Dinajpur district was established in 1786. Its previous name was Ghoraghat district. Various parts of the districts were included in Purnia, Rangpur and Rajshahi districts at different times during 1833 to 1870. Thakurgaon and Panchagarh Sub-divisions of this district were turned into independent districts in 1984. It consists of six municipalities, 57 wards, 200 mahallas, 13 upazilas, 101 union parishads and 2142 villages. The Upazilas are birampur, birganj, biral, bochaganj, chirirbandar, phulbari, ghoraghat, hakimpur, kaharole, khansama, dinajpur sadar, nawabganj, parbatipur.
Dinajpur was once a part of the ancient state of Pundrabardhwan. The British administrative control in Dinajpur was established in 1793. At the time of Partition of Bengal in 1947, part of greater Dinajpur district was included in West Bengal and it was named West Dinajpur. People of the district took part in the Tebhaga Movement and also had significant contribution in the War of Liberation.
Places to see
kantanagar temple, Rajbari, Dinajpur Museum, ramsagar tank and the tombs of Chehel Gazi and Gora Shahid, Sitar Kuthuri, Habra Zamindar Bari, Gour Gabindha, Baraduari, Shingha Darwaza Palace, nayabad mosque, Aowkar Mosque.
Newspapers
Now in circulation Uttara, Pratidin, Tista, Janamat, Uttarbanga, Ajker Protiva and Patralap and the weeklies the Atahpar and Ajker Barta; monthly Nawroj (extinct)