Bogra
Encyclopedia
- This article is about the city. For the district, see Bogra DistrictBogra DistrictBogra is a northern district of Bangladesh, in the Rajshahi Division. It is called the gateway to the north Bengal. It is an industrial city where many small and mid sized industries are housed. Bogra district was a part of the ancient Pundravardhana territory and Bogra was the capital of...
. For the cantonment, see Bogra CantonmentBogra CantonmentBogra Cantonment is a cantonment located in Bogra, a northern district of Bangladesh. Among the 16 other cantonments of the Military of Bangladesh Bogra Cantonment is very important. The Armoured Corps Center & School , and the Non Commissioned Officers Academy of Bangladesh Armed Forces are...
. For the former Prime Minister of PakistanPrime Minister of PakistanThe Prime Minister of Pakistan , is the Head of Government of Pakistan who is designated to exercise as the country's Chief Executive. By the Constitution of Pakistan, Pakistan has the parliamentary democratic system of government...
, see Mohammad Ali Bogra
Bogra is a town, and one of the oldest towns in northern Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
. It is a centre of commerce and trade within the Bogra District
Bogra District
Bogra is a northern district of Bangladesh, in the Rajshahi Division. It is called the gateway to the north Bengal. It is an industrial city where many small and mid sized industries are housed. Bogra district was a part of the ancient Pundravardhana territory and Bogra was the capital of...
and located under the Rajshahi Division. Bogra is sometimes described as the nerve centre of Northern Bangladesh. Amongst many notable activities, it has been hosting cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
test matches
Test cricket
Test cricket is the longest form of the sport of cricket. Test matches are played between national representative teams with "Test status", as determined by the International Cricket Council , with four innings played between two teams of 11 players over a period of up to a maximum five days...
in Shaheed Chandu Stadium
Shaheed Chandu Stadium
Shaheed Chandu Stadium , previously known as Bogra Divisional Stadium, is a stadium located in northwestern side of Bogra district, Bangladesh. A swimming pool and a theme park is in front of it. In the left there is a big farm and in the north there was slaughter house but that has recently...
. Bogra is also home to the Western Wing of Bangladesh Highway Police. Bogra is also the battle honour of 5/11 Gorkha Rifles of Indian Army which fought a fierce battle with Pakistani army here during the Liberation war of Bangladesh in 1971 along with Muktibahni.
Bogra town also has an importance in terms of transport in northern Bangladesh, as it's situated at the centre.
Very close to the town there is a place called Mahasthangarh
Mahasthangarh
Mahasthangarh is the earliest urban archaeological site so far discovered in Bangladesh. The village Mahasthan in Shibganj thana of Bogra District contains the remains of an ancient city which was called Pundranagara or Paundravardhanapura in the territory of Pundravardhana...
which was the earliest capital city of Bangladesh, formerly known as Pundravardhana
Pundravardhana
This article is about the historical territory. For the Mahabharata kingdom see Pundra KingdomPundravardhana , was a territory located in North Bengal in ancient times, home of the Pundra, a group of people speaking languages not of the Indo-European family.-Etymology:There are several theories...
. This place is considered to be sacred by Buddhists, Muslims and Hindus alike and is visited by tourists from all over Bangladesh throughout the year.
Former president of Bangladesh Ziaur Rahman
Ziaur Rahman
President Ziaur Rahman, Bir Uttam, was a Bangladeshi politician and general, who read the declaration of Independence of Bangladesh on March 26, 1971 on behalf of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. He later became the seventh President of Bangladesh from 1977 until 1981...
and Muhammad Ali Bogra
Muhammad Ali Bogra
Nawabzada Mohammed Ali Bogra was a Pakistani statesman of Bengali origin, who served as the third Prime Minister of Pakistan from 1953 until 1955.-Early life:...
a former Prime Minister of Pakistan both were born in the district.
History
The history says it was the oldest city of Bengal in the Great Emperor Ashoka's India. He conquered the Bengal (Bongo) and founded this old city called Pundra BardhanPundravardhana
This article is about the historical territory. For the Mahabharata kingdom see Pundra KingdomPundravardhana , was a territory located in North Bengal in ancient times, home of the Pundra, a group of people speaking languages not of the Indo-European family.-Etymology:There are several theories...
. It was famously written in famous ancient travellers of that time . An ancient engraved stone believed to be of Gupta era was discovered from the bank of a pond near Sura Masjid at Ghoraghat Upazila in Dinajpur in October 2008.
In the Bangladesh Liberation War
Bangladesh Liberation War
The Bangladesh Liberation War was an armed conflict pitting East Pakistan and India against West Pakistan. The war resulted in the secession of East Pakistan, which became the independent nation of Bangladesh....
, the area witnessed a fierce battle - Battle of Bogra - between the Mukti Bahini and Indian Army
Indian Army
The Indian Army is the land based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. With about 1,100,000 soldiers in active service and about 1,150,000 reserve troops, the Indian Army is the world's largest standing volunteer army...
(together/combined) which defeated the Pakistan Army
Pakistan Army
The Pakistan Army is the branch of the Pakistani Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. The Pakistan Army came into existence after the Partition of India and the resulting independence of Pakistan in 1947. It is currently headed by General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani. The Pakistan...
.
Geography
Bengal
Bengal is a historical and geographical region in the northeast region of the Indian Subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. Today, it is mainly divided between the sovereign land of People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, although some regions of the previous...
and Assam
Assam
Assam , also, rarely, Assam Valley and formerly the Assam Province , is a northeastern state of India and is one of the most culturally and geographically distinct regions of the country...
. The town is situated on the right bank of the river Karatoya
Karatoya River
Karatoya River , a small stream in Rajshahi Division of Bangladesh, was once a large and sacred river. A channel of it presently flows by the ancient ruins of Mahasthangarh in Bogra District. The Karatoya mahatmya bears testimony to its past greatness...
.
But the present District Of Bogra, was first formed in 1821. It contains an area of 1359 mi² (3,520 km²). In 1901 the population of the town was 3,094 and of the district (on a reduced area) was 854,533, showing an increase of 11% in the decade. The district stretches out in a level plain, intersected by numerous streams and dotted with patches of jungle. The Karatoya
Karatoya River
Karatoya River , a small stream in Rajshahi Division of Bangladesh, was once a large and sacred river. A channel of it presently flows by the ancient ruins of Mahasthangarh in Bogra District. The Karatoya mahatmya bears testimony to its past greatness...
flows from north to south, dividing it into two portions, possessing very distinct characteristics. The eastern tract consists of rich alluvial soil, well watered, and subject to fertilizing inundations, yielding heavy crops of coarse rice, oil-seeds and jute. The western portion of the district is high-lying and produces the finer qualities of rice.
The principal rivers are formed by the different channels of the Brahmaputra, which river here bears the local names of the Konai, the Daokoba and the Jamuna, the last forming a portion of the eastern boundary of the district. Its bed is studded with alluvial islands. The Brahmaputra and its channels, together with three minor streams, the Bangali
Bangali River
The Bangali River is one of the main rivers in the northern part of Bangladesh . As of 2007, the river is in the news because of the possibility that it might merge with the Jamuna River, which could lead to major changes in the geography of the region.-Etymology:In the later part of the 18th...
, Karatoya
Karatoya River
Karatoya River , a small stream in Rajshahi Division of Bangladesh, was once a large and sacred river. A channel of it presently flows by the ancient ruins of Mahasthangarh in Bogra District. The Karatoya mahatmya bears testimony to its past greatness...
and Atrai, afford admirable facilities for commerce, and render every part of the district accessible to native cargo boats of large burden. The rivers swarm with fish. The former production of indigo is extinct, and the industry of silk-spinning is decaying. There is no town with as many as 10,000 inhabitants, trade being conducted at riverside marts. Nor are there any metalled roads. Several lines of railway (the Eastern Bengal, &c.), however, serve the district.
Economy
In the recent years there has been a significant development in town infrastructure. with new advanced urban planning. The town roads have been restructured and widened and telecommunications have greatly improved within the city. Gas connection through buried pipes has been set up. In recent years, red chiliChili pepper
Chili pepper is the fruit of plants from the genus Capsicum, members of the nightshade family, Solanaceae. The term in British English and in Australia, New Zealand, India, Malaysia and other Asian countries is just chilli without pepper.Chili peppers originated in the Americas...
production in Bogra has taken a large shape, for which many companies like Square
SQUARE (Bangladesh)
SQUARE is a Bangladeshi industrial conglomerate. The industries under this group include Textiles, Pharmaceuticals, Toiletries, Consumer products...
, Acme, BD Food are collecting chili from as many as 12 centers of Bogra. The business turnover has crossed 100 crore
Crore
A crore is a unit in the Indian number system equal to ten million , or 100 lakhs. It is widely used in India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Pakistan....
. Banking in Bogra has significantly expanded with the branch expansion of private and specialized banks such as Standard Chartered Bank
Standard Chartered Bank
Standard Chartered PLC is a multinational financial services company headquartered in London, United Kingdom with operations in more than seventy countries...
, Dutch Bangla Bank
Dutch Bangla Bank
Dutch-Bangla Bank Limited is a scheduled joint venture commercial bank between local Bangladeshi parties spearheaded by M Sahabuddin Ahmed and the Dutch company FMO...
, BRAC Bank
BRAC Bank
BRAC Bank is the last organization to have received a commercial banking license from Bangladesh Bank, making it the youngest private commercial bank in Bangladesh. Its headquarters are based in the capital Dhaka...
and so on.
Online banking
Online banking allows customers to conduct financial transactions on a secure website operated by their retail or virtual bank, credit union or building society.-Features:...
, ATM
Automated teller machine
An automated teller machine or automatic teller machine, also known as a Cashpoint , cash machine or sometimes a hole in the wall in British English, is a computerised telecommunications device that provides the clients of a financial institution with access to financial transactions in a public...
and modern banking facilities have been introduced. Bogra is undergoing industrialization and urbanization. There are many IT and software, technology and computer services companies in Bogra and more companies are launching business here. Grameen Group and Groupe Danone
Groupe Danone
Groupe Danone is a French food-products multinational corporation based in the 9th arrondissement of Paris. It claims world leadership in fresh dairy products, marketed under the corporate name, and also in bottled water...
, a French company, entered into a joint venture named Grameen Danone
Grameen Danone
Grameen Danone Foods, popularly known as "Grameen Danone" is a social business enterprise which, launched in 2006, has been designed to provide children with many of the key nutrients that are typically missing from their diet in rural Bangladesh. It is run on 'No loss, No dividend' basis...
and set up a nutritious yogurt project in Bogra in 2008. The project aims to produce 500,000 pots of yogurt by the end of 2009. Bogra is home to country's largest foundry industry. Irrigation pump, tube-well and other metal castings produced in Bogra are exported to West Bengal
West Bengal
West Bengal is a state in the eastern region of India and is the nation's fourth-most populous. It is also the seventh-most populous sub-national entity in the world, with over 91 million inhabitants. A major agricultural producer, West Bengal is the sixth-largest contributor to India's GDP...
, Assam
Assam
Assam , also, rarely, Assam Valley and formerly the Assam Province , is a northeastern state of India and is one of the most culturally and geographically distinct regions of the country...
, Meghalaya
Meghalaya
Meghalaya is a state in north-eastern India. The word "Meghalaya" literally means the Abode of Clouds in Sanskrit and other Indic languages. Meghalaya is a hilly strip in the eastern part of the country about 300 km long and 100 km wide, with a total area of about 8,700 sq mi . The...
, Bihar
Bihar
Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....
, Bhutan
Bhutan
Bhutan , officially the Kingdom of Bhutan, is a landlocked state in South Asia, located at the eastern end of the Himalayas and bordered to the south, east and west by the Republic of India and to the north by the People's Republic of China...
and the amount of export is increasing. Most of the city's workforce is involved in agriculture (29.95%), agricultural (12.53%), commerce (18.11%), service (15.62%), transport (6.66%), wage laborer (2.2%) and others (14.93%).
Tourism
MahasthangarhMahasthangarh
Mahasthangarh is the earliest urban archaeological site so far discovered in Bangladesh. The village Mahasthan in Shibganj thana of Bogra District contains the remains of an ancient city which was called Pundranagara or Paundravardhanapura in the territory of Pundravardhana...
, the earliest urban archaeological site so far discovered in Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
is located in Bogra. The village Mahasthan in Shibganj thana of Bogra District
Bogra District
Bogra is a northern district of Bangladesh, in the Rajshahi Division. It is called the gateway to the north Bengal. It is an industrial city where many small and mid sized industries are housed. Bogra district was a part of the ancient Pundravardhana territory and Bogra was the capital of...
contains the remains of an ancient city which was called Pundranagara or Paundravardhanapura in the territory of Pundravardhana
Pundravardhana
This article is about the historical territory. For the Mahabharata kingdom see Pundra KingdomPundravardhana , was a territory located in North Bengal in ancient times, home of the Pundra, a group of people speaking languages not of the Indo-European family.-Etymology:There are several theories...
. This place is considered to be sacred by Buddhists, Muslims and Hindus alike. Another tourist attraction is the Goku Medh, an excavated mound in the village of Gokul under Bogra Sadar Upazila, about two kilometres southwest of mahasthan citadel. Excavations in 1934-36 by NG Majumdar revealed a gigantic shrine or sputa plinth built in the terraced cellular style of construction. "Behular Bashor Ghar" which is very near to Mahasthangar is a popular place for the tourists. Tourists from all over Bangladesh visit this place throughout the year. Nawab Palace (called Neelkuthi during the British period) and Jaina Temple are two eminent archaeological sights located in Bogra. 4 star hotel, Hotel Naz Garden, is situated at the heart of Bogra city.
Culture
Bogra has a strong cultural affinity to BaulBaul
Baul .Though Bauls comprise only a small fraction of the Bengali population, their influence on the culture of Bengal is considerable. In 2005, the Baul tradition was included in the list of "Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity" by UNESCO.-Etymology:The origin of the word...
, Marfati, Lalon
Lalon
Fakir Lalon Shah , also known as Lalon Shah , was a Bangladeshi philosopher poet. His poetry, articulated in songs, are considered classics of the Bangla language...
and Sufi music
Sufi music
Sufi music is the devotional music of the Sufis, inspired by the works of Sufi poets, like Rumi, Hafiz, Bulleh Shah and Khwaja Ghulam Farid.Qawwali is the most well known form of Sufi music, common in India and Pakistan...
. There are a number of local newspapers and journals in Bogra. The Daily Bangladesh (one of the oldest published newspaper, just after the liberation war of 1971), The Daily Koratoa, The Daily Bogra, The Daily Chandni-Bazar, The Durjoy Bangla, The Daily Uttaranchal, The Mukto Barta, The Sokaler Anan-Do and The Daily Aaj O Agamikal are among the main local newspapers.
Education
Bogra contains numerous educational institutes, Bogra Zilla SchoolBogra Zilla School
Bogra Zilla School is the oldest high school in the Bogra district of Bangladesh and one of the top-ranked schools in the country. It provides education from class three to class ten . It was a private English medium school before becoming a public school.-History:Bogra Zilla School was...
is the most famous among them. Eastablished in 1853, Bogra Zilla School is situated at the centre of Bogra. It also contains the Govt. Girls' High School (famous as Victoria Memorial or VM School) girls high school which is government owned. Govt. Azizul Haque College is under the National University. A large medical college and hospital named Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College and Hospital, equipped with advanced facilities has been started recently. Bogra also contains the largest English school and college in the North Bengal region named "Millennium Scholastic School & College", which was established in 1998. It follows the National Curriculum in English from Nursery through H.S.C.. the Bogra Polytechnic institute
Bogra Polytechnic Institute
Bogra Polytechnic Institute or BPI is a Government Technical Institute in Bogra, Bangladesh. It is the largest Polytechnic Institute in Bangladesh.-Academic departments:...
and Institute of Information Technology Bogra, Janata Institute of Medical Technology (JIMT) estiblished in the year 2000 is the oldest private medical institute outside of Dhaka city is also located in Bogra town.
Notable people from Bogra
- Prafulla ChakiPrafulla ChakiPrafulla Chaki was a Bengali revolutionary associated with the Jugantar group of revolutionaries who carried out assassinations against British colonial officials in an attempt to secure Indian independence.- Early life :...
(1888–1908) - Bengali revolutionary - Muhammad Ali BograMuhammad Ali BograNawabzada Mohammed Ali Bogra was a Pakistani statesman of Bengali origin, who served as the third Prime Minister of Pakistan from 1953 until 1955.-Early life:...
( -1969), former Prime Minister of PakistanPakistanPakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
, 1953–1955 - Akhteruzzaman EliasAkhteruzzaman EliasAkhteruzzaman Elias , born in Gaibandha District, Bangladesh, is a famous novelist and short story writer. Though he wrote only two novels, critics place Elias in the pantheon of great Bengali novelists...
(1943-1997), Novelist and short story writer - Ziaur RahmanZiaur RahmanPresident Ziaur Rahman, Bir Uttam, was a Bangladeshi politician and general, who read the declaration of Independence of Bangladesh on March 26, 1971 on behalf of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. He later became the seventh President of Bangladesh from 1977 until 1981...
(1936-1981), Bir Uttam, Sector Commander of Liberation War, former Chief of Bangladesh Army & President of Bangladesh - Khademul BasharKhademul BasharAir Vice-Marshal M Khademul Bashar was Chief of Air Staff of the Bangladesh Air Force during 1976. He also held the office of Deputy Chief Martial Law Administrator and was in charge of the Ministry of Petroleum, the Ministry of Food and Civil Aviation and the Department of Tourism.He served as...
(1935-1976), Bir Uttam, Sector Commander of Liberation War & former Chief of Bangladesh Air Force. - M. R. Akhtar MukulM. R. Akhtar MukulM. R. Akhtar Mukul was a Benaglee author and journalist from Bangladesh; earned fame for Chorompotro, a radio programme from Shwadhin Bangla Betar Kendro.- Chorompotro :...
(1929-2004), Writer & Journalist - Gaziul HaqueGaziul HaqueGaziul Haque is a language activist and a renowned student leader during the Bengali Language Movement. He chaired the meeting at the Dhaka University premises on February 21, 1952 from which the decision to violate Section 144 was made...
(1929-2009), Language movement veteran - Prabhas Chandra Sen, Historian & Author
- Romena Afaz (1926-), Novelist
- Mushfiqur RahimMushfiqur RahimMohammad Mushfiqur Rahim is a Bangladeshi cricketer and captain of the national team. Between August 2009 and December 2010 Rahim served as Bangladesh's vice-captain. He specialises as a wicket-keeper and is a lower-order batsman...
, Cricketer, National Team - Shafiul IslamShafiul IslamShafiul Islam is a cricketer from Bangladesh. He made his one day debut for Rajshahi Division in 2006/07, taking a wicket in both the matches he played during his first season.-Career:...
, Cricketer, National Team - Shimul ZamanShimul ZamanMomota Sultan or Momota Zaman is a Bangladeshi Rabindra Sangeet singer. She was born at Bogra, Bangladesh. Her mother, Tahmina Begumm is a retired School teacher. Her father, Sultan Ali was a banker under whose tutelage Shimul Zaman’s rendezvous with music began at a very early age. She learned...
, Singer
See also
- Bogra DistrictBogra DistrictBogra is a northern district of Bangladesh, in the Rajshahi Division. It is called the gateway to the north Bengal. It is an industrial city where many small and mid sized industries are housed. Bogra district was a part of the ancient Pundravardhana territory and Bogra was the capital of...
- Bogra CantonmentBogra CantonmentBogra Cantonment is a cantonment located in Bogra, a northern district of Bangladesh. Among the 16 other cantonments of the Military of Bangladesh Bogra Cantonment is very important. The Armoured Corps Center & School , and the Non Commissioned Officers Academy of Bangladesh Armed Forces are...
- Bogra Sadar UpazilaBogra Sadar UpazilaBogra Sadar is an Upazila of Bogra District in the Division of Rajshahi, Bangladesh.-Geography:Bogra Sadar is located at . It has 107224 units of house hold and a total area of 420.64 km² .-Demographics:...
- Shaheed Chandu StadiumShaheed Chandu StadiumShaheed Chandu Stadium , previously known as Bogra Divisional Stadium, is a stadium located in northwestern side of Bogra district, Bangladesh. A swimming pool and a theme park is in front of it. In the left there is a big farm and in the north there was slaughter house but that has recently...