Rajshahi

Rajshahi is a major city in northwestern Bangladesh, set on the northern bank of the Padma River and serving as the capital of Rajshahi Division. Known as the Silk City and the Education City, it combines a calm riverside atmosphere with a strong academic identity and is frequently recognised as one of Bangladesh's cleanest and greenest cities.

The city's history reaches back through the ancient Pundra region and centuries of silk trade, leaving landmarks such as the Varendra Research Museum, the oldest museum in Bangladesh, and Rajshahi College, one of the country's oldest higher-education institutions. The shrine of the 13th-century Sufi saint Shah Makhdum adds to the city's spiritual heritage.

Central Shaheb Bazar is the commercial heart, while the Padma riverfront and T-dam draw visitors for river views and sunset walks. The expansive University of Rajshahi campus shapes the city's scholarly character, and nearby day-trip sites include the Hindu temples of Puthia and the historic Bagha Mosque.

Rajshahi is an important centre for education, silk, agriculture and agricultural institutions, and its surrounding region is famous for mangoes and lychees. Local markets, tea stalls and restaurants serve Bengali home-style food, fresh river fish and seasonal fruit.

For travellers, Rajshahi offers heritage, riverside relaxation and a gateway to the archaeology and rural landscapes of northwestern Bangladesh, while its universities and institutions also attract academic, business and conference visitors.