History
Ours Uttar Dinajpur District has just been evolved having an area of 3142 sq. km., on bifurcation of West Dinajpur District, 31 years ago, on 1st April, 1992, with only 02(two) Sub-divisions, Raiganj & Islampur. Main towns of these two sub-divisions are almost 110 km apart. Uttar Dinajpur, having rich Flora and Fauna, has added a feather to the Wildlife Familiarity in the cartography of the world, since, Kulik Bird Sanctuary is now largest Bird Sanctuary in Asia.
From Chopra, (connecting link of the entire North East with the rest part of India) at the extreme North to the Itahar Rajbari at the South, it has carried a versatile existence, being geographically, politically, socially or from the point of neutrality in religion. From being the birthplace of “Maharaja Danujmardan Ganesh”, to one of the centre of the Sannyasi Rebellion or one of the prominent centre of “Quit India” Movement, Uttar Dinajpur possesses immense historical importance, as evident through various historical books and documents. Undivided Islampur district was part of the Pundra Kingdom.
Uttar Dinajpur is well connected with the rest of the state through National Highways, State Highways and Railways. NH-27 (erstwhile NH-31) and NH-12 (erstwhile NH-34) pass through the heart of the district.
Uttar Dinajpur is one of the ten districts of West Bengal which shares its border with Bangladesh. It shares the third longest border of 407.8 km with Bangladesh (After Coochbehar and North-24-Parganas). There are three LCS (Land Customs Station) in this district among which only one is operational. Two of the LCS, Patagora and Kokradaha were closed for operation in the year 1968 and 1973 respectively. Kokradaha was the only Road link between Uttar Dinajpur and Bangladesh. One of the five railway corridors with Bangladesh, Radhikapur-Birol Railway corridor is the one which is the second oldest railway corridor and has been put back to operation in April 2017 as a Railway Freight Corridor.