Rangpur, Bangladesh

Rangpur is a big city in Bangladesh. It is the main city of the Rangpur Division and sits near the Ghaghat River and the Teesta River. It is the second-largest city in Bangladesh and has grown with better roads, buildings, and services. Many students come to Rangpur for its schools and colleges.

The city has a long history. In 1575, a leader for the Mughal Emperor Akbar took control of Rangpur. It joined the Mughal Empire fully in 1686. In 1769, Rangpur became an important district center, and in 1869, it became a municipality, one of the oldest in the country. The city hall was finished in 1892.

In 1984, the Rangpur area was divided into five districts: Gaibandha, Kurigram, Lalmonirhat, Nilphamari, and Rangpur. Today, Rangpur is a center for learning, culture, and community events, with many festivals held each year.

Etymology

The city of Rangpur got its name from an older name, "Rongpur". Long ago, English rulers grew a plant here because the soil was very good for it. The local people called this plant "Rongo", so the area became known as "Rongopur". Over time, this name changed to Rangpur. Another story says the name comes from a place called Rangmahal, which means "Palace of Entertainment", linked to an old king named Bhagadatta, who was the son of Narakasura, the ruler of the Pragjyotisha Kingdom.

History

Mughal Period

During the Mughal time, Rangpur had three types of areas for managing things. In 1575, a commander named Raja Man Singh, who worked for the Mughal emperor Akbar, took control of Rangpur. But it wasn’t until 1686 that Rangpur fully became part of the Mughal Empire. Names like Mughalbasa and Mughalhat remind us of this time. After that, Rangpur came under the control of the ruler of Ghoraghat.

British Period

When the East India Company took control in 1765, Rangpur became part of British rule. There were important uprisings here, such as the Fakir-Sannyasi rebellion, led by people like Fakir Majnu Shah. Leaders like Devi Chaudhurani and Bhabani Pathak came from this area. In 1857, soldiers who were unhappy with British rule caused fear among the British in Rangpur. In 1930, people in Rangpur started one of the first movements against British rules. In 1946, leaders from North Bengal met here, and a big movement called the Tebhaga movement began soon after.

Pakistani Period and Liberation War

When Bangladesh was part of Pakistan, Rangpur was a district in East Pakistan. People from Rangpur joined many important movements, like the one for the Bengali language and the big uprising in 1969. On March 3, 1971, the first person from Rangpur died fighting for freedom. Just three days after Pakistan’s attack, on March 28, 1971, people in Rangpur began the fight for independence. During the war to free Bangladesh, Rangpur was very important because it was close to the border with India.

Post-Independence Period

In 1984, the big Rangpur area was split into five smaller districts. In 2012, Rangpur Municipality became Rangpur City Corporation. Then, in 2018, Rangpur was named the 8th major city in Bangladesh.

Geography

Rangpur is an important city and the main center of Rangpur Division. It is near the Ghaghat River and the Teesta River. The city is about 34 meters above sea level. The weather can get warm, up to 32 degrees Celsius, and cool, down to 11 degrees Celsius. It gets about 2931 mm of rain each year. The town covers around 42 square kilometers and became a municipality in 1869.

Climate

Rangpur has a humid subtropical climate. This means it has hot, wet summers and cool, dry winters. The city has four seasons. Summer is warm with thunderstorms from March to May. The monsoon season from June to September can bring rain and flooding. Autumn is short and cooler. Winter, from December to February, is pleasant with cold nights but warm days. Most rain comes during the monsoon. Winter and spring are drier. Snow and frost are very rare in Rangpur.

Demographics

Rangpur is a large city in Bangladesh. In 2022, more than 170,000 homes and over 700,000 people lived there. Many of these people were children, with almost 16% younger than age 10. Most people could read and write, with a literacy rate of about 81% for those aged 7 and older.

Earlier data from 2011 shows that Rangpur had around 65,000 homes and about 301,000 people. About 17% of the population were children under 10. The literacy rate was 72%, which was higher than the national average at that time.

Economy

Rangpur is a busy city where people buy and sell many things. You can find government offices, banks, and places to stay, as well as restaurants with foods from China, Thailand, India, and Mexico. There are also shops for everyday items and gifts.

The city is also known for growing tobacco, and some big companies have offices in the northern parts of Rangpur.

Sports

Cricket is the most popular sport in Rangpur, Bangladesh, but many people also enjoy football. The city has a big stadium called Rangpur Stadium where people play football and other sports. There is also a special place called Cricket Garden used mainly for cricket games. Rangpur has its own team in the Bangladesh Premier League called the Rangpur Riders. Many young athletes train in the city's sports academies, hoping to one day play for the national team.

Government

The Rangpur City Corporation (RCC) governs the Rangpur Metropolitan Area. It was created on 28 June 2012. The city is led by a mayor, who is elected along with ward councillors every five years. The mayor oversees all 33 wards in Rangpur.

Rangpur is the headquarters of the 66th Infantry Division of the Bangladesh Army.

Education

Rangpur, Bangladesh, has many places for students to learn and grow.

The city is home to Begum Rokeya University, Rangpur, a big university for higher education.

For medical training, there are colleges such as Rangpur Medical College and Rangpur Army Medical College, along with other medical schools.

Students can also attend schools like Rangpur Zilla School and Rangpur Govt. Girls' High School. Other schools include Police Lines School and College, Rangpur and Cantonment Public School and College, Rangpur.

Colleges in the area include Carmichael College, Rangpur Cadet College, and Rangpur Government College, among many others.

English medium schools such as The Millennium Stars School & College and International Grammar School offer education in English.

The city also has technical training at Rangpur Polytechnic Institute.

Neighbourhoods

Rangpur City Corporation has 33 areas called wards and many smaller parts known as neighbourhoods (Mahallah). These neighbourhoods are split into two types: Urban and Suburban. Some of these neighbourhoods include Burirhat, Chabbis Hazari, Panadardighi, Uttam, Hazirhat, CO Bazar, Dhap, Kellabond, Radhaballov, Shimulbag-Sagarpara, Keranipara, Munshipara, Lalkuthi lane, Khalifapara, Jummapara, Jahaj Company, Nababgonj, Betpotti-Taltola, Kotkipara, Parjantan Para, Modern, Ashratpur, Alamnagar, Robertsonganj, Darshana, Lalbagh, Khamarpara, Islampur, Pirjabad, Parbatipur, Mahiganj, Tajhat, Ganeshpur, Babukha, DC More, Adarshapara, and Mistry Para.

Transport

Rangpur is linked by highways to big cities like Chittagong and Dhaka. It takes about 6 to 7 hours to travel to Dhaka by road using National Highway 5. Buses go to other districts, and there is a special double-decker bus service connecting the suburbs to the city center through the Asian Highway 2 and the BRTC double-decker bus service.

The main railway station in Rangpur has train services all over the country, run by Bangladesh Railway. The Rangpur Express is one of the trains that travels between Rangpur and Dhaka, along with the Kurigram Express and Lalmoni Express.

For air travel, Saidpur Airport serves Rangpur. It is a domestic airport with flights by several private airlines including Novoair, US-Bangla Airlines, Air Astra, and the government airline Biman Bangladesh Airlines, which is based in Dhaka. The airport is being renovated to become an international airport for northern Bangladesh.

Notable people

Main article: List of people from Rangpur

Rangpur has been home to many important people in Bangladesh's history. Some have led the country, while others have made their mark in arts, politics, and sports.