Rangpur

Rangpur District

Rangpur District (rajshahi division) with an area of 2307.78 sq km, is bounded by nilphamari district on the north, gaibandha district on the south, kurigram district on the east and dinajpur district on the west. Main rivers are tista, Jamuneshwari, karatoya, Chikli and ghaghat. About 80% area of the district is composed of alluvial soil of Tista basin and 20% Barind land. Annual average temperature: maximum 32.3°C, minimum 11.2°C; total rainfall 2931 mm.

Rangpur (Town) stands on the bank of the river Ghagat. It consists of 15 wards and 109 mahallas. The town was turned into a municipality in 1869. It has an area of 42.57 sq km. The population of the municipality is 251699; male 52.31%, female 47.69%. The density of population is 5913 per sq km. Literacy rate among the town people is 54.6%.

Administration The district consists of three municipalities, eight upazilas, 33 wards, 84 union parishads, 2151 mouzas and 1519 villages 203 mahallas. The upazilas are badarganj, gangachara, kaunia, rangpur sadar, mithapukur, pirgachha, pirganj and taraganj; the municipalities are Rangpur Sadar, Badarganj and Kaunia.

Archaeological heritage and relics Tajhat Rajbari, Keramatia Mosque, Dimlaraj Kali Mandir, Sree Sree Karunamaye Kali Mandir, Rangpur Museum, Rangpur Town Hall, Rangpur Public Library, Pareshnath Mandir at Mahiganj, tomb of the noted Islamic thinker Maulana Keramat Ali Jainpuri, tomb of Shah Jalal Bokheri at Mahiganj, tomb of Ismail Ghazi at Kataduar, carmichael college Building, home stead of roquiah sakhawat hossain at Pairabandh, Zila Parishad Building, Takka Mosque at Latifpur (Mughal period, Mithapukur upazila), three domed Jami Mosque at Mithapukur (Mughal period), four domed Taraganj Mosque, nine domed Radhanagar (Badarganj upazila) Mosque (Mughal period), tomb of Kutub Shah at Kutubpur, Vhim Garh at Manshinghpur (Badarganj upazila), Zamindar Bari at Roypur (Pirganj upazila), remnants of the palace of Raja Nilambar at Patgram (Pirganj upazila), Hari Mandir at Chandan Hat (Gangachara upazila) and Mitha Pukur (excavated during the Mughal period).

Historical events Mansingh, commander of Emperor Akbar, conquered part of Rangpur in 1575. Rangpur came completely under the Mughal empire in 1686. Mughalbasa and Mughalhat of Kurigram district still bear marks of the Mughal rule in the region. During the Mughal rule Rangpur was under the sarker of Ghoraghat. Rangapur Ghoraghat has been mentioned in the Riyaz-us-Salatin. During the early period of the company rule fakir-sannyasi resistance and peasant rebellion were held in Rangpur.

Marks of the War of Liberation Mass killing site: Dahiganj Crematory, eastern side of the river Ghagat, Balar Dighi (near cantonment), Lahirir Hat (adjacent to Badarganj Road), place adjacent to Damdama Bridge (Mithapukur), Sahebganj, Nandiganj, Jharuar Beel (Badarganj), Damdama Bazar, back yard of the Jhenuk Cinema Hall (Badarganj); mass grave: Damdama Bridge, Damdama Bazar (Mithapukur), Angrar Bridge, Madarganj Bazar (Pirganj), Nandiganj (Rangpur Sadar).

Population 2534365; male 50.92%, female 49.08%; Muslim 89.60%, Hindu 9.59% and others 0.81%; ethnic nationals: Santal and Orao.

Religious institutions Mosque 2911, temple 377, church 17, Buddhist vihara 1, tomb 28 and sacred place 8, most noted of which are Mithapukur Jami Mosque, Phulchawki Mosque, Takka Mosque, Khalaspir Hat Jami Mosque, Hatibandha Mosque, Sena Nagar Jami Mosque (Taraganj upazila), Kazipara Jami Mosque, Taraganj Mosque, Mandir at village Aladipur (Mithapukur upazila), Baldi Pukur Church (Mithapukur upazila), Benu Ban Buddhist Vihara (Mithapukur upazila), tombs of Maulana Keramat Ali Jainpuri, Pagla Pir, Panch Pir (Rangpur Sadar), Shah Ismail Ghazi (Pirganj upazila).

Literacy and educational institutions Average literacy 26.7%; male 33.5% and female 19.4%. Educational institutions: university college 1, college 64, medical college 1, technical college 1, teacher's training college 3, cadet college 1, polytechnic institute 1, vocational institute 1, law college 1, homeopath college 1, music school 1, high school 282, junior high school 38, madrasa 370, government primary school 722, non-government primary school 444, kindergarten 20, satellite school 44 and NGO operated school 193 and community school 20.

Locally published newspapers and periodicals Dabanal (1980, Juger Alo (1992), Dainik Paribesh (1994), Dainik Rangpur (1997), Weekly Atal (1991), Rangpur Barta (1996), Weekly Bajrakantha (Pirganj); extinct- Rangapur Bartabaha (1847), Rangapur Dik Prakash (1861), Rangapur Darpan (1907), Uttar Bangla (1960), Pravati (1955).

Cultural organisations Club 277, public library 12, cinema hall 17, theatre group 14, theatre stage 3, museum 1 and literary society 10.

Main occupations Agriculture 40.26%, agricultural labourer 28.01%, wage labourer 4.88%, commerce 10.12%, service 5.56%, transport 2.11% and others 9.06%.

Land use Total cultivable land 170113.36 hectares; single crop 16.89%, double crop 63.15% and treble crop land 19.96%; land under irrigation 76.80%.

Land control Among the peasants, 45% are landless, 30% small, 20% intermediate and 5% rich; cultivable land per head 0.06 hectare.

Value of land The market value of the land of the first grade is Tk. 6500 per 0.01 hectare.

Main crops Paddy, jute, wheat, potato, onion, garlic, ginger, chilli and tobacco.

Extinct or nearly extinct crops Linseed, sesame, indigo, kaun, aus paddy and arahar.

Main fruits  Mango, jackfruit, black berry, papaya and banana.

Fisheries, dairies, poultries Poultry 263, fishery 134, dairy 78, nursery 7 and hatchery 30.

Communication facilities Roads: pucca 570 km, semi pucca 109 km and mud road 4101 km; railways 71 km; waterways 30 nautical mile; airport 1.

Traditional transport Palanquin (extinct), horse carriage and bullock cart (nearly extinct), boat.

Manufactories Sugar mill, distilleries, rice, flour mill, saw mill, ice factory, oil mill, match factory, bidi factory, iron works, cold storage, printing press, lathe machine and welding.

Cottage industries Weaving, bamboo work, goldsmith, blacksmith, potteries, wood work, tailoring and bidi.

Hats, bazars and fairs Hats and bazars are 155, noted fairs are Rath Mela at Mahiganj, Baruni Mela (Badarganj), Gopinathpur Mela (Badarganj).

Main exports Paddy, jute, wheat, sugarcane, ginger, tobacco, mango and vegetables.

NGO activities Operationally important NGOs are brac, asa, grameen bank, CARE, RDRS, RDSS, proshika, Grameen Krishi Foundation, thengamara mahila sabuj sangha, Gram Bikash.

Health centres Medical college hospital 1, zila sadar hospital 1, TB hospital 1, TB clinic 1, eye hospital 1, family planning centre 80, union health centre 30, charitable dispensary 12, municipal medical centre 1, maternity and child welfare centre 1, satellite clinic 40.

Source: Banglapedia