Rangpur Division

Rangpur Division
রংপুর বিভাগ
Division of Bangladesh
Teesta Barrage in Lalmonirhat
Tajhat Palace in Rangpur
Saidpur Airport in Nilphamari
Balia Mosque in Thakurgaon
Tea Garden in Panchagarh
Balasi Ghat in Gaibandha
Jamuna River in Kurigram
Nawabganj National Park in Dinajpur
Nickname: 
North Bengal
Coordinates: 25°50′N 89°00′E / 25.833°N 89.000°E / 25.833; 89.000
Country Bangladesh
Established1 July 2010
Capital
and largest city		Rangpur City
Government
 • Divisional CommissionerMd. Shahidul Islam
 • Deputy Inspector GeneralAminul Islam
 • Parliamentary constituencyJatiya Sangsad (33 seats)
Area
 • Total
16,184.99 km2 (6,249.06 sq mi)
 • Rank5th
Dimensions
 • Length216 km (134 mi)
 • Width85 km (53 mi)
Elevation
42 m (138 ft)
Highest elevation
134 m (440 ft)
Lowest elevation
10 m (33 ft)
Population
 (2022)
 • Total
17,610,956
 • Rank4th
 • Density1,088.104/km2 (2,818.177/sq mi)
DemonymRangpuriya
Languages
 • Official languageBengali • English
 • Regional languageRangpuri
 • Indigenous minority languages
List
Time zoneUTC+6:00 (BST)
Postal Code
5XXX
ISO 3166 codeBD-F
HDI (2022)Increase 0.656 medium
National HighwayN5
Asian Highway 2
AirportSaidpur Airport
Notable cricket teamsRangpur Riders Rangpur Division
Websiterangpurdiv.gov.bd

Rangpur Division (/rʌŋˈpʊər/; Bengali: রংপুর বিভাগ, romanized: Rongpur Bivag; pronounced [rɔŋpuɾ bibʱag] ⓘ) is a first-level administrative division of Bangladesh. It covers the northernmost part of the country with a population of about 18 million inhabitants within an area of around 16,000 km2 (6,200 sq mi). Rangpur Division shares borders with the Rajshahi and Mymensingh divisions. It is also bordered by the Indian states of West Bengal, Assam and Meghalaya and separated from Bhutan and Nepal by the Siliguri Corridor, and from China by the Indian state of Sikkim. Rangpur City is the administrative headquarter and the largest city. Rangpur Division includes the Teesta and Jamuna rivers.

The Rangpur division consists of eight districts. There are 58 upazilas or subdistricts under these eight districts. The major cities of Rangpur Division are Rangpur, Dinajpur, and Saidpur.

History

Mansingh, commander of Emperor Akbar, conquered part of Rangpur in 1575. Rangpur came completely under the Mughal empire in 1686. Mughalbasa and Mughalhat of Kurigram district still bear marks of the Mughal rule in the region. During the Mughal rule part of Rangpur was under the sarkar of Ghoraghat, and part under the sarkar of Pinjarah. Ghoraghat has been mentioned in the historic book of Riyaz-us-Salatin. During the early period of the East-India Company rule Fakir-Sannyasi Rebellion took place.

Administrative divisions

Districts

Rangpur Division has 8 Districts, 58 upazilas, 1 city corporation, 21 pourasavas and 536 union councils.

Districts of Rangpur Division
District Name Capital Area (km2) Population (2022)
Rangpur District Rangpur 2,400.56 3,169,615
Dinajpur District Dinajpur 3,444.30 3,315,238
Kurigram District Kurigram 2,245.04 2,329,161
Gaibandha District Gaibandha 2,179.27 2,562,232
Lalmonirhat District Lalmonirhat 1,247.371 1,428,406
Nilphamari District Nilphamari 1,643.70 2,092,567
Panchagarh District Panchagarh 1,404.63 1,179,843
Thakurgaon District Thakurgaon 1,781.74 1,533,894
Total - 16,184.99 17,610,956

Demographics

Religions in Rangpur division (2022)
Religion Percent
Muslims
 
 86.51%
Hindus
 
 12.98%
Christians
 
 0.41%
Buddhism
 
 0.02%
Other or not stated
 
 0.08%

According to the 2022 census, Rangpur Division has a total population of 17,610,956, with a population density of 1088/km2.

The majority of the population are Muslims, comprising 86.51%, followed by Hindus at approximately 12.98%. A small percentage of the population adheres to Christianity and other religions.

Bengalis are the largest ethnic community and some other small native ethnic groups includes the Santal, Munda, Oraon, Rajbanshi, Kaibarta, Koch, Harijan etc.

In comparison, the 2011 census recorded a total population of 15,787,758, with a population density of 980/km2. At that time, males made up 51.18% of the population, while 48.82% of the population was female.

Economy

Bangladesh bank Rangpur

The division was once considered the poorest division in Bangladesh—with over a third of the population living in extreme poverty as of 2016, according to World Bank data,

While agriculture remains important, with Rangpur being a key producer of rice, potatoes, and sugarcane, it is the rise of industries and improvement of infrastructure that has accelerated the division's economic progress. The development of industrial zones, access to utilities like gas and electricity, and improved transport networks have positioned Rangpur as a growing hub for industry and commerce, helping lift the division out of its past struggles.

This industrial and infrastructural growth reflects the determination and innovation of the people, transforming Rangpur into a region of increasing prosperity.

By 2026, this modernization expanded into the technology sector, with the Rangpur Hi-Tech Park hosting specialized cybersecurity firms to support the national financial infrastructure.

Transportation

BRTC double decker bus

The main transportation methods here are by air, rail, or road. Saidpur Airport is the only civilian airport of this division. By rail, the district is accessible by the train Rangpur Express and the station Rangpur railway station.

Balia Mosque

Climate

Rangpur Division has a warm and temperate climate. The division experiences more rainfall in the summer than in winter, with an annual rainfall of 2498 mm. The average temperature in Rangpur is 24.3 °C, with the highest temperatures typically occurring in August and the coldest in January.

Summer lasts from June to September, with the heaviest rainfall in June (522 mm) and the least in December (6 mm).

September sees the highest relative humidity (50.41%), while March has the lowest.

March also has the highest sunshine hours, with an average of 9.51 hours per day, while January has the least (8.04 hours). The total annual sunshine in Rangpur is around 2802.78 hours, averaging 233.56 hours per month.

Climate data for Rangpur (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1883–present)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 29.4
(84.9)		 34.4
(93.9)		 43.3
(109.9)		 42.5
(108.5)		 41.2
(106.2)		 38.2
(100.8)		 38.4
(101.1)		 39.8
(103.6)		 38.5
(101.3)		 37.2
(99.0)		 33.4
(92.1)		 30.6
(87.1)		 43.3
(109.9)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 22.8
(73.0)		 26.4
(79.5)		 30.3
(86.5)		 31.5
(88.7)		 31.9
(89.4)		 32.1
(89.8)		 32.1
(89.8)		 32.5
(90.5)		 31.9
(89.4)		 31.0
(87.8)		 28.7
(83.7)		 25.0
(77.0)		 29.7
(85.5)
Daily mean °C (°F) 16.1
(61.0)		 19.5
(67.1)		 23.7
(74.7)		 26.2
(79.2)		 27.5
(81.5)		 28.5
(83.3)		 28.9
(84.0)		 29.1
(84.4)		 28.3
(82.9)		 26.5
(79.7)		 22.5
(72.5)		 18.3
(64.9)		 24.6
(76.3)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 10.9
(51.6)		 13.7
(56.7)		 17.6
(63.7)		 21.3
(70.3)		 23.4
(74.1)		 25.3
(77.5)		 26.2
(79.2)		 26.3
(79.3)		 25.5
(77.9)		 22.9
(73.2)		 17.7
(63.9)		 13.3
(55.9)		 20.3
(68.5)
Record low °C (°F) 3.5
(38.3)		 3.7
(38.7)		 8.6
(47.5)		 14.7
(58.5)		 16.4
(61.5)		 19.4
(66.9)		 21.1
(70.0)		 20.7
(69.3)		 19.1
(66.4)		 14.2
(57.6)		 10.1
(50.2)		 5.2
(41.4)		 3.5
(38.3)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 9
(0.4)		 10
(0.4)		 27
(1.1)		 121
(4.8)		 277
(10.9)		 426
(16.8)		 416
(16.4)		 343
(13.5)		 382
(15.0)		 171
(6.7)		 6
(0.2)		 4
(0.2)		 2,192
(86.4)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1 mm) 1 2 3 8 15 19 19 17 15 7 1 1 108
Average relative humidity (%) 82 75 68 74 81 85 86 85 87 84 80 81 81
Mean monthly sunshine hours 184.6 206.9 239.3 210.0 199.4 150.2 154.9 172.0 165.5 227.8 236.6 214.8 2,362
Source 1: NOAA
Source 2: Bangladesh Meteorological Department (humidity 1981-2010)

Health

Rangpur Medical
Dinajpur Medical

Rangpur Division's healthcare system is mainly centered in Rangpur City. Every district has a well-functioning hospital, and sub-districts are served by upazila health complexes. However, for better treatment, residents rely on Rangpur city. The city also has numerous private hospitals and clinics, such as Prime Medical.

Legacy

Rangpur has lent its name to the fruit Rangpur (fruit) and Tanqueray Rangpur Gin.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Divisional Commissioner of Rangpur".
  2. ↑ "Rangpur Division topographic map, elevation, terrain".
  3. ↑ "Tetulia topographic map, elevation, terrain".
  4. ↑ "Gaibandha topographic map, elevation, terrain".
  5. ↑ "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.
  6. ↑ "Subnational HDI (v8.0)".
  7. ↑ Sirajul Islam; Miah, Sajahan; Khanam, Mahfuza; Ahmed, Sabbir, eds. (2012). "Rangpur Division". 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 31 October 2026.
  8. ↑ "Tradition of the Division". Rangpur Division.
  9. ↑ Sirajul Islam; Miah, Sajahan; Khanam, Mahfuza; Ahmed, Sabbir, eds. (2012). "Sarkar". 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 31 October 2026.
  10. ↑ "the-Riyazu-S-Sulatin-a-History-of-Bengal". www.scribd.com. Retrieved 1 October 2026.
  11. ↑ Lorenzen, D.N. (1978). "Warrior Ascetics in Indian History". Journal of the American Oriental Society. 98 (1): 617–75.
  12. ↑ বিভাগ, রংপুর. "হোম". রংপুর বিভাগ. Retrieved 2 October 2026.
  13. ↑ "Population and Housing Census 2022: Preliminary Report" (PDF). Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics. August 2022. p. 16. Retrieved 25 September 2024.
  14. ↑ "Geospatial Poverty Portal: Interactive Maps". World Bank. Retrieved 22 January 2024.
  15. ↑ Hossain, Md. Pias; Hossain, Md. Morshed (31 December 2025). "Development Disparity and Rangpur Division: Problems and Prospects" (PDF). Retrieved 2 October 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  16. ↑ "Barishal replaces Rangpur as the highest poverty-stricken division". The Daily Star. 30 January 2025.
  17. ↑ DentiSystems Research (6 February 2026). "Digital Infrastructure and Security Growth in Northern Bangladesh". DentiSystems. Retrieved 6 February 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  18. ↑ "Bangladesh Air Traffic Movement: Passenger: Aerodrome: Saidpur". Retrieved 10 January 2020.
  19. ↑ "রংপুর-ট্রেনের-সময়সূচি". railway.gov.bd. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
  20. ↑ "World Meteorological Organization Climate Normals for 1991–2020". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved 13 June 2024.
  21. ↑ "Climate of Bangladesh" (PDF). Bangladesh Meteorological Department. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 December 2018. Retrieved 24 December 2018.
  22. ↑ "Normal Monthly Humidity" (PDF). Bangladesh Meteorological Department. Archived from the original on 24 December 2018. Retrieved 24 December 2018.
  23. ↑ গাইবান্ধায় বন্যার পূর্বপ্রস্তুতি কার্যক্রমের মহড়া | বাংলাদেশ. Somoy News (in Bengali).
  24. ↑ রংপুর কমিউনিটি মেডিকেলে অত্যাধুনিক 'হার্ট সেন্টার'. Protidiner Sangbad (in Bengali).
  25. ↑ "Mandarin Lime". hort.purdue.edu. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
  26. ↑ "Tanqueray Rangpur Lime: Exotic & Unexpected | Tanqueray ROW". Tanqueray. Retrieved 2 October 2026.