Rajshahi Division

Rajshahi Division
রাজশাহী বিভাগ
Varendra
Division
Clockwise from the top:
Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, Choto Sona Mosque, Jamuna Bridge, Somapura Mahavihara & Hardinge Bridge, Uttara Ganabhaban and Gokul Medh
Nickname: 
Land of Zamindars
Interactive map of Rajshahi Division
Coordinates: 24°22′30″N 88°36′15″E / 24.3750°N 88.6042°E / 24.3750; 88.6042
Country Bangladesh
Established1829
Capital
and largest city		Rajshahi
Government
 • Divisional CommissionerA.N.M. Bazlur Rashid
 • Deputy Inspector General (DIG)Mohammad Shahjahan
 • Parliamentary constituencyJatiya Sangsad (39 seats)
Area
 • Division
18,174.4 km2 (7,017.2 sq mi)
Population
 (2022)
 • Division
20,353,116 (Enumerated)
 • Urban
4,840,396
 • Rural
15,511,404
 • Metro
553,241
 • Adjusted Population
20,794,019
Languages
 • Official languageBengali
 • Recognised foreign languageEnglish
 •  Minority languages
List
Time zoneUTC+6 (BST)
ISO 3166 codeBD-E
HDI (2023)0.700
high
Websiterajshahidiv.gov.bd

Rajshahi Division (Bengali: রাজশাহী বিভাগ) is one of the eight first-level administrative divisions of Bangladesh. It has an area of 18,174.4 square kilometres (7,017.2 sq mi) and a population at the 2022 Census of 20,353,119. Rajshahi Division consists of 8 districts, 70 upazilas (the next lower administrative tier) and 1,092 unions (the lowest administrative tier).

The region has historically been dominated by various feudal Rajas, Maharajas and Zamindars. Formerly comprising 16 districts, a new division (Rangpur Division) was formed with the 8 northern districts of the old Rajshahi Division from early 2010.

Etymology and names

The Rajshahi Division is named after Rajshahi District. Dominated by various feudal Rajas, Maharajas and zamindars of mixed origins throughout history, the name is a compound of the words Raj and Shahi, both of which can be translated into reign or kingdom. Archaic spellings in the English language also included Rajeshae.

Demographics

Religion in Rajshahi division (2022)
Religion Percent
Muslims
 
 93.71%
Hindus
 
 5.70%
Christians
 
 0.41%
Others
 
 0.18%

At the time of the 2022 Bangladeshi census, Rajshahi division had a population of 20,351,864. Muslims are 19,071,092 which is 93.71% of the population, while Hindus are 1,159,152 which is 5.70% of the population. Other religions (almost entirely Christianity and indigenous faiths) are 0.59% of the population and are mainly found among the ethnic minorities.

Districts

Education

Notable schools in Rajshahi invoice:

Universities

Medical Colleges

Colleges

Schools

Notable residents

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Rajshahi Division". Retrieved 1 December 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 National Report (PDF). Population and Housing Census 2022. Vol. 1. Dhaka: Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics. November 2023. p. 386. ISBN 978-9844752016.
  3. ↑ "The Constitution of the People's Republic of Bangladesh". Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs. Archived from the original on 10 November 2019. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
  4. ↑ "Bangladesh". Ethnologue. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
  5. ↑ "Sub-national HDI - Area Database". Global Data Lab. Retrieved 13 September 2018.
  6. 1 2 Sajahan Miah (2012). "Rajshahi Division". In Sirajul Islam; Miah, Sajahan; Khanam, Mahfuza; Ahmed, Sabbir (eds.). Banglapedia: the National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh (Online ed.). Dhaka, Bangladesh: Banglapedia Trust, Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. ISBN 984-32-0576-6. OCLC 52727562. OL 30677644M. Retrieved 21 October 2026.
  7. ↑ "Population Census 2011: National Volume-1: Analytical Report" (PDF). Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics. p. 199. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 April 2022. Retrieved 9 February 2016.
  8. 1 2 Encyclopedia of Bangladesh pp 6
  9. ↑ একজন যোদ্ধার গল্প [The story of a warrior]. The Daily Ittefaq (in Bengali). 6 April 2017.
  10. ↑ "Oversee mosque construction to check recurrence of N'ganj-like incident: PM". United News of Bangladesh. 6 September 2016.
  11. ↑ Sirajul Islam; Miah, Sajahan; Khanam, Mahfuza; Ahmed, Sabbir, eds. (2012). "Beg, MA". Banglapedia: the National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh (Online ed.). Dhaka, Bangladesh: Banglapedia Trust, Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. ISBN 984-32-0576-6. OCLC 52727562. OL 30677644M. Retrieved 21 October 2026.