Berhampore district is a proposed administrative district in the Indian state of West Bengal. The district has been mooted as part of a wider reorganisation of districts in West Bengal, with Berhampore town serving as the proposed headquarters. As of its proposal, the area continues to be administered as part of the existing Murshidabad district.
| Name | Berhampore district |
|---|---|
| Status | Proposed district |
| State | West Bengal |
| Country | India |
| Proposed headquarters | Berhampore |
| Parent district | Murshidabad district |
West Bengal has periodically considered carving out new districts from larger existing ones to bring administration closer to the people and to ease the workload of district headquarters. Berhampore, a historic town on the banks of the Bhagirathi river and the present headquarters of Murshidabad district, has been identified as a natural centre for one of the proposed new units.
The Murshidabad region, comprising a large population spread over numerous community development blocks, has been viewed as a candidate for trifurcation, with Berhampore proposed as the headquarters of one of the resulting districts alongside other proposed units centred on towns such as Kandi and Jangipur.
The proposed district lies in the central part of Murshidabad, in the lower Gangetic plain. The area is largely agricultural, with the Bhagirathi-Hooghly river system being a dominant geographical feature. Berhampore town itself is well connected by rail and road to Kolkata and other parts of the state.
Until the proposal is formally notified by the Government of West Bengal, the area falls under the administrative jurisdiction of Murshidabad district. The district magistrate of Murshidabad, headquartered at Berhampore, continues to exercise authority over the territory.
Berhampore has historical and administrative importance dating back to the colonial period, when it served as a cantonment and an administrative centre under the British East India Company. Its continued role as a divisional and district headquarters within the Presidency division of West Bengal makes it a logical centre for any reorganised district in central Murshidabad.