Rangpur, Bangladesh facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Rangpur City রংপুর শহর
Metropolis
Tajhat Palace Rangpur Town Hall Ferris wheel Begum Rokeya University Parjaton Motel Keramotia Mosque Terminal Mosque Zilla Parishad
Nickname(s):  Green City, Education City, City of Colours
Rangpur City Location in Rangpur division Show map of Rangpur division Rangpur City Location in Bangladesh Show map of Bangladesh Rangpur City Location in Asia Show map of Asia Rangpur City Location in Earth Show map of Earth
Country	Bangladesh
Division	Rangpur Division
District	Rangpur District
Establishment	1575 (450 years ago) (1575)(During the Mughal Empire)
Municipality	1 May 1869
City Corporation	28 June 2012
Metropolitan City	16 September 2018
Government
• Type	Mayor–Council
• Body	Rangpur City Corporation
Area
• Urban	205 km2 (79 sq mi)
• Metro	239.72 km2 (92.56 sq mi)
Area rank	2nd largest City Corporation in Bangladesh
Elevation	34 m (111.549 ft)
Population  (2022)
• Rank	5th in Bangladesh
• Urban	1,031,388
• Urban density	3,871/km2 (10,030/sq mi)
• Metro	1,450,128
• Metro density	4,167/km2 (10,790/sq mi)
Demonym(s)	Rangpurian (রংপুরিয়ান) Rangpuria/Rongpuria (রংপুরিয়া)
Languages
• Official	Bengali • English
Time zone	UTC+06:00 (BST)
Postal code	5400
National calling code	+088
Police	Rangpur Metropolitan Police
Calling code	521
Police	Rangpur Metropolitan Police
Airport	Saidpur Airport
National Highway	N5 Asian Highway 2
Cricket Team	Rangpur Riders Rangpur Division Cricket Team
UN/LOCODE	BD RAU

Rangpur City is a big city in northern Bangladesh. It is the main administrative center of the Rangpur Division. The city is located by the Ghaghot River and close to the Teesta River. Rangpur is the second largest City Corporation in Bangladesh.

The city has grown a lot recently. Its roads and services have improved, making it an important regional hub. Many students come to Rangpur for good education. The city also has a lively local culture with traditional festivals.

Rangpur in letters

Rangpur was taken over by a general of the Mughal Emperor Akbar in 1575. By 1686, it became a full part of the Mughal Empire. In 1769, Rangpur was made a District Seat. In 1869, it became one of the oldest municipalities in the country. The municipal office building was built in 1892.

The larger Rangpur district was divided into five smaller districts in 1984. These new districts were Gaibandha, Kurigram, Lalmonirhat, Nilphamari, and Rangpur.

History of Rangpur City

The Coat of Arms of Maharaja Gopal Lal Roy at Tajhat Palace.

How Rangpur Got Its Name

The name Rangpur likely comes from "Rongpur." Long ago, British rulers grew indigo here. Indigo was called "Rongo" by local people. Because the soil was good for indigo, the area was called "Rongopur." This name later became Rangpur.

Another idea is that Rangpur comes from "Rangmahal," which means "Palace of Entertainment." This palace belonged to Bhagadatta, a king from the ancient Pragjyotisha Kingdom.

Early Days of Rangpur

According to old stories, the Rangpur area was part of the eastern kingdom of Kamarupa. This kingdom was also known as Pragjyotisha. During the time of King Bhagadatta (around 15th century BC), Rangpur was part of his kingdom. Later, around 340 AD, Rangpur was a "Tax state" of Kamarupa.

Rangpur During Mughal Rule

In 1575, Raja Man Singh, a commander for the Mughal emperor Akbar, conquered Rangpur. However, it took until 1686 for Rangpur to be fully part of the Mughal Empire. The Mughal Empire was established across all of Rangpur by 1611 AD. Place names like Mughalbasa (meaning "a place of the Mughals") and Mughalhat (meaning "local market") show the Mughal connection to Rangpur.

Rangpur Under British Rule

The East India Company took control of Rangpur in 1765. This was when British rule began. The Fakir-Sannyasi rebellion happened in Rangpur. Leaders like Fakir Majnu Shah were important in this uprising. Brave anti-colonial rebels like Devi Chaudhurani also came from this area.

In the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857, rebellious soldiers caused fear among the British. Later, in 1930, the first Civil disobedience movement started in Rangpur. This was in response to a call from the Congress party. A meeting of farmer leaders was held here in October 1946. This led to the Tebhaga movement starting in November.

Rangpur in Pakistani Period and Liberation War

During the Pakistani Period, Rangpur was a district of East Pakistan. People in Rangpur actively joined many movements. These included the Bengali language movement and the 1969 Mass uprising. Sangku Samajhder was the first person from Rangpur to die in the liberation war. He was killed on March 3, 1971.

Rangpur people bravely started the Bangladesh Liberation War on March 28, 1971. They attacked the Rangpur Cantonment just three days after the Pakistani crackdown. During the war, Rangpur was part of Sector 6. It was important because it was close to the border of India.

Rangpur After Independence

In 1984, the larger Rangpur district was divided into five smaller districts. On June 28, 2012, Rangpur Municipality became the Rangpur City Corporation. Then, on September 16, 2018, Rangpur was named the 8th Metropolitan city of Bangladesh.

Geography of Rangpur

Rangpur City is the main city of Rangpur Division. The soil here is mostly alluvial soil, which is rich soil from the Teesta River. The city is 34 meters above sea level. Temperatures range from 11 to 32 degrees Celsius. The city gets about 2931 mm of rain each year. Rangpur city covers about 42 square kilometers. It is located on the Ghaghat River.

Climate in Rangpur

Rangpur has a humid subtropical climate. This means it has hot, wet summers and mild, dry winters. The year has four main seasons.

First, there is a summer or pre-monsoon season (March–May). It has high temperatures and strong thunderstorms called Nor'westers. Next is a very wet Monsoon season (June–September). This season brings a lot of rain and can cause floods in low areas. Then comes a short, cooler Autumn season (October–November). Finally, there is a pleasant, mild, and drier Winter season (December–February). Winters have warm afternoons and cool mornings. Night temperatures can sometimes drop below 5 degrees Celsius.

The average yearly temperature in Rangpur is about 24.9°C. Most of the 2192 mm of rain falls during the monsoon season. Very little rain falls from November to March. However, some rain can happen due to weather systems from the Mediterranean Sea. It rarely snows or frosts in Rangpur.

Economy and Business in Rangpur

Bangladesh Bank Rangpur office

Rangpur is a major business center. Its downtown area has many government offices and private banks. There are also insurance companies, hotels, and international restaurants. You can find Chinese, Thai, Indian, and Mexican food here.

Rangpur is an important economic zone in Bangladesh. This is because of its location. It is also a main area for growing tobacco in Bangladesh. Large tobacco companies like British American Tobacco have offices in the northern parts of Rangpur.

People and Population of Rangpur

Rangpur Medical College

In 2022, Rangpur city had a population of 708,534 people. About 80.94% of the people could read and write.

In 2011, Rangpur city had 300,659 people living in 64,885 homes. About 17.23% of the population was under 10 years old. The literacy rate for people aged 7 and over was 72.08%. This was higher than the national average of 51.8%.

Education in Rangpur

Campus Rear Of Begum Rokeya University, Rangpur

Police Lines School and College, Rangpur

Rangpur has many important schools, colleges, and universities.

Universities in Rangpur

• Begum Rokeya University, Rangpur

Medical and Dental Colleges

Schools in Rangpur

Colleges in Rangpur

Carmichael College

Academic Building of Rangpur Cadet College

Police Lines School and College, Rangpur

English Medium Schools

Polytechnic Institutes

Neighborhoods of Rangpur

Rangpur City Corporation has 33 wards and many neighborhoods. These areas are both urban (city) and suburban (outskirts).

Transportation in Rangpur

Road Travel

A BRTC double-decker bus of the City bus service in Rangpur.

Rangpur is well connected by highways to other major cities like Chittagong and Dhaka. It takes about 6 to 7 hours to reach Dhaka by road using National Highway 5. Bus services are also available to other districts. Roads also connect to India through the Asian Highway 2. Rangpur has a BRTC Double Decker bus service. This service connects the city center to its outer areas.

Train Travel

The Rangpur Railway Station is the main train station. It offers national train routes run by Bangladesh Railway. The Rangpur Express is a train that runs between Rangpur and Dhaka. Other trains connecting Rangpur and Dhaka are the Kurigram Express and Lalmoni Express.

Air Travel

Saidpur Airport, Rangpur

Rangpur city is served by Saidpur Airport. This airport is located north of the city. Saidpur Airport is a domestic airport. Several airlines, like Novoair, US-Bangla Airlines, Regent Airways, and Biman Bangladesh Airlines, fly from here. There are big plans to make Saidpur Airport an international airport for northern Bangladesh.

Sports in Rangpur

Cricket is the most popular sport in Rangpur. Football, field hockey, basketball, baseball, and tennis are also enjoyed.

Rangpur has a 10,000-seat Rangpur Stadium. This stadium is used for football and other sports. Another local stadium is Cricket Garden, mainly used for cricket. There are also sports training academies in the city.

In Twenty20 cricket, Rangpur has a team called Rangpur Riders. They play in the Bangladesh Premier League. Famous players from Rangpur who have played for the national team include Nasir Hossain and Suhrawadi Shuvo.

Notable People from Rangpur

Leaders and Officials

• Abu Sadat Mohammad Sayem: 6th President of Bangladesh and 1st Chief Justice of Bangladesh.
• Hussain Muhammad Ershad: Former President of Bangladesh.
• Shah Abdul Hamid: 1st Speaker of the Parliament of Bangladesh.
• Abu Hussain Sarkar: 4th Chief Minister of East Pakistan.
• Hassan Mahmood Khandker: Longest-serving Inspector General of Bangladesh Police.
• Tipu Munshi: Minister of Commerce of Bangladesh.

Artists and Performers

• Asaduzzaman Noor: Actor, politician, and activist.
• Abbasuddin Ahmed: Famous folk and Ghazal singer.
• Ferdausi Rahman: Legendary folk and playback singer.

Writers and Journalists

• Anisul Hoque: Author, novelist, and journalist.
• Rashid Askari: Academic, writer, and former vice-chancellor.
• Monajatuddin: Journalist.

Historical Figures and Activists

• Begum Rokeya Shakhawat Hossain: Famous for her work on gender equality and social issues.
• Prafulla Chaki: British Indian revolutionary.
• Abu Sayed: Student activist.

Scientists and Scholars

• M. A. Wazed Miah: Reputed Bangladeshi nuclear scientist.

Sports Stars

• Nasir Hossain: All-round cricketer.
• Akbar Ali: World Cup winning captain of Bangladesh under-19 cricket team.
• Mishrat Jahan Moushumi: Women's footballer.
• Sirat Jahan Shopna: Women's footballer.

Images for kids

• 

  Shapla Chottor

• 

  Zilla Porishod Building

• 

  Highway, beside Bangladesh Bank

• 

  Parjatan Hotel

• 

  Terminal Mosque (Masjid)

• 

  Rangpur Modern

• 

  Begum Rokeya Memorial Centre

• 

  Jadu Nibash - an ancient house

• 

  Ekattorer Boddho Bhumi - Memorial of Town Hall Massacre during 1971

• 

  Begum Rokeya University at night

• 

  Tajhat Palace

See also

In Spanish: Rangpur para niños