Rajbari District

During the reign of Mughal emperor Jahangir, a fief in Padamdi was decreed to the family of an Iraqi Muslim immigrant by the name of Syed Shah Pahlwan in 1607. The zamindari family, known as the Nawabs of Padamdi actively commanded the artillery and served the Mughal army, eventually leading to Emperor Shah Jahan bestowing them the title of Mir.

Rajbari in the Bengali language means palace, and pays homage to the rich zamindari families that feudally ruled modern-day Rajbari. In the 17th century, the Mughal governor of Bengal, Shaista Khan, appointed Sangram Shah of Panchthupi as the Nawara of what is present-day Rajbari in order to suppress the Portuguese pirates. The Nawara settled permanently in the populated neighbourhood of Banibaha and built a fort at a place called Lalgola. Sangram Shah and his family later became known as the Nawara Chowdhuries of Banibaha.

After the Battle of Plassey of 1757, one of Siraj ud-Daulah's officers by the name of Prabhuram went into hiding in Lakshmikol to avoid the British colonialists. Prabhuram's son, Dwigendra Prasad, eventually became a prominent zamindar in the area, and his son Surya Kumar earned the title of Raja. In 1890, the Rajbari railway station was established, and it is said that it was named after Raja Surya Kumar. Other zamindars such as the Nawara Chowdhuries of Banibaha objected to this as the name of Rajbari was said to have been established long before Kumar.[4]

During the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971, an organisation named the Sangram Parishad (Struggle Council) was established on 26 March. On 21 and 22 April, six Bengali freedom fighters were murdered during an encounter with the Pakistan Army. In the villages of Majhpara, Ramcole and Mathurapur, the army murdered 10 people in addition to setting many houses on fire. The Bengali freedom fighters captured a large amount of equipment and resources from the Army in November. Another brawl took place in that month in the village of Alhadipur leading to 9 Army casualties.[1]

Once Rajbari region was a part of Jessore District. In 1811 when Faridpur District was formed Rajbari was included in it. Besides, the upazilas under Rajbari district were included in different districts in the past. Pangsha Upazila was once included into Pabna District. In 1859 Pangsha and Baliakandi were included in the newly formed Kumarkhali Upazila. In 1871, when Goalanda Upazila was formed, Pangsha and Rajbari were included in it and its headquarters was established in Rajbari. Goalanda was upgraded into a district in March 1984 and it was renamed as Rajbari District.[1]

Annual average temperature of this district is maximum 35.8 °C and minimum 12.6 °C. Annual rainfall is 2105 mm.

• Padma
• Jalangi
• Kumar
• Garai
• Madhumati
• Harai
• Chandana
• Chitra

According to the 2011 Bangladesh census, Rajbari District had a population of 1,049,778, of which 519,999 were males and 529,779 were females. Rural population was 913,736 (87.04%) while urban population was 136,042 (12.96%). Rajbari had a literacy rate of 52.28% for the population 7 years and above: 53.98% for males and 50.63% for females.[7]

Religion

Religions in Rajbari District (2011)[7]
Religion			Percent
Muslims			89.78%
Hindus			10.19%
Other or not stated			0.03%

Religion in present-day Rajbari district[lower-alpha 1]

Religion	Population (1941)[8]: 100–101	Percentage (1941)	Population (2011)[7]	Percentage (2011)
Islam	211,005	63.09%	942,527	89.78%
Hinduism	123,011	36.78%	106,974	10.19%
Others [lower-alpha 2]	460	0.14%	277	0.03%
Total Population	334,476	100%	1,049,778	100%

The district is predominantly Muslim. Muslims are 942,527, Hindus 106,974, and Christians 1420. The Hindu population fell from a high of 113,000 in 1981 to 106,000 in 2011.

Podamdi and Kurshi are also known for Nawabs which was originally the subedar (provincial governor) or viceroy of a subah (province) or region of the Mughal empire. It became a high title for Muslim nobles.

Dighi (a kind of water body) in Rajbari include Kallyan Dighi, situated in Baliakandi of Islampur union. Rajbari is situated by the bank of Padma River.

'Godar Bazar' bank of Padma River near at Rajbari town.

• AKM Aszad, politician
• Lieutenant General S. M. Matiur Rahman
• Ali Newaz Mahmud Khaiyam, former MP
• Jahanara Begum, politician
• Kazi Abdul Wadud, dramatist
• Maulvi Tamizuddin Khan, former Speaker of the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan
• Md. Abdul Wajed Chowdhury, politician
• Monsur Ul Karim, painter
• Padamdi Zamindar family
  • Mir Mosharraf Hossain, novelist and playwright
  • Syed Mir Ali Imam Al Mamun, former Bangladesh Army officer
• Qazi Motahar Hossain, scientist, author and teacher
• Rowshan Ali Chowdhury, journalist
• Yakub Ali Chowdhury, essayist
• Salma Chowdhury, MP
• NIbedita Das, Swimmer
• Shohely Akhter, cricketer
• Satish Chandra Vidyabhusan, eminent Sanskrit scholar
• Kangalini Sufia, folk singer

• Districts of Bangladesh
• Rajdharpur