Dinajpur was once a part of the ancient state of Pundravardhana. Devkot which rotated as capital of Lakhnauti was located 11 miles south of Dinajpur town. The British administrative control in Dinajpur was established in 1786. At the time of Partition of Bengal in 1947, part of greater Dinajpur district was included in West Bengal and it was named West Dinajpur district. People of the district took part in the Tebhaga Movement and also had significant contribution in the War of Liberation of 1971.
An ancient engraved stone, believed to be from the Gupta era, was recovered from the bank of a pond near Sura Masjid at Ghoraghat Upazila in Dinajpur in October 8