Dinajpur District is a part of the Malda division of West Bengal State. Its administrative headquarters is located at Balurghat town. The district of West Dinajpur came into existence in August 1947 with the partition of Bengal, namely West Dinajpur district and East Dinajpur. When the recommendations of the States Reorganization Act were implemented then the West Dinajpur district became enlarged in 1956, with the addition of some other areas of Bihar. The district came into existence on 1st April 1992 when the erstwhile West Dinajpur district was bifurcated into two districts namely Uttar Dinajpur and Dakshin Dinajpur.

The district has enough historical potential. In all eight blocks of the district there are places of historical interest. At Bangarh near Gangarampur, the Archaeological Survey of India has found relics of Pala, Gupta and Maurya dynasties. A shami tree, where the Pandavas are believed to have hidden their arms before going into exile, is at Harirampur. The tomb of Bakhtiyar Khilji, who started Muslim rule in Bengal, is in Gangarampur. The terracotta temple of Poragachi, Vidyashawari temple of Patiram and the zamindar house of Manaholi are some of the other spots.