Lalmonirhat District

Template:Infobox Bangladesh district Lalmonirhat is a district, situated at the north side boarder of Bangladesh.. It is a part of the Rangpur Division. There are five Thana/Upazila-Lalmanirhat Sadar, Aditmari, Kaliganj, Hatibandha and Patgram.

Etymology

At the end of 19th century the workers of the Bengal Duras Railway (BDR) while digging the mud for the installation of rail line, found a red color stone and since then, the place was recognized as Lalmoni. Whereas some legendary opinions that the railway which acquire the land owned by an lady named Lalmoni for which people kept the place after her name as the recognition of her contribution of land for the rail line. Others are of the opinion that in 1783 a woman named Lalmoni along with peasant leader, Nuruldin fought against the English soldiers and land lords for the cause to establish the interest of general peasants and laid down her life against the atrocity of the rulers. The place was named as the Lalmoni as the sign of respect. The word “hat” became adhered to her name in the course of time.

Geography

Lalmonirhat District with an area of 1241.46 sq km, is bounded by Koch Bihar and Jalpaiguri districts of West Bengal on the north, Rangpur District on the south, Kurigram District and Koch Bihar district of West Bengal on the east, Nilphamari and Rangpur districts on the west. The district is striped shape. Main rivers 7, most noted of which are Tista, Dharla and Saniajan. The river Saniajan originating from the Himalaya has strong current. Sarnamati, Trimohoni, Ratnai and Sati rivers are almost silted.

History

Lalmonirhat has emerged as a Zila on the first February in 1984 altogether with the institutions of five Upazilas, two municipalities, 42 unions and 402 Villages.

It can be learned from the historical perspectives that once the gigantic Kamrup kingdom had its existence on the east side of the river Korotoa. Most of the areas of present Lalmonirhat were under Ratnagit of Kamrup Kingdom. It is anticipated that this land, up to 300 BC, was ruled by the dynasty of Bhagadutta and his family of Kamrup state. After a period of fighting and counter fighting, Push Barna and his successors and then the kings of Shalshomva regained over the land from 4th to middle of the 6th and 7th - tenth centuries respectively. The Paul dynasty in Kamrup regained over the land presumably from tenth to the end of the twelve centuries, Then Sen rulers, it is thought, captured the kingdom and ruled until the time the Muslim rulers coming from oversees invaded this Kingdom. It is well to put the note here that though the land was bowed to the grips of Muslim ruler, they couldn’t yield and exercise their supremacy at the very beginning. As the independent Sultani regime (1338-1538) established and sustained the power until Moghal dynasty recaptured it, the Muslim rulers since then started to see their roots deeply grounded in this part of Indian subcontinent by gradually of their kingdom. During the initial stage of Moghal regime, most areas of Lalmonirhat and its adjacent areas lay under kingdom of Cooch Behar, and the submission of the land lords of this regime to the Moghal by the latter’s dominance were earned through wars, sees fires and compromises, the Moghal finally established their strong hold in this region in 1687 afterwards. In fact, Moghal governances were administered in this region through the collection of the taxes by the local land lords. After 1765 overthrowing the Bengali Nawab this land started to be ruled by the tax collectors of East India Company, Lalmonirhat was under the authority of Ghoraghat in 1793, there had been 22 thana in then greater Rangpur district. Among them, the name of Forunbari (handed over to Kaligonj in 1872 AD.) and Barabari (handed over to Kulaghat in 1870 AD.) of Lalmonirhat were found as thana today. It is mentionable that the existing Patgram thana was once belonged to Jalpaiguri district of India. After the partition of Pak-India, Lalmonirhat as a thana was given to Rangpur district. In 1980, it was declared a Mohkuma/or a sub-division with 5 thanas. And on the first February in 1984 it was born as a zilla which has, in course of time, occupied a position in northern side of Bangladesh as a unique and distinguished Zilla through events and achievements.

Tourism

There are a number of tourist attractions and archaeological sites in Lalmonirhat. Some of them are:

• Subadar Monsur Khan Mosque (known as Nidaria Mosque)
• Sindhumati dighi
• Hussain Sarabor (dry pond)
• Harano (lost) Mosque (8th century AH)
• Hala Boter Tol ( An ancient banyan tree )

• Dharla Bridge at Mughalhat
• Tusharbandhar Zamindar Bari
• Ijaradar Mosque
• Kakina Rajbari

• Kabi Bari (house and collections of poet Sheikh Fazlul Karim)
• the tomb of Hazrat Shah Sufi Muhammad Fazlur Rahman (known as Blind Hafez)

References

Tista Brage (Hatibandha) Shalbon (Htibandha)

External links

• Official Website of Lalmonirhat district
• Lalmonirhat District, Banglapedia article on Lalmonirhat