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Khulna

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This article is about the city. For the division, see Khulna Division. For the district, see Khulna District. For the subdistrict, see Khulna Kotwali Thana.

Khulna
খুলনা
Metropolis
From top: Skyline of Khulna City, Gollamari Martyrs' Memorial, Khan Jahan Ali Bridge, Khulna University, Khulna Medical College, Khulna Nagar Bhaban
Nickname(s): 
City of Tigers, Industrial city, Gateway of Sunbans.
Khulna is located in Khulna division
Khulna
Khulna
Khulna is located in Bangladesh
Khulna
Khulna
Coordinates: 22°49′N 89°33′E / 22.82°N 89.55°E / 22.82; 89.55
CountryBangladesh
DivisionKhulna Division
DistrictKhulna District
Municipal Council:12 December 1884
Municipal Corporation:12 December 1984
City Corporation:6 August 1990
Government
 • TypeMayor-Council
 • BodyKhulna City Corporation
 • MayorTalukder Abdul Khaleque
 • Police CommissionerMD Masudur Rahman Bhuiyan
Area
[1]
 • Metropolis150.30 km2 (58.03 sq mi)
 • Rank3rd
Elevation
90.0 m (295.3 ft)
Population
 (2021)[2]
 • Rank3rd
 • Density6,315/km2 (16,360/sq mi)
 • Metro
949,229
Time zoneUTC+6 (BST)
Postal Code
Khulna GPO 9000 & Khulna Head Office 9100, Khulna Sadar 9201 - 9208
IDD : Calling Code +880 (0)41
LanguagesStandard Bengali(Official)
PoliceKhulna Metropolitan Police
AirportKhan Jahan Ali Airport
Development AuthorityKhulna Development Authority
WASAKWASA
Literacy rate83.8%[3]
Websitekhulnacity.org

Khulna (Bengali: খুলনা, [ˈkʰulna]) is the third largest city in Bangladesh after Dhaka and Chittagong.[4] It is the administrative territory of Khulna District and Khulna Division. The economy of Khulna is the third largest in the People's Republic of Bangladesh, contributing $53 billion in nominal gross state product, and $95 billion in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms as of 2020. In the 2011 census, the city had a population of 663,342.[5]

Khulna is located on the bank of the Rupsha and Bhairab Rivers. A centre of Bangladeshi industry, it hosts many national companies. Khulna is served by Port of Mongla (the second-largest seaport in the country), and is one of two principal naval-command centres hosting the Bangladesh Navy. The navy base BNS Titumir is in the city.

A colonial steamboat service, including the Tern, Osrich and Lepcha, continues to operate on the river route to the city. Khulna is considered the gateway to the Sundarbans, the world's largest mangrove forest and home of the Royal Bengal tiger. It is north of the Mosque City of Bagerhat, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.[6][7]

History

Khulna was part of the ancient kingdoms of Vanga and Samatata. It became a part of the Sena dynasty during the 12th century reign of Ballala Sena, and formed part of the Bagri division of Bengal. The region was previous known as Jahanabad.

During the 14th century, Shamsuddin Firoz Shah was the first Muslim ruler to arrive in the city. Muslim settlements increased during the time of Shamsuddin Ilyas Shah, and many mosques and shrines were established. A Muslim saint, Khan Jahan Ali, acquired a jagir (fiefdom) with a large portion of the Khulna Division from the king of Gauḍa during the 15th century. Ali exercised the full rights of sovereignty until his death in 1459.[8]

After Ali's death, the city again became a part of the Sultanate of Bengal. During the reign of Daud Khan Karrani in the 16th century, Vikramaditya (one of Karrani's chief ministers) obtained a grant in southern Bengal—including Khulna—when Karrani was fighting the Mughals. Vikramaditya established a sovereign kingdom with its capital at Iswaripur (currently in Jessore District). He was succeeded by his son, Pratapaditya, who gained preeminence over the Baro-Bhuyans and controlled southern Bengal. Vikramaditya was defeated by Raja Man Singh I, a Hindu Rajput general of the Mughal emperor Akbar in 1611.[9]

Khulna remained under the rule of autonomous nawabs (rulers) of Bengal until 1793, when the British East India Company abolished nizamat (local rule) and took control of the city. The city became a part of Jessore District in 1842, and became the headquarters of Khulna District (the Khulna and Bagerhat subdivisions of Jessore district, the Satkhira subdivision of 24 Parganas district, and the Sundarbans) in 1882.[9] Khulna had a pouroshava (municipal council) in 1884, which became a municipal corporation in 1984.

Before 19 August 1947, Khulna district was a part of undivided Bengal. Khulna first declared as a part of India in 1947, and the Indian flag was flown on 15 August. Syed Mohammad Abdul Halim an official of then Bengal civil service wrote the memorandum and send it to the boundary commission to include Khulna in Pakistan, the boundary commission declared khulna under the east Bengal province. Sher e Bangla A.K.Fazlul Haq, Hamidul Haq Chowdhur, Muslim League leaders Khan A.Sabue, Abdul Mojid Khan, Advocate Hamidul Haq Chowdhury also involved in this process. The Pakistan government awarded later Syed md Abdul Halim as TQA for this but, he left the title in 1971. He died in his native village Bonomalidia, Modhukhal district, Faridpur in 1 September, 1999, and was buried in Banan Dhaka graveyard.

Pakistani Eastern Command plan for the defence of East Pakistan from 1967 to 1971 (generic representation—some unit locations not shown).

During the Bangladesh Liberation War, Pakistan Army created 314th ad hoc brigade to hold on to Khulna.[10] The Mukti Bahini fighters in Khulna were part of sector 8 under the command of Major Abu Osman Chowdhury, and later under Major Mohammad Abdul Monjur.[11]

Geography

Khulna is Bangladesh's third-largest city, after Dhaka and Chittagong. It is located in the south-western part of the country, on the Rupsha and Bhairab Rivers. It covers an area of 59.57 square kilometres (23.00 sq mi);[12] the district covers 4,394.46 square kilometres (1,696.71 sq mi). Khulna is south of Jessore and Narail, east of Satkhira, west of Bagerhat and north of the Bay of Bengal. It is part of the Ganges Delta, the world's largest river delta. The Sundarban, the world's largest mangrove forest, is in the southern part of the delta. Tidal flat ecosystems also occur adjacent to the city.[13] Khulna is in the northern part of the district, and the Mayur River is the western boundary of the metropolitan area.

Climate

Under the Koppen climate classification, Khulna features a tropical wet and dry climate. The city is humid and hot during summer, and pleasant and warm during winter. Khulna is significantly effected in the monsoon or rainy season. Khulna gets less rainfall compared with other parts of Bangladesh due to the geography and the effects of the largest mangrove forest in the world, The Sunderbans, located south of Khulna. Its annual average rainfall is 1,878.4 mm (73.95 in), and about 87 percent falls between May and October. Furthermore, Khulna receives extreme rainfall from cyclones which are formed in the Bay of Bengal during some years. Khulna has an annual average temperature of 26.3 °C (79.3 °F), with monthly average temperatures from 11.4 °C (52.5 °F) during January mornings to 34.6 °C (94.3 °F) during April afternoons.

Climate data for Khulna (1991–2020)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 31.2
(88.2) 		36.2
(97.2) 		38.7
(101.7) 		40.7
(105.3) 		40.7
(105.3) 		39.0
(102.2) 		37.4
(99.3) 		36.5
(97.7) 		37.0
(98.6) 		36.5
(97.7) 		38.4
(101.1) 		30.7
(87.3) 		40.7
(105.3)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 25.1
(77.2) 		28.9
(84.0) 		32.9
(91.2) 		34.9
(94.8) 		35.0
(95.0) 		33.5
(92.3) 		32.3
(90.1) 		32.4
(90.3) 		32.7
(90.9) 		32.3
(90.1) 		30.1
(86.2) 		26.4
(79.5) 		31.4
(88.5)
Daily mean °C (°F) 18.1
(64.6) 		22.0
(71.6) 		26.5
(79.7) 		29.2
(84.6) 		29.8
(85.6) 		29.5
(85.1) 		28.9
(84.0) 		29.0
(84.2) 		28.8
(83.8) 		27.7
(81.9) 		24.1
(75.4) 		19.6
(67.3) 		26.1
(79.0)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 12.4
(54.3) 		16.0
(60.8) 		20.9
(69.6) 		24.3
(75.7) 		25.5
(77.9) 		26.4
(79.5) 		26.4
(79.5) 		26.4
(79.5) 		26.1
(79.0) 		24.3
(75.7) 		19.5
(67.1) 		14.4
(57.9) 		21.9
(71.4)
Record low °C (°F) 6.4
(43.5) 		9.0
(48.2) 		12.5
(54.5) 		16.0
(60.8) 		19.4
(66.9) 		19.2
(66.6) 		22.2
(72.0) 		22.2
(72.0) 		21.5
(70.7) 		18.3
(64.9) 		13.0
(55.4) 		8.0
(46.4) 		6.4
(43.5)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 14
(0.6) 		37
(1.5) 		39
(1.5) 		62
(2.4) 		179
(7.0) 		311
(12.2) 		369
(14.5) 		320
(12.6) 		285
(11.2) 		151
(5.9) 		35
(1.4) 		6
(0.2) 		1,808
(71.2)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1 mm) 1 3 3 6 11 17 23 21 17 9 2 1 114
Average relative humidity (%) 78 74 73 76 79 85 87 86 87 84 80 79 81
Mean monthly sunshine hours 220.1 229.7 254.2 249.6 237.2 157.5 137.7 146.9 160.0 216.6 234.5 217.8 2,461.8
Source 1: NOAA[14]
Source 2: Bangladesh Meteorological Department (humidity 1981–2010)[15]


Administration

Khulna Municipal Council was founded on 12 December 1884, and became a municipal corporation in 1984 and a city corporation in 1990. Khulna City Corporation is a self-governing corporation run by an elected mayor, who governs the city's 31 wards.

Khulna Metropolitan Police (KMP) maintains law and order and regulates traffic flow in the metropolitan area. It has eight police stations: Khulna Kotwali Thana, Sonadanga Thana, Khalishpur Thana, Daulatpur Thana, Khan Jahan Ali Thana, Aarongghata Thana, Horintana Thana and Labonchora Thana. The Metropolitan Magistrate Court (CMM) adjudicates the city's legal issues. The Khulna Development Authority (KDA) plans and coordinates the city's development. Khulna Water Supply & Sewerage Authority (KWASA) parallels the KCC.

Khulna has two parliamentary constituencies: Khulna-02 (Khulna Sadar Thana and Sonadanga Thana) and Khulna-03 (Khalishpur Thana, Daulatpur Thana and part of Khan Jahan Ali Thana). Khulna District and Khulna Division are headquartered in the city.

Demographics

Religion in Khulna[16]
Religion Percent
Islam
 
 83%
Hinduism
 
 16%
Other or not stated
 
 1%

In the 2011 census, Khulna had a population of 663,342.[5] The city and its metropolitan area had an estimated 2014 population of 1.022million.[17] Its population density is about 19,000 inhabitants per square kilometre (49,000/sq mi). The city's literacy rate is 59.1 percent, higher than the national average of 56.5 percent.

Most of Khulna's population is Bengali, like the rest of Bangladesh. Pure local residents of the city are known as Khulnaiya. Its population is also composed of people from neighboring districts and from Barisal and Faridpur Divisions. Many people from Noakhali District live in the city. Khulna also has a Bihari population.

Most residents of Khulna speak Bengali (the national language, its dialects and regional languages). English is understood by a large segment of the population, especially for business. There is a minority Urdu-speaking population, descendants of Muslims displaced from eastern India in 1947 who sought refuge in East Bengal. Many of them can be seen in the Khalishpur area of Khulna city.

Islam is Khulna's major religion, practiced by 83.2 percent of the population. Other religions are Hinduism (16.4 percent), Christianity (0.3 percent) and Buddhism (0.1 percent).[18]

Economy

Khulna is the Bangladesh's third-largest economic centre. North of the Port of Mongla, it has a variety of light and heavy industry. Major sectors are jute, chemicals, fish and seafood packaging, food processing, sugar milling, power generation and shipbuilding. The Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) regulates commerce through its Licensed Measurers' Department (LMD) and certification, attestation and publicity departments of this area. The region has an Export Processing Zone, which has attracted foreign investment. The city is home to branch offices of a number of national companies, including M. M. Ispahani Limited, BEXIMCO, James Finlay Bangladesh, Summit Power and the Abul Khair Group. The largest companies based in the city include Khulna Shipyard, Bangladesh Cable Shilpa Limited, Bangladesh Oxygen, Platinum Jubilee Mills, Star Jute Mills and the Khulna Oxygen Company. The economy of Khulna is the third largest in the Peoples Republic of Bangladesh, contributing $52 billion in nominal gross state product and $94 billion in purchasing power parity terms as of 2020. [citation needed]

Transport

Road

Long, high bridge seen from below
Khan Jahan Ali Bridge, which carries the Khulna City Bypass over the Rupsha River

Rickshaws are the most popular means of public transport in Khulna for short trips, and auto rickshaws are also common. Nagar Paribahan buses have frequent service between Rupsha and Phultala, with stops throughout Khulna. Motorcycles are popular among the middle class, and wealthier people prefer a private car.

The N7 highway connects Khulna with the rest of Bangladesh, and the Khulna City Bypass is a major road. The R760 connects Satkhira and western Khulna Districts. There are several nationwide bus services available in Khulna (most privately owned), and the Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation operates inter-district bus service from the city. Sonadanga Bus Terminal is Khulna's main bus terminal. Major bus routes include Khulna-Jessore-Dhaka; Khulna-Goplaganj-Dhaka; Khulna-Jessore-Kushtia; Khulna-Satkhira; Khulna-Bagerhat; Khulna-Mongla; Khulna-Narail; Khulna-Barisal; Khulna-Rajshahi; Khulna-Faridpur; Khulna-Kuakata, and Khulna-Dhaka-Chittagong.

Rail

Khulna railway station

Khulna railway station is the city's main station in the city. Bangladesh Railway operates six intercity trains: the Sundarban and Chitra Express (to Dhaka), the Kapotaksha and Sagardari Express (to Rajshahi), and the Rupsa Express and Seemanta Express to Chilahati. Two commuter express trains serve Benapole, in addition to mail trains to Parbatipur, Chapainawabganj and Goalanda. The international Bandhan Express runs to Kolkata. There are four other railway stations in Khulna, and two more (in addition to the Rupsha Rail Bridge) are under construction as part of the Khulna–Mongla Port Railway project. They are Khulna Junction, Daulatpur College, Daulatpur and Shiromoni, Arongghata, Mohammadnagar.

Air

There is a airport in Khulna which is almost 20kilometres near from the main city.It is named Khan Jahan Ali Airport which is under construction. Jessore Airport, which is situated 50 kilometres north from the city centre.Biman Bangladesh Airlines, US-Bangla Airlines, Novoair and other airlines have regular flights between Jessore and Dhaka, with air-conditioned bus service from the airport to Khulna.Most of the annual passengers of Jashore Airport are from Khulna city.

Water

Several passenger launches and cargo services operate from the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority Launch Terminal in Khulna, with express service to Dhaka.

Education

Main article: List of educational institutions in Khulna
University buildings, with statue and scattered rocks
Bangladesh Liberation War statue at the Khulna University of Engineering & Technology
Plain concrete building, with a green bus outside
Khulna University building
Large pond and college buildings
Brajalal College pond

Khulna has a number of educational institutions including the Khulna University of Engineering & Technology (KUET). The Khulna University of Engineering & Technology (KUET) is the only engineering university in Khulna, has been ranked in the 2019 edition of QS Asian University Rankings.[19] Brajalal College, founded in 1902, is the city's oldest higher-education institution. It also has a general public university, named Khulna University which is the only public university in Bangladesh where student politics is prohibited.[20] There is also an agriculture university, named Khulna Agricultural University (KAU) which had its first batch in 2018. The Khulna Medical College (KMC) and BL College are also in the city. North Western University, Bangladesh (NWU) and the Northern University of Business and Technology (NUBT) are private institutions.

Universities

[23]

  • Khulna Agricultural University .[24]

Colleges

  • Khan Jahan Ali College of Engineering and Technology
  • Shahid Suhrawardy College Khulna
  • Azam Khan Government Commerce College
  • BN English School and College
  • BN School and College, Khulna
  • Cantonment Public College
  • Daulatpur College (Day/Night)
  • Bangabandhu College
  • Hazi Md Muhasin College
  • Government Majid Memorial City College
  • Govt. Pioneer Women's College
  • Govt. Sundarban College
  • Islamabad Collegiate School Khulna (ICSK)
  • Islamia College
  • KCC Women's College
  • Ahshanullah College
  • Khulna Govt. Women's College
  • Khulna Public College
  • Military Collegiate School Khulna (MCSK)
  • Chuknagar Degree College
  • Mohshin College
  • Rayermohal (Honours) College, Khulna Sadar
  • Shahpur Madhugram College, Shahpur, Khulna
  • Govt. B.L College Daulatpur, Khulna
  • South Herald English School and College

Polytechnic institutes

  • City Polytechnic Institute Khulna (private)
  • Desh Polytechnic Institute (private)
  • Hope Polytechnic Institute (private)
  • Islami Bank Polytechnic Institute (private)
  • Khan Jahan Ali Polytechnic Institute (private)
  • Khulna Mohila Polytechnic Institute
  • Khulna Polytechnic Institute
  • Khulna Technical Institute (private)
  • Mangrove Polytechnic Institute of Science and Technology (private)
  • North South Polytechnic Institute (private)
  • Sundarban Polytechnic Institute (private)

Sports

Further information: Sport in Bangladesh

Cricket and football are the two most popular sports in Khulna, and the Khulna Division cricket team has its home ground in the city. Khulna's Bangladesh Premier League Khulna Titans were formerly the Khulna Royal Bengals. The Khulna Abahani Club played in Bangladesh Football Premier League for several seasons before its relegation in the 2008–09 Bangladesh Premier League season.

Sheikh Abu Naser Stadium, the city's only international sports venue (hosting test cricket, One Day International and Twenty20 International matches), became Bangladesh's seventh test-cricket venue on 21 November 2012; it also hosts several Bangladesh Premier League matches.[25] Khulna District Stadium hosts other domestic sports and cultural events.

Media

Some of the print media include:

  • Daily Purbanchal
  • Daily Janmabhumi
  • Daily Shomoyer Khobor
  • Dakhinanchal Protidin

and the only English-language newspaper Daily Tribune.

Other electronic media include:

  • Khulna Gazette (www.khulnagazette.com)
  • Protidin Shebok (www.protidinshebok.com)
  • Shomoyer Khobor (www.skhobor.com)

Radio Stations are Bangladesh Betar Khulna (106.5 MHz) Radio Today (89.6), Radio Foorti (88.0), and Radio Khulna FM (88.8).

Tourism

The Sundarbans, in Khulna District, is home to the Bengal tiger and the world's largest virgin mangrove forest. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.[26]

The Mosque City of Bagerhat is a formerly-lost city in the suburbs of Bagerhat, about 15 miles (24 km) south-est of Khulna. It is also a World Heritage Site.[27]

Rabindra Complex is in the village of Dakkhindihi, 19 kilometres (12 mi) from Khulna. The home of Rabindranath Tagore's father-in-law, Beni Madhab Roy Chowdhury, Tagore visited it several times. The museum has been renovated and is administered by Bangladesh's Department of Archaeology.[28]

The Khulna Divisional Museum, founded in 1998, is the city's only museum. It was established by Bangladesh's Department of Archaeology.

Notable people

References

  1. ^ "Area, Population and Literacy Rate by Paurashava −2001" (PDF). Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics. 2001. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 June 2008. Retrieved 19 August 2009.
  2. ^ https://worldpopulationreview.com/world-cities/khulna-population
  3. ^ Tapan Palit (2012). "Khulna City Corporation". In Sirajul Islam and Ahmed A. Jamal (ed.). Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh (Second ed.). Asiatic Society of Bangladesh.
  4. ^ "Bangladesh–10 Largest Cities". Archived from the original on 13 February 2019. Retrieved 10 September 2019.
  5. ^ a b "Population & Housing Census-2011" (PDF). Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics. p. 44. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 15 December 2015.
  6. ^ Marshall Cavendish Corporation (2007). World and Its Peoples: Eastern and Southern Asia. Marshall Cavendish. p. 491. ISBN 9780761476313.
  7. ^ Girard, Luigi Fusco (2003). The Human Sustainable City: Challenges and Perspectives from the Habitat Agenda. Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. p. 298. ISBN 9780754609452.
  8. ^ "জেলার ঐতিহ্য". Khulna District Portal. Archived from the original on 13 December 2013. Retrieved 21 December 2013.
  9. ^ a b Hunter, William Wilson (1908). Imperial Gazetteer of India. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press. p. 287.
  10. ^ Salik, Siddiq, Witness to Surrender, pp126
  11. ^ "War of Liberation, The". Banglapedia. Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. Retrieved 13 July 2020.
  12. ^ Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics; Area, Population and Literacy Rate by Paurashava – 2001 (pdf-file) Retrieved on 29 September 2008.
  13. ^ Murray, N.J.; Clemens, R.S.; Phinn, S.R.; Possingham, H.P.; Fuller, R.A. (2014). "Tracking the rapid loss of tidal wetlands in the Yellow Sea" (PDF). Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment. 12 (5): 267–272. doi:10.1890/130260.
  14. ^ "World Meteorological Organization Climate Normals for 1991-2020 — Khulna". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
  15. ^ "Normal Monthly Humidity". Bangladesh Meteorological Department. Retrieved 31 January 2016.
  16. ^ "About Khulna". Khula City Corporation.
  17. ^ "World Urbanization Prospects, 2014 Revision" (PDF). United Nations. p. 319. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 January 2019. Retrieved 6 December 2017.
  18. ^ "Bangladesh, Khulna state". joshuaproject.net.
  19. ^ "Khulna University of Engineering and Technology".
  20. ^ "Khulna University". Archived from the original on 3 March 2019.
  21. ^ "KUET | Khulna University of Engineering & Technology".
  22. ^ ":: Welcome to Khulna University ::". Archived from the original on 1 June 2007.
  23. ^ "NWU | North Western University".
  24. ^ "KAU | Khulna Agricultural University".
  25. ^ "BPL 2013 to kick off on January 17". ESPN Cricinfo. 11 October 2012. Retrieved 31 October 2012.
  26. ^ "The Sundarbans". World Heritage List. UNESCO. Retrieved 13 September 2019.
  27. ^ "Historic Mosque City of Bagerhat". World Heritage List. UNESCO. Retrieved 13 September 2019.
  28. ^ "Rabindra museum draws huge crowd". The Independent (Bangladesh). Retrieved 13 September 2019.
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