Rajshahi District () is a district in mid-western Bangladesh. It is a part of Rajshahi Division. The metropolitan city of Rajshahi is in Rajshahi District.

Name and Etymology

Name Rajshahi encompasses two terms Sanskrit Raj and Persian Shahi. Historian Bolch Mann thinks that, this term is evoled from Zaminder of Vaturia, Raja Ganesha. But Beveridge discards Bolch Mann by mentioning that Rajshahi is not an ancient term and Vaturia is far away from Rajshahi. According to W W Hunter, name Rajshahi is evolved from Raja Ramjiban of Natore. Some historians say that Murshid Quli Khan named Rajshahi and was handed over to Raja Uday Narayan to collect taxes. Akshay Kumar Maitreya and Grant penned that, Zamaindari of Rani Bhabani of Natore was attributed as Rajshahi.

Geography

Rajshahi District is bounded by Naogaon District to the north, Natore District to the east, Chapai Nababganj District to west and a small part of Kushtia District and the river Padma to the south. The district consists of alluvial plain.

Rivers

There are ten rivers in this district, totaling 146 km in length. The main river is the Padma (Ganges). Other rivers include Mahananda, Baral and Barnai.

History

The Mughal Emperor Akbar appointed the Puṭhia Raj family to govern the Rajshahi region under the governor "Pitambar".

In 1772, the Rajshahi District was established. Parts of it eventually became the districts of Bogura, Malda, Natore, Naogaon, Nawabganj, and Pabna. On 1 April 1876, Rajshahi town was made as a municipal town.

During the Bangladesh War of Independence in 1971, the town was the site of battles between the Mukti Bahini and the Pakistan Army. Between 26 and 30 March, Pakistan forces killed 31 people in Godagari upazila. A battle on 30 March resulted in the death of an East Pakistan Rifles member. On 13 April, the Pakistan army killed Rajshahi Cadet College Professor AB Siddiqi. On 24 May, it attacked Tahirpur Haṭ in Bagmara upazila, killing 25 people. Mukti Bahini commander Havilder Shafiq led an attack on a Pakistani boat on 8 August, killing 18 personnel. Pakistan then killed two members of East Pakistan Ansar and established a camp in the Zoha Hall of Rajshahi University, where they massacred hundreds of civilians. The Pakistan army also established camps inside Rajshahi Cadet College, Roy Saheb brickfield, Sardaha Pilot School, and Sardah Police Academy. It tortured militants of Mukti Bahini and civilians in the camps, and killed hundreds of refugees on the banks of the Padma river who were fleeing to India. In a battle between Mukti Bahini and Pakistan near Kabasmul, a Pakistani army major was killed. Pakistan retaliated by killing 44 civilians in Gaganbari and Palsa.

Rajshahi town was upgraded to a municipal corporation on 13 August 1987. In 1997, the government of Bangladesh made the town into a full city corporation, Rajshahi City Corporation.

Demographics

According to the 2022 Census of Bangladesh, Rajshahi District has 775,245 households and a population of 2,915,009 with an average 3.67 people per household. Among the population, 455,892 (15.64%) inhabitants are under 10 years of age. The population density is 1,202 people per km<sup>2</sup>. Rajshahi District has a literacy rate (age 7 and over) of 75.17%, compared to the national average of 74.80%, and a sex ratio of 100.25 males per 100 females. Approximately, 37.58% (1,095,403) of the population live in urban areas. Ethnic population is 47,832 (1.64%), of which 26,224 are Santal, 8,048 Oraon and 3,274 Mal Paharia.