Rajnagar () is an
upazila
An ''upazila'' ( pronounced: ), formerly called ''thana'', is an administrative division in Bangladesh, functioning as a sub-unit of a district. It can be seen as an analogous to a county or a borough of Western countries. Rural upazilas ...
of the
Moulvibazar District
Moulvibazar District, () also spelled Moulavibazar, or Maulavibazar, (previous name: South Sylhet) is the southeastern district of Sylhet Division in northeastern Bangladesh, named after the town of Moulvibazar. It is bordered by the Indian states ...
in
Sylhet Division
Sylhet Division () is a northeastern Divisions of Bangladesh, division of Bangladesh, renowned for its lush tea gardens, rolling hills and vibrant cultural heritage. Covering an area of approximately 12,298 square kilometres, it is bordered by t ...
, Bangladesh. The district has roughly 43,070 houses and an area of approximately 340 km
2. There are three well-known rivers which flow across the Upazila border side of Rajnagar: the Kushiara in the North, the Manu across the southern three unions (Kamarchak, Tengrabazar, and Mansurnager), and the Dholai across Kamarchak and the southern border.
Etymology
The name of the city, Rajnagar is derived from two words, Raj and nagar, meaning "City of the King". It possibly refers to the kings of the ancient Ita kingdom wherein Rajnagar was the capital.
History
It is suggested that the area was inhabited by
Buddhist
Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...
s and
Hindu
Hindus (; ; also known as Sanātanīs) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism, also known by its endonym Sanātana Dharma. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pp. 35–37 Historically, the term has also be ...
s as evidence from inscriptions suggests there was an ancient university in Panchgaon, Rajnagar.
The terrain was headquarters of the ancient Ita Kingdom founded by Raja Bhanu Narayan and its capital was in the villages of Bhumiura and Eolatoli.. Copper plates have been found from 930 AD in Paschimbagh, Tengubazar Mandir, Rajnagar. The district was also part of the ancient
Kamarupa
Kamarupa (; also called Pragjyotisha or Pragjyotisha-Kamarupa), an early state during the Classical period on the Indian subcontinent, was (along with Davaka) the first historical kingdom of Assam. The Kamrupa word first appeared in the ...
kingdom. In the mid-14th century, Shah Ruknuddin settled and propagated Islam in Kadamhata, Ita Pargana. Ruknuddin's
mazar
Mazar of Al-Mazar may refer to:
*Mazar (mausoleum), Muslim mausoleum or shrine
Places
* Mazar (toponymy), a component of Arabic toponyms literally meaning shrine, grave, tomb, etc.
; Afghanistan
* Mazar, Afghanistan, village in Balkh Province
* ...
remains in Kadamhata Bazar.
Rajnagar contains many tea gardens and historical places. During the
Bangladesh Liberation War
The Bangladesh Liberation War (, ), also known as the Bangladesh War of Independence, was an War, armed conflict sparked by the rise of the Bengali nationalism, Bengali nationalist and self-determination movement in East Pakistan, which res ...
, the Panchgaon Factory in Rajnagar Upazila produced cannons under the command of
M. A. G. Osmani
Muhammad Ataul Gani Osmani (1 September 1918 – 16 February 1984) was a Bangladeshi Officer (armed forces), military officer, revolutionary and politician. His military career spanned three decades, beginning with his service in the Briti ...
. A famous historical cannon, nicknamed Jahankosa, built by Janardan Karmakar remains in display in
Dhaka
Dhaka ( or ; , ), List of renamed places in Bangladesh, formerly known as Dacca, is the capital city, capital and list of cities and towns in Bangladesh, largest city of Bangladesh. It is one of the list of largest cities, largest and list o ...
.
The first Upazila Chairman Freedom Fighter Rana Choudhury is the founder of Rajnagar Degree College (Principal Abdul Ahad Choudhury founded the college in 1982); Major General Abdu Rab is the co-founder of that college. The present Upazila Chairman is Freedom Fighter Md. Askir Khan of the Ruling Party Awamileague. For the last two terms Md. Misbahuduzza (Velai) of Awamileague has been the Upazila Chairman of Rajnagar. Munshibazar is one of the most important commercial unions in this Upazila due to the large number of goods and services. The tea gardens produce plenty of different types of tea and fruit as well. It has big Hawrs and hills that makes it unique one in the upazilla.
Demographics
According to the
2011 Census of Bangladesh
In 2011, the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics conducted a national census in Bangladesh, which provided a provisional estimate of the total population of the country as 142,319,000. The previous decennial census was the 2001 census. Data were r ...
, Rajnagar Upazila had 43,070 households and a population of 232,666. 60,790 (26.13%) were under 10 years of age. Rajnagar had a literacy rate (age 7 and over) of 48.62%, compared to the national average of 51.8%, and a sex ratio of 1056 females per 1000 males. 14,134 (6.07%) lived in urban areas.
Ethnic population was 1,788 (0.77%).
As of the
1991 Bangladesh census
In 1991, the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, conducted a national census in Bangladesh. They recorded data from all of the districts and upazilas and main cities in Bangladesh including statistical data on population size, households, sex and a ...
, Rajnagar has a population of 174280. Males constitute are 50.66% of the population, and females 49.34%. This Upazila's eighteen up population is 87249. Rajnagar has an average literacy rate of 27.2% (7+ years), and the national average of 32.4% literate.
Administration
Rajnagar Upazila is divided into eight
union parishad
Union council (), also known as union parishad, rural council, rural union and simply union, is the smallest rural administrative and local government unit in Bangladesh, with zila parishads (district councils) being the largest rural authori ...
s: Fatehpur, Kamarchak,
Mansurnagar, Munshi Bazar, Panchgaon, Rajnagar, Tengra, and Uttarbhag. The union parishads are subdivided into 143 mauzas and 267 villages.
Notable people
*
Begum Serajunnessa Choudhury
Begum Serajunnessa Choudhury () was a member of the 3rd National Assembly of Pakistan as a representative of East Pakistan.
Early life and family
Choudhury was born in 1910, to the Dewan family of Rajnagar in Sylhet District, Eastern Bengal an ...
, businesswoman and politician, was born at Rajnagar in 1910.
See also
*
Upazilas of Bangladesh
An ''upazila'' ( pronounced: ), formerly called ''thana'', is an administrative division in Bangladesh, functioning as a sub-unit of a districts of Bangladesh, district. It can be seen as an analogous to a county or a borough of Western count ...
*
Districts of Bangladesh
The divisions of Bangladesh, divisions of Bangladesh are further divided into districts or (). The headquarters of a district is called the district seat (). There are 64 districts in Bangladesh. The districts are further subdivided into 495 s ...
*
Divisions of Bangladesh
Divisions are the first-level administrative divisions in Bangladesh. As of 2024, there are eight divisions of Bangladesh, each named after the major city within its jurisdiction that also serves as the administrative seat of that division. Eac ...
*
Thanas of Bangladesh
A thana () serves as a fundamental administrative unit in Bangladesh, functioning as a city district governed by a police station (analogous to a police district or a police precinct).
In rural areas, the thana system, originating in the 18th ...
*
Union councils of Bangladesh
Union council (), also known as union parishad, rural council, rural union and simply union, is the smallest rural administrative and local government unit in Bangladesh, with zila parishads (district councils) being the largest rural authorit ...
*
Administrative geography of Bangladesh
Bangladesh is divided into 8 divisions (''bibhag'') and 64 districts (''jela'', ''zila'', ''zela''), although, these have only a limited role in public policy. For the purposes of local governance, the country is divided into '' upazilas'' (su ...
*
Villages of Bangladesh
In Bangladesh, a village is the smallest territorial and social unit for administrative and representative purposes. It is an elective unit of a Union Councils of Bangladesh, Union Council from which a single council member is elected. Usually on ...
*
Demographics of Bangladesh
Bangladesh is the eighth-most populated country in the world with almost 2.2% of the world's population. As per the final results of the 2022 Census of Bangladesh, the country's population is 169,828,911. Bangladesh has one of the highest p ...
References
{{Authority control