Dinajpur District, Bangladesh

The British administrative control in Dinajpur was established in 1786.[2] Dinajpur was the biggest administrative district of undivided Bengal. In 1765 the British got the Dewani of Bengal and in 1772 an English District Collector and Chief of Revenue was appointed in Dinajpur. The area was then notorious for lawlessness. Mr Marriott was Collector in 1786. Next to him Mr Red Fern and Mr Vansittart were Collectors for short periods. The next Collector Mr Hatch started to exercise judicial powers too. The District Magistrate's area at that time extended to Malda, Bagura and Dinajpur. In the last decade of the 18th century indigo plantation started in the district.

The district Dinajpur in British times included a greater portion of Bagura. Malda and parts of Rajshahi, Rangpur and Purnea. At the time of Revenue Survey in 1857–1861 the total area of the district was 11,880 km² (4,586 sq mi). Between 1795 and 1800, large tracts of land were transferred to Purnea, Rangpur and Rajshahi for administrative convenience and better enforcement of law and order. In 1833 again some estates were transferred to Bagura and Malda. In 1864–65, 1868 and 1870 further transfer of territory from Dinajpur to Malda and Bagura took place. Finally in 1897–98 the whole of Thana Mahadevpur was made over to Rajshahi. At that time, except Thakurgaon Sub division, the rest of Dinajpur district remained under the direct supervision of the collector.

At first, after its formation in 1856, the Dinajpur Municipality used to be run by a town committee presided over by the Deputy Magistrate. This was among the first 40 municipalities in Bengal at that time. Later in 1868, the 'District Town Act' commissioned a chairman of the municipality who replaced the Deputy Magistrate and given a similar rank as a district magistrate. Mr. Patterson was appointed the first chairman of Dinajpur Municipality in 1869.[3]

At the time of Partition of India in 1947, part of greater Dinajpur district was included in West Bengal and it was named West Dinajpur district. People of the district took part in the Tebhaga Movement and also had significant contribution in the War of Liberation of 1971.[2] Population Total 2642850; male 1363892, female 1278958; Muslim 2057030, Hindu 521925, Buddhist 27996, Christian 1093 and others 34806. Indigenous communities such as santals, oraon, Mahali, Malpahari, Kol' belong to this upazila.'[4]

Kankra River

The upazilas of this district are:

1. Biral Upazila,
2. Birampur Upazila,
3. Birganj Upazila,
4. Bochaganj Upazila,
5. Chirirbandar Upazila,
6. Dinajpur Sadar Upazila,
7. Ghoraghat Upazila,
8. Hakimpur Upazila,
9. Kaharole Upazila,
10. Khansama Upazila,
11. Nawabganj Upazila,
12. Parbatipur Upazila,
13. Fulbari Upazila.

Tenth educational board of Bangladesh has been established in Dinajpur in 2007. From 2009 S.S.C. (Secondary School Certificate) and H.S.C. (Higher Secondary School Certificate) exams have been started to be taken. In S.S.C. exam for the first time it stood 2nd in the country in the G.P.A. 5 list.[11]

Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University is a government-financed public university of Bangladesh situated 10 km from Dinajpur main town. It serves as an institution of science and technology in northern part of the country. Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University was established as an Agricultural Extension Training Institute (AETI) to award a three-year diploma in agriculture. The AETI was later upgraded to Hajee Mohammad Danesh Agricultural College in 1988 having an affiliation from the Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh. Then the college was upgraded to the status of a university renaming it as Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University. First batch of the students were admitted at that time (1999-2000 session). The Act of the University was passed on 8 July 2001 in the Jatio Shongsad (National Assembly) was followed by a gazette notification on 8 April 2002.https://www.hstu.ac.bd/

Dinajpur polytechnic institute is at south Balubari. This polytechnic was started with Civil and Power Technology in 1964.[12]

There are three government colleges in the Dinajpur town. Dinajpur Government College, which was previously known as Surendranath college and Dinajpur City College are for both male and female students. Another government college is "Dinajpur Govt. Women's College" is for female students only http://www.dinajpurgmc.edu.bd/. All colleges are operated under Bangladesh National University.

This district gives the opportunity to read in two Govt. schools, Dinajpur Zilla School (for boys only) and Dinajpur Govt. Girls' High School. Dinajpur Zilla School was established in 1854 during the British reign. It is located at the centre of the Dinajpur town. It owns a hostel too for residential facilities. This school is one of 20 schools in Bangladesh, which has a govt. funded "E-Learning" facility and E-Laboratory. There is Stone made Map of South Asia subcontinent in this school, which was made at 1934. It has a very talented Score in S.S.C participation. There is also an auditorium, a sculpture of celebrating the 150 years of the school, a mosque, an enhanced library and laboratory in this school. There is also a textile institute. Now RIDGE School is the most modern and British standard popular school of Dinajpur.

The METI Handmade School, a primary school for 168 students located in Rudrapur in Dinajpur district of Bangladesh, was built with the assistance of local craftsmen making use of traditional materials, primarily mud and bamboo. An example of sustainable architecture, the project received the Aga Khan Award for Architecture in 2007, not only for its simple, humane approach and beauty but also for the level of cooperation achieved between architects, craftsmen, clients and users.[13]

It is a government medical college here, which is one of the 36 government funded medical colleges in Bangladesh. It is located in the town of Dinajpur. It admits 160 students into the f-year MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery) degree program. There is a four-story building. There are two hostels for boys and three hostels for girls. There are four hostels for intern doctors. About twenty batches of students have passed from this medical college. Dinajpur Medical College Journal is recognised by the BMDC and is published twice a year (ISSN 2070-2019). The 500-bed hospital has high technology and has started to provide more services. There is also a well-developed nursing college behind the hospital building. The hospital has an ultrasound centre for nuclear medicine near Sadar Hospital, Dinajpur. Dinajpur Medical College Hospital now provides health services not only in the Dinajpur District but also to people from other districts near Dinajpur.

Dinajpur Central Shahid Minar is the 2nd largest Shahid minar in the country. Dinajpur Boasts a regional training centre of Bangladesh Krira Shiksha Pratisthan. Bangladesh Krira Shiksha Pratisthan situated at Basher hat near to HSTU campus. It aims to train and educate sports prodigy.