Rajshahi Divisional Town

 city, first-level administrative division

Rajshahi Division is one of the seven administrative divisions of Bangladesh. It has an area of 18,174.4 km² and a population at the 2011 Census of 18,329,000 (preliminary figures). Rajshahi Division consists of 8 districts (Bogra, Joypurhat, Naogaon, Natore, Nawabganj, Pabna, Rajshahi, Sirajganj), 70 Upazilas (the next lower administrative tier) and 1,092 Unions (the lowest administrative tier). This division is characterized by its cheap labour force. It has an excellent rail and road communication infrastructure. The divisional capital of Rajshahi is only four hours road journey away from Dhaka, the capital city.

Until 2010 this Division comprised 16 districts, but early in that year it was divided into two, when a new Division (Rangpur Division) was formed out of the 8 northerly districts that until then had been part of Rajshahi Division. Rajshahi was dominated by various Rajas, Maharajas and Zamindars.

Rajshahi division is in the mid western corner of Bangladesh. The famous river Padma borders Rajshahi division on the south and another famous river, Jamuna, lies across the eastern border. In the West, Rajshahi division shares a border with India.

Rajshahi Divisional Head Quarter is Rajshahi Metropolitan. Its widely known as Silk City of Bangladesh, the National Silk Board is situated at Rajshahi. Rajshahi Metropolitan (Town) stands on the bank of the river Padma. It's geograhic location is 24.3705785N 88.5830212E. The area of the Rajshahi town is 96.69 sq km. It consists of four thanas, 39 wards and 169 mahalla. The town has a population of 646716; male 52.42%, female 47.58%. Density of population is 6689 per sq km (Population Census 2001, Preliminary Report). Rajshahi was flourished in the seventeenth century. The tomb of Hazrat Shah Makhdum (established in 1634) is located at Dargahpara of the town. Many European traders were attracted to this town because of its being a centre of silk production and location by the side of the river Padma; subsequently the Dutch, the French and the English east india company established business houses in the town in phases. Because of flourishing silk industry Rajshahi is also called the City of Silk.

Rajshahi District (Rajshahi division) with an area of 2407.01 sq km, is bounded by Naogaon district on the north, West Bengal of India, Kushtia district and the Ganges on the south, Natore district on the east and Nawabganj district on the west. The region consists of Barind tract, Diara and Char lands. Main rivers are padma (Ganges), mahananda, baral and Barnai. Annual average temperature: maximum 37.8°C, minimum 11.2°C; annual rainfall 1862 mm.

Rajshahi (Town) stands on the bank of the river Padma. The area of the Rajshahi Town is 96.69 sq km. It consists of four thanas, 39 wards and 169 mahallas. The town has a population of 646716; male 52.42%, female 47.58%. Density of population is 6689 per sq km (Population Census 2001, Preliminary Report). Rajshahi, which is both a district and a divisional town, was flourished, in the seventeenth century. The district head quarters were transferred to Rajshahi Town from Natore in 1825. Its ancient name was Rampur Boalia. The tomb of Hazrat Shah Makhdum (established in 1634) is located at Dargahpara of the town. Many European traders were attracted to this town because of its being a centre of silk production and location by the side of the river Padma; subsequently the Dutch, the French and the English east india company established business houses in the town in phases. The Silk Factory Building established by the Dutch is now known as Barakuthi. Later the East India Company purchased the Kuthibhaban from the Dutch. The head quarters of the European Voluntary Regiment was established in the Barakuthi during the sepoy revolt in 1857. At the end of the nineteenth century the zamindar of Medinipur purchased the building from the British. After 1947 it was being used as the godown of the civil supply department. When the Rajshahi University was established in 1953, the Barakuthibhaban was turned into the residence of the Vice Chancellor with other office establishments. There are 14 graves of European persons in a cemetery in front of the Kuthibhaban. A flood protection embankment was established in 1855 to save the town. Shahib Bazar is the main business centre of the town. The old areas of the town are Shahib Bazar, Rani Bazar, Reshampatti, Boalia, Ghoramara, Hatemkhan, Dargahpara and Kumarpara. Because of flourishing silk industry Rajshahi is also called the City of Silk. Rajshahi municipality was established in 1876 and was turned into a City Corporation in 1991.

Rajshahi district was established in 1772. Maldaha, Bogra, Pabna, Natore and Nawabganj districts were established in phases dividing this district. It has one city corporation, 4 thanas, 7 municipalities, 93 wards, 297 mahallas, 9 upazilas, 70 union parishads, 1678 mouzas and 1858 villages. The upazilas are bagha, bagmara, charghat, durgapur, godagari, mohanpur, paba, puthia and tanore; thanas are boalia, rajpara, matihar, shah mokhdum.

Archaeological heritage and relics: Two domed Kismat Madia Mosque (eighteenth century), one domed Ruipara (Durgapur) Jami Mosque (sixteenth century), Bagdhani Mosque at Paba upazila, three domed Bhagna Jami Mosque at Tanore upazila (1223 AH), tomb of Hazrat Shah Makhdum (R), tomb of Hazrat Shah Sultan at Godagari upazila (fourteenth century), Bara Kuthi (eighteenth century), Talando Shiva Mandir (1860), Rajbari, Govinda Mandir, Shiva Mandir, Gopal Mandir, and Dolmancha (Putia).

Historical events: Rajshahi district was a part of Pundruvardhana of the ancient Vanga. Indigo resistance movement spread over Rajshahi during 1859-60.

Population 2262483; male 51.20%, female 48.80%; Muslim 93%; Hindu 5%, Christian 1.5% and others 0.5%; ethnic nationals: Santal 2.34% of the total population.

Religious institutions: Mosque 3727, temple 164, church 38 tomb 13 and sacred place 6.

Literacy and educational institutions: Average literacy 30.61%; male 37.6% and female 23.2%. Educational institutions: university 1, medical college 1, engineering college 2, college 110, teacher's training college 2, law college 1, agriculture college 1, physical training college 1, survey institute 1, para medical institute 1, silk research institute 1, homeopath college 1, primary teacher's training institute 1, nursing institute 1, police academy (sardah) 1, cadet college 1, madrasa 267, high school 393, junior high school 10, government primary school 559, non-government primary school 430, community school 4, KG school 8. Noted educational institutions: Rajshahi College (1873), Rajshahi BB Academy (1898), Rajshahi Medical College (1949), Rajshahi Collegiate School (1928), PN Girl's High School (1886), Rajshahi Government Madrasa (1874), Diamond Jubilee Industrial School (1898), Sardaha Police Academy (1912), Putia PN Technical High School (1865), Birkudsha Abinash High School (1917, Bagmara upazila), Sreedhar Government Primary School (1857, Durgapur upazila), Godagari High School (1948), Mohanpur Pilot High School (1948), Shitlai, Kharkhari and Naohata Primary School (1885, Paba upazila), Talonda Ananda Mohan High School (1882, Tanore upazila).

Literacy and educational institutions: Average literacy 32.4%; male 38.9% and female 25.5% (Statistical pocketbook 2000). Educational institutions: The major educational institutes in Rajshahi are University of Rajshahi (RU), Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology (RUET), Rajshahi Medical College (RMC), Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College, Bogra, Rajshahi College, Azizul Haq College, Bogra, Edward College, Pabna (under National University), Pabna University of Science and Technology.

The University of Rajshahi (established 1953) is the second largest university of Bangladesh with around 50 disciplines and 6 institutes.

Cultural organisations Club 386, library 27, museum 2, literary society 7, theatre group 18, cinema hall 20, theatre stage 2, women's organisation 210, community centre 35, cooperative society 309, shilpakala academy 1 and playground 224. Extinct cultural organisations: Rajshahi Mohamedan Association (1884), Anjuman-e Hemayet Islam (1891), Noor-al-Islam Samaj (1893), Rajshahi District Muslim Education Society (1918), Rajshahi Anjumane Mofidul Islam (1907), Rajshahi Muslim Club (1929).

Main occupations Agriculture 38.73%, agricultural labourer 23.64%, wage labourer 3.50%, commerce 12.44%, service 8.81%, transport 2.36% and others 10.52%.

Land use Total cultivable land 157728.05 hectares; fallow land 73554.03 hectares; single crop 22%, double crop 68% and treble crop land 10%. Cultivable land under irrigation is 56%

Land control Among the peasants, 31% are landless, 47% small, 19% intermediate and 3% rich; cultivable land is 0.07 hectare per head.

Main crops Paddy, wheat, jute, sugarcane, turmeric, oil seed, onion, garlic, potato, betel leaf and mulberry plant.

Fisheries, dairies, poultries Dairy 156, poultry 177, fishery 1977, hatchery 28 and nursery 12.

Communication facilities Roads: pucca 896 km, semi pucca 686 km and mud road 4726 km; railways 70 km; rail station 13; waterways 91 nautical mile; airport 1.

Manufactories Silk mill, textile mill, flour and rice mill, cold storage, ice factory, pharmaceuticals, press, aluminum factory, iron mill, match factory, jarda (scented tobacco) factory, plastic industry, metal industries, ice factory, cold storage and welding.

Cottage industries Rajshahi district is famous for the production of cocoon and silk fabrics. Silk Board has been established in Rajshahi in 1977. Other Cottage industries include weaving, bamboo work, cane work, goldsmith, blacksmith, potteries, brass work, wood work, tailoring, etc.

NGO activities Operationally important NGOs are brac, CARE, asa, grameen bank, proshika, caritas, thengamara mahila sabuj sangha.

Health centres Medical college hospital 1, zila sadar hospital, diabetic hospital 1, heart foundation hospital 1, police hospital 1, railway hospital 1, leprosy hospital 1, prison hospital 1, TB hospital 1, TB clinic 1, triteness hospital 1, eye hospital 1, upazila health complex 9, health & family welfare centre 77, maternity and child welfare centre 1, veterinary hospital 1, and satellite clinic 88.

Rajshahi has been regarded as the bread-basket of Bangladesh. Recent agricultural modernizations with the much-lauded Barendra project has increased crop-diversification, allowed farmers to access better analysis of their farmland's chemical composition, and generally allowed farmers to grow as many as three crops every year instead of the usual one crop. Moreover, agro-processing is also thought to have an extremely bright future in this region of the country.