Dinajpur District

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

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[edit] 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 3,437.98km².^[1] Annual average highest temperature 33.5 °C and lowest 10.5 °C; annual rainfall 2,536mm. Main rivers are Dhepa, Punarbhaba, Kanchan and Atrai.

[edit] Subdivisions

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

[edit] Population statistics

Total Population is 2,617,942(According to the census of 2001 and Bangladesh Statistical Beauro )[2].^{[citation needed]} 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.

[edit] 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 08.

[edit] Archaeology

Kantaji's Temple [4] [5], Sitkot Bihar (the oldest Badya Bihar in the world), Rajbari, Dinajpur Museum, Ramsagar DiGhee, Sukhsagar, Matasagar and the tombs of Chehel Gazi and Gora Shahid Moydan, Sitar Kuthuri, Habra Zamindar Bari, Gour Gabindha, Baraduari, Shingha Darwaza Palace, Nayabad mosque, Aowkora(echoing) Mosque.

[edit] 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..

[edit] Education

Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University [6] is a government financed public university of Bangladesh is situated at 5 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 famale student and another is for male student. [7]. The former name of the female govt college is Surendranath college. Both colleges are under national university. Here is a govt. medical college which is one of the 17 govt funded medical college 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.12 batches have passed from this medical college. Dinajour Medical College Journal published by Dinajpur Medical College twich in 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. 10th 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.