final month of the Islamic calendar. Celebrations and observances are generally carri ...

, and

Muharram Al-Muharram () is the first month of the Islamic calendar. It is one of the four sacred months of the year when warfare is banned. It precedes the month of Safar. The tenth of Muharram is known as Ashura, an important day of commemoration in ...

; Hindu festivals of

Durga Puja Durga Puja (ISO 15919, ISO: , ), also known as Durgotsava or Shaaradotsava, is an annual festival originating in the Indian subcontinent which pays homage to the Hinduism, Hindu goddess Durga, and is also celebrated because of Durga's victo ...

, the Buddhist festival of

Buddha Purnima Buddha's Birthday or Buddha Day (also known as Buddha Jayanti, Buddha Purnima, and Buddha Pournami) is a primarily Buddhist festival that is celebrated in most of South, Southeast and East Asia, commemorating the birth of the prince Siddhartha ...

; and the Christian festival of

Christmas Christmas is an annual festival commemorating Nativity of Jesus, the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a Religion, religious and Culture, cultural celebration among billions of people Observance of Christmas by coun ...

across the city.

Media

There are many Bengali daily newspapers published in the city, including ''Sonali Sangbad'', ''Uttorbongo Protidin'', Shadhin Janapad, ''Sunshine'', ''Dainik Barta'', ''Sonar Desh'', ''Natun Provat'', and ''Amader Rajshahi''. There are also many online news portal such as Uttarkal, Padmatimes24, AjkerRajshahi, rajshahinews24.com, silkcitynews.com, Priyojon TV and others. State-owned

Bangladesh Television Bangladesh Television (), commonly known by its acronym BTV (), is the state-owned television network of Bangladesh. The network was originally established as the East Pakistan branch of Pakistan Television Corporation, Pakistan Television in 1 ...

and

Bangladesh Betar Bangladesh Betar (; ), is the state-owned radio broadcaster of Bangladesh, initially established as the Dhaka station of All India Radio in 1939. It was later made part of Radio Pakistan. After the independence of the country in 1971, Radio Pakis ...

have transmission centers in Rajshahi. The BTV relay station in Rajshahi is headquartered in the Kazihata neighborhood and has been operating since 2001. A local FM radio station, Radio Padma, transmits at 99.2

MHz The hertz (symbol: Hz) is the unit of frequency in the International System of Units (SI), often described as being equivalent to one event (or cycle) per second. The hertz is an SI derived unit whose formal expression in terms of SI base u ...

frequency and Radio Foorti transmits at 88.0

. There are also five press clubs in Rajshahi City. Known as Rajshahi City Press Club, Rajshahi Press Club, Rajshahi Metropolitan Press Club, Rajshahi Varendra Press Club, and Rajshahi Padma Press Club.

Sports

There are three 15,000+ capacity stadiums in the city. One is at the center of the city which is normally called the Rajshahi District Stadium, another is inside the Rajshahi University and the last one used for cricket is located at Terokhadia called

Shaheed Qamaruzzaman Stadium Shaheed A. H. M. Qamaruzzaman Stadium (), also known as Rajshahi Divisional Stadium is a multi-use stadium in Rajshahi, Bangladesh. The stadium is named after AHM Qumaruzzaman, who was one of the four national leaders. History It is currently u ...

. There is also an international standard tennis complex and a few sports training academies in the city. Many national-level footballers groomed in the city such as former Bangladesh national team captain Mohammed Mohsin and recent midfielder Manik Hossain Molla. The city is the home of several national-level club teams like Diganta Proshari Sangha and Sonali Otit Club. There are also a few football training academies including one in Rajshahi's central ''eidgah'' (large open ground used on special occasions for Muslim prayers) and in the Zilla stadium. The city is an important place for cricket in Bangladesh. As a regular supplier of cricketers in the national team, it is also the home of

Bangladesh Premier League Bangladesh Premier League (), also known as Dutch-Bangla Bank BPL for sponsorship reasons, is a professional Twenty20 cricket league in Bangladesh organised by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB). It was formed in 2011 by the BCB, after the su ...

team

Rajshahi Kings Durbar Rajshahi () is a Bangladeshi franchise Twenty20 cricket team. The team is based in Rajshahi in Bangladesh and competes in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), a Twenty20 franchise cricket competition. The team is currently owned by the V ...

. The city has two cricket academies, Banglatrack and Clemon, to grow and train upcoming cricketers. Rajshahi is also known for hockey. Many local hockey practice clubs allow playing at national, inter-university, college, and school levels. There are National Team hockey players from Rajshahi. Late Mintu was one of them and by his name, there is "Mintu Chottor" at Lokkhipur Mor, Rajshahi.

Transport

Road

Rajshahi is connected to most other parts of the country via the N6 national highway. There are two intercity bus terminals in the city. It takes about 5 to 6 hours by road to reach the capital city

Dhaka Dhaka ( or ; , ), 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. It is one of the list of largest cities, largest and list o ...

. Several bus services, including air-conditioned and non-air-conditioned buses, are available to and from Dhaka. Bus services to other major cities and the district's headquarters are also available from Rajshahi.

Railway

Four inter-city train services are operated by Bangladesh Railway, named ''Silk City Express'', ''Padma Express'' and ''Dhumketu Express'', and Bonolota Express between Dhaka and

Rajshahi railway station Rajshahi Railway Station is a railway station at Rajshahi, Bangladesh. The railway station is the main station of the city, and links to Dhaka via the Iswardi–Sirajganj line. The station is one of the most modern, largest and important station ...

regularly. There are other inter-city, mail and local trains operated from Rajshahi to

Khulna Khulna (, ) is the third-largest city in Bangladesh, after Dhaka and Chittagong. It is the administrative centre of the Khulna District and the Khulna Division. It is the divisional centre of 10 districts of the division. Khulna is also the seco ...

and other regions of the country. There are two other railway stations in the city, ''Rajshahi Court'' and ''Rajshahi University''.

Air

The city is served by

Shah Makhdum Airport Shah Makhdum Airport, Rajshahi is a domestic airport serving Rajshahi, the principal city of the Rajshahi Division in Bangladesh. The airport‌ is located at Nowhata, about 10 kilometers north from city center of Rajshahi and named after Sufi ...

, named after the Islamic preacher

, situated at Nowhata, a commuter town of the city.

Biman Bangladesh Airlines Biman Bangladesh Airlines, commonly known as Biman ( , ), is the national flag carrier of Bangladesh. With its main hub at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka, the airline also operates flights from its secondary hubs at Shah Am ...

Novoair Novoair () is a Bangladeshi airline based in Dhaka operating mostly domestic flights. It operates 25 flights each day from Dhaka to eight destinations. History Novoair was established in October 2007 as an aviation service provider as the busin ...

, and

US-Bangla Airlines US-Bangla Airlines () is the largest airline in Bangladesh by fleet size. It is headquartered in Dhaka and based at Shahjalal International Airport under the umbrella companies of US-Bangla Group. History Foundation and early years US-Bangla ...

operate domestic flights to and from

Public transport

Auto rickshaws An auto rickshaw is a motorized version of the pulled rickshaw or cycle rickshaw. Most have three wheels and do not tilt. They are known by many other terms in various countries, including three-wheeler, Adaidaita Sahu, Keke-napep, Maruwa, auto, ...

and charging rickshaws are the main modes of transport within the city and metro area. Once there was plenty of Tomtom (horse-driven cart) in the city, which are still found, but fewer in numbers. There are bus and minibus services in a limited number of routes, connecting suburban areas of the city. Plenty of rental car agencies operate within the city and metro area, where sedans, SUVs, and micro-buses are available to hire hourly or daily. Ride-sharing services like

Uber Uber Technologies, Inc. is an American multinational transportation company that provides Ridesharing company, ride-hailing services, courier services, food delivery, and freight transport. It is headquartered in San Francisco, California, a ...

and ''Obhai'' are also available in the city.

Healthcare

The city has many government, private and NGO-run hospitals.

Rajshahi Medical College Rajshahi Medical College (RMC) is a public medical school located in Rajshahi, Bangladesh. It is affiliated to the Rajshahi Medical University. The college is affiliated to a large hospital which is the central provider for advanced health ca ...

Hospital (RMCH) is a tertiary-level public hospital with a teaching facility for graduate and postgraduate medical education. There are two private medical college hospitals, and another two are under construction in the city. There is also a government-run children's hospital, one chest hospital, a district-level government hospital, and a Christian missionary hospital within the city area.

Education

Building of Rajshahi Polytechnic Institute

Rajshahi, commonly referred to as Education City ''(Sikkha Nogori)'', is home to many government, private and autonomous educational institutions. The secondary and

higher secondary Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC), Higher Secondary School Certificate, Higher Secondary Education Certificate (HSEC) or Intermediate Examination is a secondary education qualification in Bangladesh, India and Pakistan. It is equivalent to the f ...

institutions in the city fall under the jurisdiction of the

Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education, Rajshahi The Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education, Rajshahi is an autonomous organization, mainly responsible for holding two public examinations (Secondary School Certificate (Bangladesh), SSC & Higher Secondary School Certificate, HSC) and als ...

. The city is home to the

Rajshahi College Rajshahi College (Bengali language, Bengali: রাজশাহী কলেজ) is a public college, public educational institution in Rajshahi, Bangladesh. Established in 1873, it is the third oldest college in Bangladesh after Dhaka College a ...

- which is the third oldest college in Bangladesh after

Dhaka College Dhaka College (), informally known as DC, is a public educational institution of Bangladesh located in Dhanmondi, Dhaka. It is one of the oldest educational institutions in the subcontinent. It offers Honours degree, honours and Master's degree ...

, and

Chittagong College Chittagong College is a public educational institution in Chittagong, Bangladesh. It is a higher secondary school and also a degree awarding college of National University, Bangladesh. It is the second higher secondary school in the region that ...

is the second oldest medical college in erstwhile East Pakistan. The

is the second oldest and one of the largest public universities in the country. Rajshahi Engineering College, now known as

RUET Rajshahi University of Engineering & Technology, commonly known by the acronym RUET, is a PhD granting, 2nd oldest public engineering and technological research university in Bangladesh. It specialises in the field of applied sciences, engineerin ...

, was the second engineering college established in East Pakistan in 1964. For Technical Education Rajshahi Polytechnic Institute was Established in 1963, This Institute is under the

Bangladesh Technical Education Board The Bangladesh Technical Education Board is a state regulatory board responsible for monitoring and developing technical and vocational education in the secondary level ( SSC), 2-year higher secondary level (HSC/Vocational), 4-year Diploma in Agr ...

. Rajshahi consistently leads in pass rates and GPA 5 achievements in SSC and HSC results. Major educational institutes include: Universities: *

* Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology-RUET *

Rajshahi Medical University Rajshahi Medical University is a public medical university in Rajshahi, Bangladesh. The organization is conducting the university's work in the Rajshahi Medical College by recruiting manpower. History The administrative and academic activitie ...

Varendra University Varendra University (VU) is a private university in Rajshahi Rajshahi (, ) is a metropolis, metropolitan city and a major Urban area, urban, administrative, commercial and educational centre of Bangladesh. It is also the administrative seat ...

* North Bengal International University Medical colleges: * Rajshahi Medical College(RMC) * Islami Bank Medical College * Barind Medical College * Shah Mokhdum Medical College Polytechnic institutes: * Rajshahi Polytechnic Institute * Rajshahi Women's Polytechnic Institute * Rajshahi Government Survey Institute Higher secondary institutions : *

Rajshahi Government City College Rajshahi Government City College is a government-owned higher secondary educational institution located in Rajshahi. It offers higher secondary, undergraduate and graduate programs, affiliated with National University, Bangladesh. It was establishe ...

* New Government Degree College, Rajshahi *

Rajshahi Cadet College Rajshahi Cadet College, formerly known as Ayub Cadet College, is a military high school, located in Sardah, Rajshahi, Bangladesh. It is situated by the bank of river Padma River, Padma at Mukhtarpur village of Sardah in Charghat Upazila, Charghat ...

* Rajshahi Collegiate School and College * Rajshahi Shikkha Board Government Model School and College * Rajshahi Cantonment Board School and College * Rajshahi Government Womens' College * Rajshahi Government Model School and College * Mohanagar College, Rajshahi * Shahmakhdum College, Rajshahi * Agroni School And College * Shahid A.H.M Kamaruzzaman Government Degree College * Shaheed Buddhijibi Government College * Rajshahi University School And College * Masjid Mission Academy (School And College) * Paramount School And College * Varendra College, Rajshahi * Bangabandhu Degree College, Rajshahi * Metropolitan College, Rajshahi *

Rajshahi Court College Rajshahi (, ) is a metropolitan city and a major urban, administrative, 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 Padma River ...

Secondary institutions: * Government Pramathnath Girls' High School, Rajshahi * Rajshahi Government Girls' High School, Helenabad, Rajshahi *

Rajshahi Collegiate School Rajshahi Collegiate School (), a public school for boys located in Boalia Thana in the center of Rajshahi, which is a metropolitan city in northern Bangladesh, is the oldest school in the country. History Rajshahi Collegiate School is the olde ...

* Seroil Government High School * Government Laboratory High School Rajshahi * Haji Muhammad Mohsin Government High School, Rajshahi * Shahid Nazmul Haque Girls' High School * Rajshahi Government Model School and College * Rajshahi Shikkha Board Government Model School and College * Rajshahi Cantonment Public School and College * Rajshahi Cantonment Board School and College * Shimul Memorial North South School and College, Rajshahi * Sristy Central School and College * Court Model High School * Shaheed Colonel Kazi Emdadul Haque Public School * Uposhohor Housing Estate Girls' High School, Rajshahi Other institutions: * Technical Training Centre, Rajshahi * Rajshahi Govt. Teachers Training College * Silk Research and Training Institute * Higher Secondary Teacher's Training Institute

Notable residents

* A.H.M. Quamruzzaman, politician *

Ritwik Ghatak Ritwik Kumar Ghatak (; 4 November 19256 February 1976) was an Indian film director, screenwriter, actor and playwright. Widely considered as one of the greatest film makers of all time, his works remained largely underrated and ignored during hi ...

, filmmaker *

Hasan Azizul Huq Hasan Azizul Huq (2 February 1939 – 15 November 2021) was a Bangladeshi short-story writer and novelist. He was awarded Ekushey Padak in 1999, Bangla Academy Literary Award in 1970 and Independence Award in 2019. Early life and education Azi ...

, linguist *

Fazle Hossain Badsha Khandaker Fazle Hossain Badsha (born 15 October 1952), commonly known as Fazle Hossain Badsha or simply Fazle Badsha is a Bangladeshi politician. He has served three terms as a member of the Jatiyo Sangsad since 2008, representing Rajshahi-2 fo ...

, Politician *

Selina Hossain Selina Hossain (born 14 June 1947) is a Bangladeshi novelist. Her major works include ''Hangor Nodi Grenade'' (1976) and ''Poka Makorer Ghor Boshoti'' (1996). She earned all major national awards – Bangla Academy Literary Award in 1980, Ekushey ...

, novelist *

Andrew Kishore Andrew Kishore Kumar Baroi (widely known as Andrew Kishore, 4 November 1955 – 6 July 2020) was a Bangladeshi playback singer. He is considered the "Playback King" of Bangladesh for his contributions to the golden era of dhaliwood. He worked ...

, singer *

Rajanikanta Sen Rajanikanta Sen, also known as Kantakobi, (26 July 1865 – 13 September 1910) was a Bengali poet and composer, known for his devotional (bhakti) compositions, as well as his patriotic songs. Early life, education and profession File:Sri Gurupr ...

, Poet *

Akshay Kumar Maitreya Akshay Kumar Maitreya (1 March 1861 – 10 February 1930) was an Indian lawyer, historian and social worker. Life Maitreya was born in Shimulia in Nawapara of Mirpur Kushtia District to a family originally from Naogaon district.Much of his educ ...

, historian * A. H. M. Khairuzzaman Liton, Politician *

Khaled Mashud Khaled Mashud, popularly known as Khaled Mashud Pilot (; born 8 February 1976) is a former Bangladeshi cricketer and a captain in Tests and ODIs. A wicketkeeper and middle order batsman, he was a regular member of the national team between 199 ...

, cricketer *

Ila Mitra Ila Mitra (; 18 October 1925 – 13 October 2002) was an Indian Communism, communist and peasants movement organizer of the Indian subcontinent, especially in East Bengal (now Bangladesh). Early life and education Mitra's ancestors were fro ...

, activist *

Sabbir Rahman Mohammad Sabbir Rahman (; born 22 November 1991) is a Bangladeshi cricketer. He is from Rajshahi and besides the national team, he plays for Rajshahi Division in domestic cricket. He is a batter who occasionally bowls leg spin. He was the highest ...

, cricketer * Sir Jadunath Sarkar, historian *

Mohammad Shamsuzzoha Mohammad Shamsuzzoha (; 1 May 1934 – 18 February 1969) was a Bengali writer, professor and proctor at Rajshahi University. Shamsuzzoha was the first university teacher in erstwhile East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) who was killed by the Pakistani ...

, academic * Mohammed Mohsin, footballer * Manik Hossain Molla, footballer *

Junaid Siddique Mohammad Junaid Siddique (born 30 October 1987) is a Bangladeshi cricketer. He is sometimes referred to by his nickname Imrose. A left-handed batsman and occasional right arm off break bowler, he made his debut for Rajshahi Division in 2003/04 ...

, cricketer *

Najmul Hossain Shanto Najmul Hossain Shanto (; born 25 August 1998) is a Bangladeshi cricketer and current captain of the Men's national team for Test. He was also a former captain of Twenty20 Internationals and One Day International. He is the second Bangladeshi ...

, cricketer * Enamul Karim Nirjhar, architect *

Mizanur Rahman Minu Mizanur Rahman Minu is a Bangladesh Nationalist Party politician and the former mayor and member of parliament of Rajshahi-2. Minu has served as the mayor of Rajshahi. He was elected president of the Rajshahi unit of the Bangladesh Nationalist P ...

, Politician *

Mahiya Mahi Sharmin Akter Nipa (born 27 October 1993; known by her stage name Mahiya Mahi) is a Bangladeshi film actress and model. She was one of the highest-paid actresses of Bangladesh. Mahi started her career in the film industry with the film ''Bhalo ...

, Actress *

Malay Bhowmick Malay Bhowmick is a Bangladeshi playwright, actor, director, and educationist. Bhowmick has a broad role to play in the movement of pedestrians, especially in the open play movement in the northern region of Bangladesh. Although professor of the ...

, Playwright and director * Shahriar Alam, politician *

Mrinal Haque Mrinal Haque (September 9, 1958 – August 22, 2020) was a Bangladeshi sculptor. Appointed by the Government of Bangladesh, best known for having created murals on the city streets of Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. Education Born in Rajsh ...

, sculptor *

Saleh Hasan Naqib Saleh Hasan Naqib is a Bangladeshi professor, researcher and the 25th Vice-Chancellor of the University of Rajshahi. Early life and education Naqib was born on August 3, 1970 in Rajshahi, Bangladesh. He completed his secondary education in 198 ...

, university professor and vice-chancellor *

Mostakim Wazed Mostakim Wazed (; born 1 March 1965) is a retired Bangladeshi professional Association football, footballer who played as an Midfielder (association football), attacking midfielder. He represented the Bangladesh national football team, Bangladesh ...

, footballer

Twin towns and sister cities

Rajshahi's twin town and

sister cities A sister city or a twin town relationship is International relations, a form of legal or social agreement between two geographically and politically distinct localities for the purpose of promoting cultural and commercial ties. While there ar ...

are: *

Kristiansand Kristiansand is a city and Municipalities of Norway, municipality in Agder county, Norway. The city is the fifth-largest and the municipality is the sixth-largest in Norway, with a population of around 116,000 as of January 2020, following th ...

, Norway (1979) *

Yiyang Yiyang ( zh, s=益阳 , t=益陽 , p=Yìyáng) is a prefecture-level city on the Zi River in Hunan province, China, straddling Lake Dongting and bordering Hubei to the north. According to the Sixth National Population Census of the People's Repub ...

, China (2018)

Awards

* National Environment Award (2021) * Environment Friendly City of the Year (2020) * National Environmental Award (2013) * Prime Minister’s National Award For Tree Plantation (2009, 2010, 2011, 2013)

References

External links

Map of Rajshahi District

E-Rajshahi (in English)
an online portal for information and government services managed by Rajshahi City Corporation
FinancialExpress-bd.com
News about LSE survey

Radio Bangladesh website for information on Bangladesh Betar

information on Shah Mokhdum Airpor {{Authority control Populated places in Rajshahi Division Cities in Bangladesh

History

Etymology

Early history

Medieval period

British colonial rule

Post-independence development

Geography

Topography

Climate

Parks and greenery

Points of interest

Administration

Demographics

Culture

Arts and festivals

Media

Sports

Transport

Road

Railway

Air

Public transport

Healthcare

Education

Notable residents

Twin towns and sister cities

Awards

See also

References

External links