Bhojpur () is a town in Eastern
Nepal. It is the district headquarters of
Bhojpur district, a hilly/mountainous district in
Kosi Zone. At the time of the
1991 Nepal census it had a population of 5823 people living in 1199 households.
Bhojpur bazaar is home to many skilled
Newar craftsmen, and is famous for its metalwork, particularly
khukuri knives. Other major towns in the district include Dingla to the north, Ghoretar to the south, and Taksar near the airstrip, from where flights connect to
Biratnagar and
Kathmandu. A road is currently under construction to link Bhojpur bazaar with Hile, Dhankuta, Dharan, and the rest of Nepal's North-South
Koshi Highway.
Historically it is a part of Majh Kirant/Kirat (middle Kirat), and used to be called "east number 4". Middle Kirat consists mainly of Bhojpur and Khotang districts, the traditional home of kirat Rai people, an indigenous ethnic group of Nepal. In addition to Rais, other ethnic groups include Magars, Gurungs, and Tamangs, as well as castes like Chhetris, Bahuns, and Dalits.
Bhojpur was recently the site of a major incident involving Maoist rebels and the Nepali national security forces on March 3, 2004. An estimated 1,500 Maoists attacked the camps of the security forces at the district headquarters. This incident was the most serious one since the Maoists called off the cease-fire on August 24, 2003. 32 security personnel were killed (both army and police), as well as 42 Maoists rebels,...
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