thumb|Thakurgaon District upazila geocode map
Thakurgaon District () is a district located in the northwestern region of Bangladesh under the administrative jurisdiction of Rangpur Division. The district is bordered by Panchagarh District to the north and east, Dinajpur District to the east, and the Indian state of West Bengal to the south and west.
Administration
The administrative origin of the district date back in 1800, when Thakurgaon Police Station was established. In 1860, It was upgraded into a Subdivision (Mahakuma) of Dinajpur District, comprising six police stations: Thakurgaon Sadar, Pirganj, Ranisankail, Haripur, Baliadangi, and Atwari. Following the partition of British India in 1947, four more police stations: Boda, Panchagarh, Tetulia and Debiganj from the Jalpaiguri district of India were incorporated into the Thakurgaon subdivision. On 1 January 1981, Panchagarh Mahakuma was established as a separate subdivision (Mahakuma) of Dinajpur district consisting of Panchagarh, Atwari, Boda, Tetulia and Debiganj.
This administrative reorganization reduced the territorial area of Thakurgaon Subdivision. Subsequently, Thakurgaon was officially established as a district on 1 February 1984. Over time, rapid population growth and administrative expansion increased demands for further decentralization of local governance. On 7 May 2026, the Government of Bangladesh officially approved the formation of two new Subdistricts (Upazila) in Thakurgaon district — Ruhia and Bhully. With the establishment of these new administrative units, the total number of Subdistricts (Upazila) in the district increased from five to seven..
Thakurgaon District is administered by a Deputy Commissioner. For administrative purposes, the district is subdivided into seven Subdistricts (Upazilas), each of which is served by a corresponding Police Station (Thana).
The Subdistricts (Upazilas) of Thakurgaon District are:
- Thakurgaon Sadar Upazila
- Baliadangi Upazila
- Ranisankail Upazila
- Pirganj Upazila
- Haripur Upazila
- Ruhia Upazila
- Bhully Upazila
Etymology
While there was no evidence that Thakurgaon was once named Nishchintapur, assumptions were made based on the similarity between the names. The mausoleum and the name Nukchintapur were considered as potential references to Thakurgaon's earlier name, Nischintinpur. Yet, confirmation came when historical maps from the 17th century depicted two distinct locations: Atitkurgaon and Nishchintpur. Nishchintpur was positioned at the eastern end of Tanganni and partly on the west side of the Tangan river in the north-west. Thakurgaon was situated from the 4th to the 4th, indicating that the name of Thakurgaon's sadar was originally Nishchinpura at the eastern end of the Tangan river. Over time, Nishchinpura evolved into Thakurgaon, encompassing the entire subdivision initially known as Thathakuranga and later adopting the identity of the district.
Historical records reveal that the current district headquarters of Thakurgaon has its roots in a location 8 kilometers north of Akecha Union, where two brothers named Narayan Chakraborty and Satish Chakraborti resided. Known for their wealth and influence, the locals referred to their house as Thakurbari. Chakrabarti house eventually lent its name to the area, transitioning from Thakurbari to Thakurgaon. Recognizing the need for a police station, the Chakrabarti brothers sought approval from the British government, leading to the establishment of a police station in the early 1800s, named Thakurgaon thana. Subsequently, the thana was relocated to the Tangon river due to various reasons, and in 1860, Thakurgaon subdivision was formed with 10 thanas. The district, officially named Thakurgaon with five thanas, was marked on the map of Bangladesh on February 1, 1984. Despite its recent establishment as a district, the region boasts an ancient history and cultural significance.
History
thumb|The Monument of 1971 War beside [[Tangon River.|left]]
During British rule Thakurgaon was a tehsil (a district subdivision). In 1947 at the time of the Partition of India, Thakurgaon Subdivision became part of the newly established Dinajpur District of East Bengal. In 1984, Thakurgaon subdivision was split off Dinajpur and became a separate district (i.e. Thakurgaon District). Before 1879, Thakurgaon District was ruled by Maithil Brahmin and Bengali Brahmin Thakurs like Bikhash Jha, Barun Thakur and Vidhenesh Roy. Most people believe Thakurgaon district has got its name from Barun Thakur.
During the British period in 1800, a Tagore family initiative led to the formation of Thangur, Shuk, Kulik, Patharaj, and Dhapa widows near the present municipality area. This gave rise to the Thakurgaon Thana, named after these entities. In 1860, it was declared as a sub-division with five police stations. In 1947, Thakurgaon became a subdivision, absorbing 10 thanas from Jalpaiguri district and one from Kotwihar. However, in 1981, Thakurgaon's geographical boundaries changed, resulting in five thanas in a separate Panchagarh district.
Ethnography
The majority of Thakurgaon's population are ethnically Bengali Muslims. Hindus largely come from the many Bengali Hindu castes include Bengali Brahmins, Baidyas, Kshatriyas, Kayasthas and others. Other indigenous communities in the district include Koches, Rajbanshis, Paliyas and Santals.
The populations of Bangladesh exhibit varied physical traits, including long mouths, broad noses, and fall into three main categories: Longmund, Long and Middle Nasa, Egypto-Asiatic or Melanid, and specifically Golmund, Advanced Nasa, Alpine or Eastern Brachyd.
Geography
The area of Thakurgaon is . Thakurgaon is in the north west corner of Bangladesh, it is about 467 km from Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. It is surrounded by Dinajpur district on its south, Panchagarh district to the east and India on its west and north sides, it is a part of the Himalayan plain land. Highest average temperature of this district is 33.5 °C and lowest average is 10.05 °C.