Bogra 7.2

Bogra is a major city located in the Bogra District, Rajshahi Division, Bangladesh, and acts as the major commerce hub in the Bogra District. Described by some as the "nerve centre of Northern Bangladesh", Bogra is a bridge between the Rajshahi Division and Rangpur Division. The city area of Borga is approximately 72.5sqkm, consists of 21 wards, and has a population of around 780,000 people.The city is famous for it's many ancient buddhist stupas, hindu temples and ancient palaces of Buddhist Kings and Muslim sultans as it is the oldest city in Bengal, the cuisine of Bogra is famous for its extravagant array of desserts and its renown Mishti doi and a major hub of politics producing the President Muhammad Ali Bogra of Pakistan, President Ziaur Rahman of Bangladesh, First Lady and First Female Prime Minister of Bangladesh Khaleda Zia all were born or have lived in the city. Currently the mayor of the municipality is Adv. Mahabubar Rahman.HistorySupposedly the oldest city of Bengal in the Great Emperor Ashoka's India, Emperor Ashoka conquered the Bengal (Bongo) and founded Borgra, previously called Pundra Bardhan. Possibly confirming this origin story, an ancient engraved stone believed to be of Gupta era was discovered on a pond bank near Sura Masjid at Ghoraghat Upazila in Dinajpur in October 2008.