Bogra District
Bogra District (rajshahi division) area 2898.68 sq km, located in between 24°32' and 25°07' north latitudes and in between 88°58' and 89°45' east longitudes. It is bounded by joypurhat and gaibandha district on the north, chalan beel,' natore and sirajganj district on the south, Jamuna river and jamalpur district on the east, part of Chalan Beel and naogaon and Natore district on the west.
Population Total 3400874; male 1708806, female 1692068; Muslim 3192728, Hindu 205333, Buddhist 115, Christian 863 and others 1835.
Water bodies Main rivers: karatoya, jamuna, nagar, Bangali, ichamati. Notable beels are Betgari, Koigari, Subeel, Nuruler Beel, Poradaha Beel, Keshpathar, Kalidaha, Garai, Erulia, Dasukdaha, Sara, Gobarchapa, Ramchandrapur, Kokira, Bahuar Beel and Kachiar Beel.
Administration Bogra town founded in 1850. Bogra municipality was established in 1884. Bogra district was established in 1821 consisting of 9 thanas, of which four from rajshahi district (adamdighi, Bogra, sherpur, Nawkhila), three from dinajpur district (Lalbazar, badalgachhi, khetlal), and two from Rangpur district (gobindaganj, dewanganj). Subsequently 9 thanas were excluded from the primary infrasture of the district; and greater Bogra district was formed including 7 new thanas. In 1983 Bogra district was divided into two districts, Bogra and Joypurhat.
| District | |||||||||
| Area (sq km) | Upazila | Municipality | Union | Mouza | Village | Population | Density (per sq km) | Literacy rate (%) | |
| Urban | Rural | ||||||||
| 2898.68 | 12 | 11 | 108 | 1672 | 2618 | 670388 | 2730486 | 1173 | 49.4 |
| Others Information of District | ||||||||
| Name of upazila | Area (sq km) | Municipality | Union | Mouza | Village | Population | Density (per sq km) | Literacy rate (%) |
| adamdighi | 168.83 | 1 | 6 | 102 | 179 | 195186 | 1156 | 54.6 |
| kahaloo | 240.42 | 1 | 9 | 162 | 264 | 222376 | 925 | 52.1 |
| gabtali | 239.61 | 1 | 11 | 104 | 211 | 319588 | 1346 | 46.6 |
| dhupchanchia | 162.44 | 1 | 6 | 109 | 212 | 176678 | 1088 | 51.7 |
| dhunat | 247.73 | 1 | 10 | 90 | 207 | 292404 | 1180 | 35.6 |
| nandigram | 265.22 | 1 | 5 | 221 | 228 | 180802 | 682 | 47.5 |
| bogra sadar | 176.58 | 1 | 11 | 139 | 208 | 555014 | 3143 | 65.7 |
| shahjahanpur | 221.69 | - | 10 | 120 | 166 | 289804 | 1307 | 57.7 |
| shibganj | 314.92 | 1 | 12 | 237 | 409 | 378700 | 1203 | 44.1 |
| sherpur | 295.93 | 1 | 10 | 223 | 322 | 332825 | 1125 | 43.0 |
| sariakandi | 408.50 | 1 | 12 | 117 | 173 | 270719 | 663 | 36.9 |
| sonatala | 156.75 | 1 | 7 | 94 | 125 | 186778 | 1191 | 43.2 |
Source Bangladesh Population Census 2011,Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics.
War of Liberation On 29 March 1971 a group of local students and other people of Bogra led by Captain Gias killed 23 Pakistani soldiers and destroyed 3 military vehicles. On 4 April the Pak army killed 16 members of the Bamacharan Mozumder family at Maidanhatta of Shibganj upazila. On 11 April the Pak army killed Manmath Chandra Kundu and 8 other members of his family. In the middle of April 1971 a number of freedom fighters looted about 4 crore taka from the State Bank of Pakistan at Jaleshwaritala of Bogra town and deposited the money to the mujibnagar government fund to meet the expenses in the war of liberation. One person was killed when the Pak army attacked Dhunat Police Station. 3 Bangalis were killed when the Pak air force bombed on Bogra Sadar on 23 April 1971 to allow entry of the Pak army in Bogra Town with artillery. 20 Pakistani soldiers and 150 Bangalis were killed in the resistance movement and guerrilla attacks. On 25 April the Pak army captured 32 persons from village Baghra Colony of Sherpur upazila and shot and killed 25 persons at Itkhola mass killing site. On 26 April the Pak army killed 300 persons at a place near the Ghoga Bridge and 33 persons at Elangi Bandar (river port) of Dhunat upazila. They also severely damaged the properties of the Bandar. On the same day the Pak army killed 26 persons of the village Darimukanda. 5 police constables were killed in the attack by the Pak army on Dhunat Thana on 27 April. On 28 April the Pak army conducted another mass killing at village Baman of Nandigram upazila and killed 157 persons. They also shot 3 persons dead at Sonatala Rail Station Bazar. In the first week of May the Pak army killed more than 100 persons at village Kallani of Sherpur upazila and on 4 May they killed 3 more persons at Kalerpara union of Dhunat upazila. Freedom fighters had an encounter with the Pak army on 16 August at village Ramchandrapur of Sariakandi in which 5 Pakistani soldiers, one police sub inspector and a number of razakars were killed. On 6 May the Pak army shot 3 persons dead at a bazar near Sonatala Bandar. In the third week of August the freedom fighters destroyed a bridge at Sariakandi. 6 Pakistani soldiers and one officer were killed by mine explosion near the bridge. The freedom fighters killed 6 police constables at Fulbarighat on their way to Sariakandi from Bogra on 4 September. On 7 September the Pak army killed 17 persons of Dhunat upazila and buried them in a mass grave near the Dhunat Police Station. Many Pakistani soldiers were killed in an encounter between the freedom fighters and the Pak army at village Tajurpara on 19 September. The Pak army killed a number of people at villages Narchi and Ganakpara on 20 September. They also killed 14 persons and buried them in a mass grave at Bibirpukur of Shajahanpur upazila on 11 November. Two freedom fighters were killed in an encounter with the Pak army in Sariakandi upazila on 28 November. The freedom fighters attacked Sariakandi Police Station in which 18 Pakistani soldiers and razakars were killed. In this encounter 3 freedom fighters were also killed. In an encounter between the freedom fighters and the Pak army on 6 December 3 Pak soldiers and 2 razakars were killed in Dhunat. One freedom fighter was killed in a direct encounter with the Pak army at village Panchpir Saralpur of Shibganj upazila. There are 5 mass graves ( at Padmapukur near Talore Dhupchanchia Road, Bibir Pukur of Shajahanpur, Baman Gram of Nandigram upazila, Hariakandi of Sonatala, and a place near Dhunat Police Station) and one mass killing site at village Baghra Colony of Sherpur upazila;, 3 memorial monuments (at Kahaloo High School premises, Adamdighi cremation site and Dhunat had been built.
Literacy rate and educational institutions Average literacy 49.4%; male 52.9% female 45.9%. Noted educational institutions: Sheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College (1992), Government Azizul Huq College (1939), Bogra Zila School (1853), Bogra Govt. Girls' High School (1869), Kahaloo High School (1873), Sonatola Pilot High School (1908), Adamdighi High School (1918), Gosaibari AA High School (1918), Talora Altaf Ali High School (1918), Dupchachia Pilot Girls' High School (1923), Shibganj Pilot High School (1931), Dupchachia Pilot High School (1944), Nawkhila Government Primary School (1901), Devdanga Government Primary School (1903), Chagaldhara Government Primary School (1904), Sariakandi Government Model Primary School (1905), Hatfulbari Government Primary School (1905), Kajla Government Primary School (1905), Sondabari Darul Hadis Rahmania Madrasa (1700), Government Mostafabia Alia Madrasa (1925).
Main sources of income Agriculture 57.32%, non-agircultural labourer 2.39%, industry 1.72%, commerce 13.63%, transport and communication 4.62%, service 7.66%, construction 4.59%, religious service 0.17%, rent and remittance 0.63% and others 7.24%.
Newspapers and periodicals Dailies: Karatoya, Satmatha, Durjoy' Bangla, Aaj O Aagamikal, Chandnibazar, Uttarkon, Bogra, Uttaranchal, Muktabarta, Uttarbarta; weeklies: Aajker Sherpur, Pancha Nadir Teere, Natun, Durjoy, Sahittya, Tarunnys; Defunct: Sonatola Batra, Brittya.
Folk Culture Jarigan, Marfati, Bhatiali, Kavigan, Kirtan, Jatra pala, Meyeli geet, proverbs, puzzles are notable.
Tourist spots Kherua Mosque (Sherpur), ramnants of the historic mahasthanGarh, Bara Mosque, Mazar of Shah Sultan Balkhi, Mazar of Panchpir, Gokul Medh, palace of Parshuram, Basu Bihara, Palli Unnayan Academy, Saudia Parkcity, Bhimer Jangle, museum of Nawab Bari Palace, Karu Palli, Wonderland Shishupark (children park), Shanewaz Shishubagan, Woodburn Park, Dreshtinandan Park, Bijayangan (war of liberation museum). [Md Nazmul Haq]
See also The upazilas under this district.
References Bangladesh Population Census 2001 and 2011, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics; Cultural survey report of zila and upazilas of Bogra district 2007.
