Dinajpur District, Bangladesh

Dinajpur (Bengali: দিনাজপুর) is a district in Northern Bangladesh. It is a part of the Rajshahi Division.

Geography

Dinajpur [1] is bounded by Thakurgaon and Panchagarh districts in the north, Gaibandha and Joypurhat districts in the south, Nilphamari and Rangpur districts in the east, and the state of West Bengal, India in the west. The total area of the district is 3,437.98 km². Annual average highest temperature 33.5 °C and lowest 10.5 °C; annual rainfall 2,536mm. Main rivers are Dhepa, Punarbhaba, and Atrai.

Subdivisions

Sub-districts or Upazilas are Birampur Upazila, Birganj, Biral Upazila, Bochaganj Upazila, Chirirbandar Upazila, Phulbari Upazila, Ghoraghat Upazila, Hakimpur Upazila, Kaharole Upazila, Khansama Upazila, Dinajpur Sadar Upazila, Nawabganj, Parbatipur Upazila.

Population statistics

• Total Population is 2,617,942 (According to the census of 2001 and Bangladesh Statistical Beauro )[2]. Among them male 51.12%, female 48.88%.
• Muslim 76.65%, Hindu 20.58%, Christian 0.80%, Buddhist 0.11% and other 1.86%.
• Ethnic nationals: the Santal and Oraon.
• Average literacy 60%; male 34.7% female 19.5%.
• Main occupations Agriculture 42.85%, agricultural labourer 29.19%, wage labourer 2.48%, commerce 10.2%, transport 1.67%, service 5.58%, others 8.03%.
• Land control Landless 40%, small farmers 30%, medium farmers 25%, large farmers 5%; per capita cultivable land 500m².

History

Dinajpur was once a part of the ancient state of Pundravardhana. Devkot which rotated as capital of Lakhnauti was located 11 miles south of Dinajpur town. The British administrative control in Dinajpur was established in 1786 (ref. Banglapedia). At the time of Partition of Bengal in 1947, part of greater Dinajpur district was included in West Bengal and it was named West Dinajpur district. People of the district took part in the Tebhaga Movement and also had significant contribution in the War of Liberation of 1971. [3]

An ancient engraved stone, believed to be from the Gupta era, was recovered from the bank of a pond near Sura Masjid at Ghoraghat Upazila in Dinajpur in October 8.

Archaeology

Kantajew Temple [4] [5], Sitakot Bihar (the oldest Badya Bihar in the world), Rajbari, Dinajpur Museum, Ramsagar tank[6], Sukhsagar, Matasagar and the tombs of Chehel Gazi and Gor-e-Shahid Moydan, Sitar Kuthuri, Habra Zamindar Bari, Gour Gabindha, Baraduari, Shingha Darwaza (Lion Gate), Nayabad mosque, Aowkora(echoing) Mosque, Ghughudanga Zamindar GateFile:P1050390.jpg

Economy

The economy of Dinajpur mainly depends upon agriculture based production. Dinajpur is famous for rice production. 'Katharivog' rice is the best produced rice in Bangladesh. Dinajpur is also rich with wheat production. The liches(fruit) of Dinajpur is the best of Bangladesh. Dinajpur is also famous for its Mangoes. "Kosba" is called the matrix of mango. Also it grows a plenty of vegetables and seasonal fruits. A huge percentage of people from Dinajpur depends upon agri based products. The main industry also includes rice processing mills. However, Dinajpur is highly rich with natural resources like coal. The coal of Boropukuria Coal Mine is empowering a 250MW power generation plant. More sites are discovered to have coal. Asia Energy PLC is a new company, without any history of previous mining experience, quoted in the London Alternative Investment Market, set up to exploit open cast coal mining opportunities in the Phulbari region of Dinajpur..

Bangla Hili is most powerfull ecomamic zone for LAND Port. PANAMA LINK PORT as 2nd largest land port between BANGLA HILI(BANGLADESH) and HILI (INDIA). Here everday import & exprot of huge goods betwewn Bangladesh & India. Its also door of Dinajpur district.

Education

Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University [7] is a government financed public university of Bangladesh is situated at 10 km away from Dinajpur main town. It serves as the premier institution of science and technology in northern part of the country. There are two government colleges in the Dinajpur town. One is for female student and another is for both male and female students. Dinajpur Govt. college is for both male and female, which was previously known as Surendranath college. Both colleges are under national university. There is a govt. medical college here, which is one of the 17 govt. funded medical colleges in Bangladesh. It is a medical college located in Dinajpur town. It is a Government medical college and admits 150 students into the 5 year MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery) degree program. Twelve batches have passed from this medical college. Dinajour Medical College Journal published by Dinajpur Medical College twice a year is BMDC recognized Journal (ISSN: 2070-2019). Now a modern technology based hospital will be opened soon. Dinajpur also has got the second BKSP (Bangladesh Krira Shikkha Protisthan) in Bangladesh. It also has a poly-technical institution. Tenth educational board of Bangladesh has been established in Dinajpur in 2007. From 2009 S.S.C. (Secondary School Certificate) and H.S.C. (Higher Secondary School Certificate) exams have been started to be taken. In S.S.C. exam for the first time it stood 2nd in the country in the G.P.A. 5 list.

Places of interest

File:Artificial animals in shopnopuri.jpg

Swapnopuri amusement park

• Kantajew Temple [8] [9]
• Nayabad Mosque
• Aowkora Mosque
• Dinajpur Rajbari
• Rudrapur Dipshikha School [10]
• Ramsagar [11]
• Hili Land Port
• K. T Complex. Hakimpur, Dinajpur. Pro. Raj Kumar Khetan.
• Shopnopuri artificial amusement park
• Nowpara Ideal Village
• Ghughudanga Zomidar Gate
• BANGLA HILI PILOT HIGH SCHOOL, HAKIMPUR, DINAJPUR. Ested. 1949 ED

Fruits

Lichi, mango, banana, jackfruit, blackberry.

See also

• Districts of Bangladesh
• Rajshahi Division
• Ramsagar
• Kantajew Temple

References

DinajpurInfo.com

External links

• DinajpurInfo.com - Local website of Dinajpur
• Dinajpur and Panchagarh Visit in July 2006 including visit to Kantajew Temple at Desherchobi