# Bogra

Bogra (Bengali: বগুড়া), officially Bogura, is a city located in Bogra District, Rajshahi Division, Bangladesh. The city is a major commercial hub in Northern Bangladesh. It is the second largest city in terms of both area and population in Rajshahi Division.
Bogra is named after Nasiruddin Bughra Khan, the Governor of Bengal from 1279 to 1282 and the son of Delhi Sultan Ghiyasuddin Balban. The city is approximately 71.56 km$^2$ (27.63 sq mi) and is divided into 21 wards. Bogra has a population of around 480,000 people. Since it is one of the oldest cities in Bengal, Bogra is famous for its many ancient Buddhist stupas, Hindu temples, and ancient palaces of Buddhist kings and Muslim sultans.
The city has produced notable personalities including Prime Minister Muhammad Ali Bogra of Pakistan, President Ziaur Rahman of Bangladesh, both of whom were born and lived in the city.

## History

Bogra is considered the oldest city of Bengal, dating to the reign of the Great Emperor Ashoka, who ruled India from 268 to 232 BCE. When Ashoka conquered the Bengal (Bongo) region, he founded Bogra and called it Pundra Bardhan. This is supported by the discovery in October 2008 of an ancient engraved stone believed to be produced in the Gupta era near Sura Mosque at Ghoraghat Upazila in Dinajpur.
Bogra has been a transportation, cultural and economic hub for thousands of years. In the early 800 AD, it was a core place of doing business through the Karatoya River (a sub-river of the Bangali River, not to be confused with the Large Karatoya River). By 1200 AD it had also become an important geopolitical center for spreading Islam through the Mahasthangarh. In the late fiftieth century, it became a statistical trade area by the British East India Company.
In the late seventeenth century, the British East India Company gave control of the area to Nowab and Shatani families, who still are two of the most reputed families in the city.
During the Bangladesh War of Independence, the area witnessed the Battle of Bogra, a fierce conflict between the guerrilla units of the Bangladesh Forces under Sector 7 and the Pakistan Army.

## Climate

The city enjoys a monsoon-influenced humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cwa) bordering on a tropical savanna climate (Köppen Aw), with two main seasons: winter and summer. Winters are dry with warm afternoons and cool nights (although frosts have never occurred in recent history), while summers are hot and humid with heavy rainfall due to the monsoon season.
vteClimate data for Bogra (1991–2020, extremes 1884-present) :
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 31.1 (88.0) | 34.8 (94.6) | 40.6 (105.1) | 44.0 (111.2) | 41.5 (106.7) | 40.6 (105.1) | 37.9 (100.2) | 37.7 (99.9) | 38.4 (101.1) | 37.4 (99.3) | 34.5 (94.1) | 32.0 (89.6) | 44.0 (111.2) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 24.0 (75.2) | 27.6 (81.7) | 31.4 (88.5) | 33.3 (91.9) | 33.4 (92.1) | 33.1 (91.6) | 32.4 (90.3) | 32.7 (90.9) | 32.5 (90.5) | 32.1 (89.8) | 30.2 (86.4) | 26.1 (79.0) | 30.7 (87.3) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 17.3 (63.1) | 21.1 (70.0) | 25.3 (77.5) | 27.8 (82.0) | 28.4 (83.1) | 29.0 (84.2) | 29.0 (84.2) | 29.2 (84.6) | 28.5 (83.3) | 26.7 (80.1) | 22.8 (73.0) | 18.6 (65.5) | 25.3 (77.5) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 11.6 (52.9) | 14.7 (58.5) | 19.3 (66.7) | 22.8 (73.0) | 24.2 (75.6) | 26.0 (78.8) | 26.4 (79.5) | 26.6 (79.9) | 25.9 (78.6) | 23.6 (74.5) | 18.5 (65.3) | 13.9 (57.0) | 21.1 (70.0) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 4.5 (40.1) | 6.7 (44.1) | 10.6 (51.1) | 16.7 (62.1) | 17.3 (63.1) | 19.4 (66.9) | 21.1 (70.0) | 21.7 (71.1) | 21.1 (70.0) | 17.2 (63.0) | 11.0 (51.8) | 4.9 (40.8) | 4.5 (40.1) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 8 (0.3) | 15 (0.6) | 21 (0.8) | 82 (3.2) | 210 (8.3) | 309 (12.2) | 338 (13.3) | 278 (10.9) | 277 (10.9) | 151 (5.9) | 7 (0.3) | 7 (0.3) | 1,703 (67) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 1 mm) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 13 | 16 | 20 | 19 | 16 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 106 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 71 | 64 | 62 | 71 | 76 | 82 | 83 | 82 | 83 | 78 | 73 | 73 | 75 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 188.4 | 212.9 | 239.4 | 215.1 | 197.0 | 148.2 | 150.0 | 155.9 | 159.0 | 222.2 | 226.8 | 203.4 | 2,318.3 |
| Source 1: NOAA ||||||||||||||
| Source 2: Bangladesh Meteorological Department (humidity 1981-2010) ||||||||||||||

## Demographics

Religions in Bogra city (2022) :
| Religion | Religion | Percent | Percent |
| Islam | Islam | 94.10% | 94.10% |
| Hinduism | Hinduism | 5.79% | 5.79% |
| Other or not stated | Other or not stated | 0.11% | 0.11% |
According to the 2022 Bangladesh census, Bogra city had 126,412 households and a population of 486,016. Bogura had a sex ratio of 104.23 females per 100 males and a literacy rate of 87.87%. 15.34% of the population were under 10 years of age.

## Economy

Additionally, red chili production in Bogra is a major industry, with companies such as Square, Acme, and BD Food collecting red chili from twelve centers within Bogra.
Bogra is also home to an increasing number of IT, software, technology, and computer services companies. One of the milestones of its tech sector occurred in 2008 when the French Grameen Group and Groupe Danone entered into a joint venture with a local company to establish an organization named Grameen Danone.
Statistically, Bogra's workforce is primarily engaged in agriculture (35.09%), followed by commerce (20.32%) and service sectors (16.15%). Other significant sources of income include transport and communication (8.47%), construction (2.87%), non-agricultural labor (2.79%), and industry (2.67%). Additionally, religious services (0.18%), rent and remittance (0.69%), and other industries (10.77%) contribute to the local economy.
Thengamara Mohila Sobuj Sangha (TMSS) is the largest national-level Non-Govt. contributor of Bogura.

### Tourism

Near Bogra is Mahasthangarh, the earliest known urban archaeological site in Bangladesh, as well as the village of Mahasthan in Shibganj thana of Bogra District. This site contains the remains of Pundranagara (or Paundravardhanapura), an ancient city in the territory of Pundravardhana. This place is considered sacred to Buddhists, Muslims, and Hindus alike. Pilgrims and visitors tour the area all year round.
The Behular Bashor Ghor is a popular tourist attraction in the city and is close to other popular spots and monuments such as the Mahasthangar, Nawab Palace (called Neelkuthi during the British period), Kherua Mosque (Sherpur Upazila), Bara Mosque, Mazar of Shah Sultan Balkhi, Mazar of Panchpir, Gokul Medh, Palace of Parshuram, Basu Bihara, Palli Unnayan Academy, Saudia City Park, Bhimer Jangle, Museum of Nawab Bari Palace, Wonderland Shishupark (a children's park), Shanewaz Shishubagan, Woodburn Park, Dreshtinandan Park, Bijayangan (the War of Liberation museum), and the Jaina Temple.

## Notable residents

* Pinaki Bhattacharya Human rights Activists, Attended Bogra Zilla School
* Ziaur Rahman, President of Bangladesh (1977-1981), attended Bogra Zilla School
* Humayun Ahmed, writer and filmmaker, attended Bogra Zilla School.
* Khademul Bashar, Bir Uttam, chief of the Bangladesh Air Force in 1976, was born in Bogra.
* Apu Biswas, film actress
* Muhammad Ali Bogra, Prime Minister of Pakistan (1953–1955), lived in Bogra.
* Akhteruzzaman Elias, novelist and short story writer, attended Bogra Zilla School.
* Gaziul Haque, Bengali language movement activist, attended Bogra Zilla School.
* Muhammed Zafar Iqbal, physicist, attended Bogra Zilla School.
* Shafiul Islam, cricketer on the Bangladesh cricket team
* Tarun Majumdar, Indian film director
* Mushfiqur Rahim, cricketer of the Bangladesh cricket team
* Towhid Hridoy, Cricketer of the Bangladesh cricket team
* Tanzid Hasan, Cricketer of the Bangladesh cricket team
* Amalesh Sen, footballer, represented the Bangladesh national football team
* Shahinur Kabir Shimul, footballer, represented the Bangladesh national football team
* Nabib Newaj Jibon, footballer, represented the Bangladesh national football team