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Chapainawabganj District চাঁপাইনবাবগঞ্জ জেলা | |
|---|---|
     Chapainawabganj Landmarks (Clockwise from top):Choto Sona Mosque,Darasbari Mosque,Khania Dighi Mosque,Dhania Chalk Mosque,Mughal Tahakhana | |
| Nickname: Nobabganj | |
 Location of Chapai Nawabganj District in Bangladesh | |
 Expandable map of Chapai Nawabganj District | |
| Coordinates:24°44′N88°12′E / 24.73°N 88.20°E /24.73; 88.20 | |
| Country |  Bangladesh |
| Division | Rajshahi Division |
| Established | 1984CE |
| Area | |
• Total | 1,702.55 km2 (657.36 sq mi) |
| Population | |
• Total | 1,835,528 |
| • Density | 1,078.11/km2 (2,792.28/sq mi) |
| Demonym(s) | Chapainawabganji, Nobabgonji, Rajshahiyo |
| Time zone | UTC+06:00 (BST) |
| Postal code | 6300 |
| Area code | 0781 |
| ISO 3166 code | BD-45 |
| HDI (2019) | 0.642[3] medium ·6th of 21 |
Chapai Nawabganj orChapainawabganj District (Bengali:চাঁপাইনবাবগঞ্জ জেলা) is a district ofRajshahi Division. It is located in the north-western part ofBangladesh. The north and western-part of Chapainawabganj is bounded byMalda andMurshidabad districts of India, the east byNaogaon District, and south-east byRajshahi District.
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Chapainawabganj was one of the sub-divisions of the formerRajshahi zilla. Chapai Nawabganj was part of ancientGour capital ofBengal. It is said that this area had strategic and commercial importance due to its location at the junction of the riversMahananda and theGanges. Because of its importance,Alivardi Khan founded Nowabganj town which in course of time known as Nawabganj. Until 1947, Nawabganj was a thana underMalda district, India.
The gateway of North Bengal,Malda was once the capital of Gour-Banga, with 3456 km2 of land classified as Tal, Diara, and Barind. Malda awaits the advent of tourists and people of archaeological interest with its wealth to be enjoyed and its huge potential to be explored.
This portion of the earth is washed by the waves of the rivers Ganges, Mahananda, Fulahar, and Kalindri. It has witnessed different empires which were raised, flourished, and then cast down near oblivion by a successor kingdom built up on the relics of its predecessor. Panini mentioned a city named Gourpura, which by strong reason may be identified as the city of Gouda, ruins of which are situated in this district. Examples are legion of the relic of a predecessor kingdom being used in the monuments of the successor kingdoms. It had been within the limits of ancient 'Gaur' and 'Pandua' (Pundrabardhana).
These two cities had been the capital of Bengal in ancient and medieval ages. The boundary of Gour was changed in different ages since 5th century BC. Its name can be found in Puranic texts.Pundranagar was the provincial capital ofMaurya Empire. Gour and Pundrabardhana formed parts of the Mourya empire as is evinced from the inscriptions, Brahmilipi on a seal discovered from the ruins ofMahasthangarh in the Bogra District of Bangladesh.Hiuen Tsang saw manyAshokan stupas at Pundrabardhana. The inscriptions discovered in the district of undividedDinajpur and other parts of North Bengal along with theAllahabad Pillar inscriptions ofSamudragupta clearly indicate that the whole of North Bengal as far east as Kamrup formed a part of theGupta Empire.
After the Guptas in the early 7th century AD, king Sasanka of Karnasubarna as well as the king of Gaur ruled independently for more than three decades. From the middle of 8th century to the end of 11th century, thePala Empire ruled Bengal and the kings were devoted to Buddhism. It was during their reign that theJagadalla Vihara (monastery) in Barindri flourished paralleling with Nalanda, Vikramshila, and Devikot. The Pala Dynasty yielded to the emergence ofSena Empire. The Sen rulers were Hindus and in the habit of moving from place to place within their kingdom. At the time of Lakshman Sen Gour was known as Lakshmanabati. The Sen kings ruled Bengal tillBakhtiyar Khilji conquered Bengal in 1204 AD. Thereafter the Muslim rule lasted for about five hundred years. During the early part of the Sultanate, Gauda was the capital and numerous mosques and other buildings were built there. The city was abandoned soon into Mughal rule after a change in course of the Ganga left the city disease-ridden.
Sirajuddaulah was defeated byLord Clive at theBattle of Plassey in 1757, which marked the beginning of British rule.Malda district was formed in 1813 out of the outlying areas of Purnia, Dinajpur, and Rajshahi districts. At the time of Dr. B. Hamilton (1808–09), the presents thanas of Gazole, Malda, Bamongola, and part of Habibpur were included in the district of Dinajpur and the thanas of Harischandrapur, Kharba, Ratua, Manikchak, and Kaliachak were included in the district of Purnia. In 1813, in consequence of the prevalence of serious crimes in the Kaliachak and Sahebganj thanas and also on the rivers, a joint magistrate and deputy collector were appointed at English Bazar with jurisdiction over a number of police stations centred around that place and taken from the two district. Thus the district of Malda was born.
The year 1832, saw the establishment of a separate treasury, and in 1859 a full-fledged magistrate and collector was posted. Up to 1876 this district formed part of Rajshahi Division, and from 1876 to 1905 it formed part of Bhagalpur Division. In 1905, it was again transferred to Rajshahi Division, and until 1947 Malda remained in this division. In August 1947 this district was affected by thePartition of India. Between 12 and 15 August 1947 whether the district would become part of India or Pakistan was unknown, as the announcement of theRadcliffe Line did not make this point clear. During these few days the district was under a magistrate of East Pakistan until the details of the Radcliffe award were published and the district became part of West Bengal on 17 August 1947. Five thanas were given to Pakistan under the district ofRajshahi which later formed as Chapai Nawabganj.
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Chapainawabganj is the most western district of Bangladesh. Rajshahi and Naogaon is on the east, while on the Indian side is Malda of West Bengal, the rest of India is on the north. Western side is surrounded by the riverPadma andMalda district and Murshidabad of West Bengal (India), India is on the southern side. Chapai Nawabganj is situated between the latitude 24'22 to 24'57 and longitude 87'23 to 88'23. Chapainawabganj is regarded as one of the mango cities of Bangladesh, due to the abundant cultivation of mangoes in this district.
Chapainawabganj is very close to the big city Rajshahi and the climate of both districts are very close. UnderKöppen climate classification, Rajshahi has atropical wet and dry climate. The climate of Rajshahi is generally marked withmonsoons, high temperature, considerablehumidity and moderate rainfall. The hot season commences early in March and continues till the middle of July. The maximum mean temperature observed is about during the months of April, May, June and July and the minimum temperature recorded in January is about 7 to 16 °C (45 to 61 °F). The highest rainfall is observed during the months of monsoon. The annual rainfall in the district is about 1,448 millimetres (57.0 in).[4]
Chapainawabganj District (Rajshahi Division) has an area of 1702.55 km2.[5] Many rivers flows over this area. The main rivers are theGanges, andMahananda.
[6] Most of the land of this area are plain land with many small ponds and water reservoirs. But, recently, the geography has changed due to the erosion by the river Padma (Ganges). Overload of river sediment caused byfarrakka barrage eroded the river banks and created a large area of land full of sand which almost looks like a small desert in this area. Four to five small union parisad like narayonpur, johurpur, sundorpur, baghdanga has shifted to the other side of the riverPadma.
Based on formation of soil, Chapai Nawabganj can be divided into two different parts: Borendra area and Diyar area.
The east part of the river Mohananda is part of Borind Track[7] and known as Borendra[citation needed] area. Borendra area is one of the oldest well known areas not only in Bangladesh but also all over the sub-continent. Borendra area was formed during the formation of the triangle of Bengal. Chapai Nawabganj sadar, part of Gomostapur Upozilla and Nachol constitutes the borendra area. The main crops of this area is the rice.
The region in the river Padma basin is known as diyar. The area formed for the continuous change of path of the river Padma. The soil of this area are very fertile and people can cultivate multiple times a year of different type of crops. Main crops are rice, wheat, melons– the most famous corn is Kalai. Mango gardens are increasing rapidly beside these crops now. This area was also famous for the cultivation of indigo and silk.
TheGanges river originates in theHimalayas and flows throughNorthern andEastern India. This river then enters into Bangladesh atShibganj and takes the namePadma. TheFarakka Barrage was built 10 miles upstream of where Padma enters into Bangladesh which decreased the water level of Padma. But still in rainy season, this river becomes very dangerous as the water level grows high and floods the area nearby.
Mahananda River entered to this district through Bholahat Upozilla and flows through the district and finally falls to the river Padma at Godagari, Rajshahi district. Nawabganj town is situated on the bank of this river and the economy of this district is driven by this river too.
ThePagla River also flows from India and enters into Bangladesh in this district[8] at Tattipur, Moraganga (dead gangis). After flowing a mile, it mixes with the river Mahananda.
ThePunarbhaba River flows throughDinajpur andNaogoan of Bangladesh and then enters into Chapainawabganj.
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 1974 | 794,802 | — |
| 1981 | 932,920 | +2.32% |
| 1991 | 1,171,469 | +2.30% |
| 2001 | 1,425,322 | +1.98% |
| 2011 | 1,647,521 | +1.46% |
| 2022 | 1,835,528 | +0.99% |
| Sources:[2][9] | ||
According to the2022 Census of Bangladesh, Chapai Nawabganj District has 448,028 households and a population of 1,835,528 with an average 4.07 people per household. Among the population, 367,283 (20.01%) inhabitants are under 10 years of age. The population density is 1,078 people per km2. Chapai Nawabganj District has a literacy rate (age 7 and over) of 72.00%, compared to the national average of 74.80%, and a sex ratio of 93.56 males per 100 females. Approximately, 25.46% (467,327) of the population live in urban areas. Ethnic population is 23,278 (1.27%), of which 6,510 areOraon, 6,409Santal, 4,196Barman and 1,187Rajuar.[2]
| Religion | Percent | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Islam | 95.56% | |||
| Hinduism | 3.93% | |||
| Other or not stated | 0.51% | |||
| Religion | 1941[10]: 94–95 [a] | 1981[9] | 1991[9] | 2001[9] | 2011[9] | 2022[11] | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | |
Islam | 285,914 | 73.63% | 867,564 | 92.99% | 1,104,415 | 94.28% | 1,356,524 | 95.17% | 1,571,151 | 95.36% | 1,753,993 | 95.56% |
Hinduism | 87,337 | 22.49% | 57,323 | 6.14% | 54,894 | 4.69% | 60,809 | 4.27% | 66,602 | 4.04% | 72,178 | 3.93% |
| Ethnic religion | 14,987 | 3.86% | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Christianity | 17 | ~0% | 2,122 | 0.23% | 2,775 | 0.23% | 4,493 | 0.32% | 5,725 | 0.35% | 7,216 | 0.39% |
| Others[b] | 48 | 0.02% | 5,911 | 0.64% | 9,385 | 0.80% | 3,496 | 0.24% | 4,043 | 0.25% | 2,141 | 0.12% |
| Total Population | 388,303 | 100% | 932920 | 100% | 1171469 | 100% | 1425322 | 100% | 1647521 | 100% | 1,835,528 | 100% |
According to2022 Bangladeshi census, Muslims composed 95.56% of the population and Hindus 3.93%.
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Chapainawabganj has only one university at its boro Indara Moor.Exim Bank Agricultural University Bangladesh (EBAUB) was established in 2013 to provide students of this area with education specializing in agriculture. It also provides undergraduate degrees in Agricultural Economics, Business Administration and Law. Along with Nawabganj Govt. College and Shah Neyamotullah College, EXIM Bank Agricultural University is considered to be the pinnacle of educational institutions in this district.
Notable colleges in Chapainawabganj District:
The students and teachers originally from Chapainawabganj formed a committee named 'Chapainawabganj Somiti' in many institutions outside of Chapainawabganj.
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This district is mainly a plain land with rivers. The whole district is full of fertile land with proper irrigation facilities. That is why the economy is totally dependent on agriculture. But as there are a number of rivers flowing through this district, and many people depend on fishing and other related activities.
Chapainawabganj is called the capital of themango in Bangladesh because it is this summer fruit that is the main product that sustains the economy of this district. Most of the land of this district is full of mango orchards where various kinds of mango are produced. The economy is surrounded by the production of the mango in this district. The main part of mango production is the Shibganj, Bholahat and Gamostapur upazila.
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This district is the most western district inBangladesh which has boundary with the neighboring countryIndia. And for importing and exporting, there is a land port in this district which makes this district an important route for communicating with the neighboring country. And the construction of theJamuna Bridge atSirajganj also makes its transportation system an important one all over the country. That is why highways were constructed over the district. The major transport systems inside the town is the bike,rickshaws, bi-cycle andCNGrickshaws.
The major transportation system in this town is the bus service to different districts and towns. The main transportation route is Nawabganj-Rajshahi. The bus transportation service is off three types which aregate-lock, direct and local service. The others bus routes are Nawabganj-Shibganj, Nawabganj-Naogaon, Nawabganj-Nachol, Nawabganj-Rohanpur. TheBRTC bus service serves for the long intra-district route to almost all important districts of Bangladesh. The most important long route is the Nawabganj-Dhaka. This route has ample bus service. There are two bus stoppages. The biggest one is called Chapai Nawabganj Bus Terminal and the other is the Dhaka Bus Terminal. Sona Mosjid-Rajshahi-Sona Mosjid bus Service are on at7.15am to 5.15 pm every 1 hour after.
Chapainawabganj has good inter-city railway service.Banalata Express is one of the non-stop rail service of the country which starts from Chapainawabganj and end at capital cityDhaka. One of the international rail line passes through this district toMalda, West Bengal, India. There are few services of local train from different stations of Chapainawabganj such as Nawabganj Sadar, Amnura, Nachole, Nijampur, Rahanpur to Rajshahi and other parts of Bangladesh and also has a shuttle service from Nawabganj to Rajshahi for the intercity train service from Rajshahi to other part of Bangladesh.
In the past, the main transport system was based on the water path. The riverPadma (Ganges),Mahananda River, Pagla, Punorvoba, Moraganga and somebeels (marshland) were used for intra-district transport system. The water level went down due to adverse effect ofFarakka Barrage on Padma (Ganges) river, and therefore, water transport has lost its popularity. But still rivers are used for transportation of daily goods from different parts of the district. Still the transportation from the villages in western and eastern parts of the district depends on the boat. In the Shibgonj Upozila have a small river named Pagla.
Gombhira gaan is a kind of folk song popular in this district.[12]
The people of Chapainawabganj use the Bangla language but they have their own dialect. The dialect consists of different tone as well as different words than to standard Bangla language.[13]
The district of Chapainawabganj consists of 1987 mosques, 474 temples, 56Buddhist temples and 28 churches.Choto Sona Mosque, Chapai Mosque, 15th centuryDarasbari Mosque, etc. are famous mosques. Jora Math is the famous Buddhist monastery and Naoda Stupa is the Buddhist monument.[citation needed]
One of the most graceful monument of the Sultanate period is theChota Sona Masjid or Sona Mosque at Gaur in Chapainawabganj built during the reign of SultanAlauddin Husain Shah (1493–1519). Originally it was roofed over with 15 gold-gilded domes including the 3 Chauchala domes in the middle row, from which it derives its curious name. By the side of this mosque Birsrestha CaptainMohiuddin Jahangir is buried.[citation needed]
The Tahkhana Complex, also known as Shah Shuja Tahakhana, is a Mughal-era palace in Shahbajpur,Shibganj Upazila, Chapainawabganj, Bangladesh, built between 1639–1658 byShah Shuja for his spiritual guide, Shah Syed Niyamatullah. Named "Tohakhana" meaning "cold building" in persian, it served as a winter residence. The three-story complex featuresMughal architecture withbrick and black stone, including a main palace, three-domed mosque, a domed tomb, unnamed graves, and a lake called Dafe-ul-Balah.[15]
TheDarasbari Mosque, located inShibganj Upazila, Chapainawabganj, near Chota Sona Mosque, was built in 1479 CE bySultan Shamsuddin Yusuf Shah. The medieval Bengali Jami Masjid features exposed red-tinged bricks withterracotta ornamentation.[16]
Khania Dighi Mosque, also known as Rajbibi or Chamchika Mosque, is a 15th-century mosque located in Chapai Nawabganj, Bangladesh, near the Khania Dighi reservoir. Built around 1480 CE during theIlyas Shahi period, it features a square prayer chamber with a large hemisphericaldome and a three-domedverandah. Constructed primarily of bricks, the mosque showcases intricateterracotta ornamentation and a distinctive architectural style influenced bySeljuk and earlyOttoman designs fromTurkish Anatolia. Restored by the Department of Archaeology, Bangladesh, it remains a well-preserved example of Bengal’s Sultanate-era architecture.[17]
Shah Niamatullah's Tomb is the earliest Mughal tomb structure in Bangladesh. It is situated at mauza Firozpur under Shibganj upazila of Nawabganj district; about half a mile to the northwest of theChoto Sona Mosque. Tradition ascribes it toShah Shuja (1639-1660 AD), who is reported to have built the Shah Niamatullah Mosque Complex. Presence of some architectural features of the Mughal period suggests that it dates back to the mid-17th century.[18]
Dhunichawk Mosque also known as Dhania Chalk Mosque, located in ancient city ofGaur, Chapai Nawabganj, less than a kilometer south ofKhania Dighi Mosque, is a late 15th-centurySultanate-era mosque. Built mainly ofbrick, it measures 17.07 by 11.13 m (56.0 by 36.5 ft) and originally featured a six-domed roof supported by two freestandingstone pillars and engagedpilasters. Only the north and south walls remain intact, with traces of terracotta ornamentation and cuspedmihrab arches.[19]
Chapainawabganj district comprises five Upazilas:[8]
There are four municipalities
| Barisal Division |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Chittagong Division | ||
| Dhaka Division | ||
| Khulna Division | ||
| Mymensingh Division | ||
| Rajshahi Division | ||
| Rangpur Division | ||
| Sylhet Division | ||
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Geographic | |
