BOGRA

formerly Bagura, city, northwestern Bangladesh. It lies on the west bank of the Karatoya River, which is a tributary of the Jamuna River. Easy accessibility by road and railway makes Bogra a commercial centre for the southern Barind tract between the Ganges and the Jamuna rivers. Incorporated as a municipality in 1876, it has a park, a theatre hall, and a nursery for sericultural development and is the seat of colleges affiliated with the National University (1992). The site of Mahasthan, identified by inscriptions as Pundravardhana, capital of the Pundra dynasty, lies just north of the town; it dates from Mauryan times (300 BC) and also flourished during subsequent (Gupta, Pala) periods. Pop. (1991 prelim.) 93,114.