Photo: Shuvajit BD, CC BY-SA 4.0
Rangpur
About Rangpur
Rangpur Division is the northernmost corner of Bangladesh: eight districts of rice fields, tea gardens and slow rivers between the Teesta and the Indian border. It became a division in 2010 and still sees few foreign visitors, which is a large part of its appeal. The monuments are fine, the roads are quieter than in the south and the welcome is warm.
Dinajpur holds the region’s finest heritage. About 20 kilometres north of the town, Kantajew Temple, completed in 1752, is covered from base to roof in terracotta panels and is one of the best examples of this art in Bengal. South of the town, Ramsagar is a vast royal tank dug in the 1750s by the same Maharaja Ramnath, now a quiet national park.
Rangpur city is the divisional capital. On its edge stands Tajhat Palace, an early 20th-century zamindar’s mansion with a white marble staircase that now houses the Rangpur Museum. South of the city at Pairaband, the Begum Rokeya Memorial Centre marks the birthplace of the writer who led the fight for Muslim women’s education in Bengal.
At the very top of the country, Tetulia in Panchagarh district is known for its flat tea gardens, the Mahananda River on the border and, from about October to early December, views of Kanchenjunga on clear mornings.
Distances are long, so most travellers fly from Dhaka to Saidpur and continue by car. Evergreen Bangladesh Tours plans private North Bengal tours that combine Rangpur with the heritage sites of Rajshahi Division, with a local guide and driver throughout.
Things to do
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Study the terracotta of Kantajew
Walk around the temple and pick out scenes from the Ramayana, the Mahabharata and the life of Krishna in thousands of fired clay panels.
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Walk the banks of Ramsagar
Stroll along the high embankments of the 18th-century royal tank, a favourite picnic spot for families from Dinajpur.
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Visit Tajhat Palace
Climb the marble staircase of the zamindar’s palace and see terracotta, manuscripts and stone sculpture in the Rangpur Museum.
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Look for Kanchenjunga from Tetulia
On clear autumn and early winter mornings the snow peaks of the Himalaya rise above the tea gardens of Panchagarh.
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Taste Dinajpur’s rice and lychees
Dinajpur is known for its fragrant Kataribhog rice and, in late May and June, for lychees from the orchards around the town.
Getting there
By air: flights from Dhaka to Saidpur take about an hour. Saidpur is roughly an hour by road from Rangpur and from Dinajpur, and three to four hours from Tetulia.
By train: intercity trains run from Dhaka to Rangpur, Dinajpur and Panchagarh, taking roughly eight to eleven hours.
By road: Rangpur is about seven to eight hours from Dhaka by car via the Jamuna Bridge, depending on traffic.
Where to stay
Rangpur and Dinajpur have the best choice of mid-range hotels in the north, and both make good bases for day trips. In Tetulia and Panchagarh accommodation is simpler, with small hotels and government bungalows.
We suggest hotels that fit your budget when we send your tour price.
Places to see in Rangpur
Tours that visit Rangpur
None of our set tours stop here yet, but we can add it to a tailor-made trip.
Questions
How many days do I need for Rangpur Division?
Three or four days covers Kantajew Temple and Ramsagar near Dinajpur, Tajhat Palace in Rangpur and a night in Tetulia. Add two or three days to combine it with Paharpur and Mahasthangarh in Rajshahi Division.
How do I get from Dhaka to Rangpur?
The quickest way is a one-hour flight from Dhaka to Saidpur, then about an hour by road. By car the whole journey takes around seven to eight hours, and intercity trains take roughly eight to nine hours.
Can you see Kanchenjunga from Bangladesh?
Yes. From Tetulia in Panchagarh district, Kanchenjunga is visible on clear days, most often from October to early December. The mountain is well over 100 kilometres away, so the view depends on the weather.
When is the best time to visit Rangpur Division?
November to February is dry and comfortable, though nights in the far north can be cold and mornings foggy in December and January. October to early December gives the best chance of mountain views from Tetulia.