Bogra My Home Town

This article is about the city. For the district, see Bogra District. For the cantonment, see Bogra Cantonment. For the former Prime Minister of Pakistan, see Mohammad Ali Bogra

Bogra বগুড়া Bogra,Rajshahi, Bangladesh
Coordinates: 24°51′N 89°22′E
Country	Bangladesh
Division	Rajshahi Division
District	Bogra District
Population (2001)
- Total	210,038
Time zone	Bangladesh Time (UTC+6)
Calling code	051
Website	http://www.dcbogra.gov.bd

Bogra (Bengali: বগুড়া) is a town, and one of the oldest towns in northern Bangladesh. It is a centre of commerce and trade within the Bogra District and located under the Rajshahi Division. Bogra is sometimes described as the nerve centre of Northern Bangladesh. Amongst many notable activities, it has been hosting cricket test matches in Shaheed Chandu Stadium. Bogra is also the battle honour of 5/11 Gorkha Rifles of Indian Army which fought a fierce battle with Pakistani army here during the Liberation war of Bangladesh in 1971 along with Muktibahni.

Bogra town also has an importance in terms of transport in northern Bangladesh, as it's situated at the centre. Very close to the town there is a place called Mahasthangarh which was the earliest capital city of Bangladesh, formerly known as Pundravardhana. This place is considered to be sacred by Buddhists, Muslims and Hindus alike and is visited by tourists from all over Bangladesh throughout the year.

Former president of Bangladesh Ziaur Rahman and Muhammad Ali Bogra a former Prime Minister of Pakistan both were born in the district.

History

The history says it was the oldest city of Bengal in the Great Emperor Ashoka's India. He conquered the Bengal (Bongo) and founded this old city called Pundra Bardhan. It was famously written in famous ancient travellers of that time. An ancient engraved stone believed to be of Gupta era was discovered from the bank of a pond near Sura Masjid at Ghoraghat Upazila in Dinajpur in October 2008.

In the Bangladesh Liberation War, the area witnessed a fierce battle - Battle of Bogra - between the allied troops of Mitro Bahini and Indian Army (together/combined) which defeated the Pakistan Army.

Geography

Ramparts of Mahasthangarh citadel, few miles away from Bogra town

Bagura or Bogra was a town and district of British India, in the Rajshahi division of eastern Bengal and Assam. The town is situated on the right bank of the river Karatoya. But the present District Of Bogra, was first formed in 1821. It contains an area of 1359 mi² (3,520 km²). In 1901 the population of the town was 3,094 and of the district (on a reduced area) was 854,533, showing an increase of 11% in the decade. The district stretches out in a level plain, intersected by numerous streams and dotted with patches of jungle. The Karatoya flows from north to south, dividing it into two portions, possessing very distinct characteristics. The eastern tract consists of rich alluvial soil, well watered, and subject to fertilizing inundations, yielding heavy crops of coarse rice, oil-seeds and jute. The western portion of the district is high-lying and produces the finer qualities of rice.

The principal rivers are formed by the different channels of the Brahmaputra, which river here bears the local names of the Konai, the Daokoba and the Jamuna, the last forming a portion of the eastern boundary of the district. Its bed is studded with alluvial islands. The Brahmaputra and its channels, together with three minor streams, the Bangali, Karatoya and Atrai, afford admirable facilities for commerce, and render every part of the district accessible to native cargo boats of large burden. The rivers swarm with fish. The former production of indigo is extinct, and the industry of silk-spinning is decaying.

 There is no town with as many as 10,000 inhabitants, trade being conducted at riverside marts. Nor are there any metalled roads. Several lines of railway (the Eastern Bengal, &c.), however, serve the district.

Economy

In the recent years there has been a significant development in town infrastructure. with new advanced urban planning. The town roads have been restructured and widened and telecommunications have greatly improved within the city. Gas connection through buried pipes has been set up. In recent years, red chili production in Bogra has taken a large shape, for which many companies like Square, Acme, BD Food are collecting chili from as many as 12 centers of Bogra. The business turnover has crossed 100 crore Banking in Bogra has significantly expanded with the branch expansion of private and specialized banks such as Standard Chartered Bank, Dutch Bangla Bank, BRAC Bank and so on.

Furthermore, online banking, ATM and modern banking facilities have been introduced. Bogra is undergoing industrialization and urbanization. There are many IT and software, technology and computer services companies in Bogra and more companies are launching business here. Grameen Group and Groupe Danone, a French company, entered into a joint venture named Grameen Danone and set up a nutritious yogurt project in Bogra in 2008. 

The project aims to produce 500,000 pots of yogurt by the end of 2009. Bogra is home to country's largest foundry industry. Irrigation pump, tube-well and other metal castings produced in Bogra are exported to West Bengal, Assam, Meghalaya, Bihar, Bhutan and the amount of export is increasing. Most of the city's workforce is involved in agriculture (29.95%), agricultural (12.53%), commerce (18.11%), service (15.62%), transport (6.66%), wage laborer (2.2%) and others (14.93%).

Tourism

Mahasthangarh, the earliest urban archaeological site so far discovered in Bangladesh is located in Bogra. The village Mahasthan in Shibganj thana of Bogra District contains the remains of an ancient city which was called Pundranagara or Paundravardhanapura in the territory of Pundravardhana. 

This place is considered to be sacred by Buddhists, Muslims and Hindus alike. Another tourist attraction is the Goku Medh, an excavated mound in the village of Gokul under Bogra Sadar Upazila, about two kilometres southwest of mahasthan citadel. Excavations in 1934-36 by NG Majumdar revealed a gigantic shrine or sputa plinth built in the terraced cellular style of construction. "Behular Bashor Ghar" which is very near to Mahasthangar is a popular place for the tourists. Tourists from all over Bangladesh visit this place throughout the year. Nawab Palace (called Neelkuthi during the British period) and Jaina Temple are two eminent archaeological sights located in Bogra. The only 4 star hotel in Rajshahi division, Hotel Naz Garden, is situated at the heart of Bogra city.

Culture

Bogra has a strong cultural affinity to Baul, Marfati, Lalon and Sufi music. There are a number of local newspapers and journals in Bogra. The Daily Korotoa and Daily Aaj O Agamikal are two main local newspapers.

Education

Bogra contains numerous educational institutes, Bogra Zilla School is the most famous among them. Eastablished in 1853, Bogra Zilla School is situated at the centre of Bogra. It also contains the Govt. Girls' High School (famous as Victoria Memorial or VM School) girls high school which is government owned. Govt. Azizul Haque College is under the National University. A large medical college and hospital named Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College and Hospital, equipped with advanced facilities has been started recently. Bogra also contains the largest English college in the North Bengal region named "Millenium Scholastic School & College, which was established in 1998, the Bogra Polytechnic institute and Institute of Information Technology Bogra.

Notable people from Bogra

• Khademul Bashar, Air Vice-Marshal, Sector Commander and Chief, Bangladesh Airforce
• Akhteruzzaman Elias, famous novelist and short story writer
• Muhammad Ali Bogra, former Prime Minister of Pakistan, 1953–1955
• M. R. Akhtar Mukul, author
• Ziaur Rahman, former president of Bangladesh
• Shimul Zaman, Singer
• Prafulla Chaki (1888–1908) - Bengali revolutionary
• Mushfiqur Rahim, Cricketer
• Shafiul Islam, Cricketer