Khulna Division

{{Short description|Division of Bangladesh}}

{{Infobox settlement

| name = Khulna Division

| native_name = খুলনা বিভাগ

| native_name_lang = bn

| settlement_type = Division of Bangladesh

| other_name = Jahanabad

| nickname = Gateway to the Sundarbans

| image_alt =

| image_seal =

| image_skyline = {{Photomontage

| photo1a = ষাট-গম্বুজ-মসজিদ.jpg

| photo2a = Deep inside the mangrove forest.jpg

| photo2b = Khanjahan Ali Bridge 2.jpg

| photo3a = KUET Sign Mark.jpg

| photo3b = শিলাইদহ রবীন্দ্র কুঠিবাড়ি (13).jpg

| photo4a = Beauty of Sundarban river02.jpg

| position =

| spacing = 1

| color_border = white

| color = white

| size = 280

}}

| image_caption = Clockwise from the top:
Sixty Dome Mosque, Khan Jahan Ali Bridge, Shilaidaha Kuthibadi, Sundarbans, KUET and Hiron Point within Sundarbans

| image_map = {{switcher|File:Khulna in Bangladesh.svg|Khulna Division in Bangladesh|File:Khulna Division districts map.png|Districts of Khulna Division}}

| map_alt =

| map_caption =

| image_map1 =

| map_caption1 =

| coordinates = {{coord|22|55|N|89|15|E|region:BD_type:adm1st_source:GNS-enwiki|display=inline,title}}

| coor_pinpoint =

| coordinates_footnotes =

| subdivision_type = Country

| subdivision_name = {{flag|Bangladesh }}

| established_title = Established

| established_date = 1960

| seat_type = Capital
{{nowrap|{{nobold|and largest city}}}}

| seat = Khulna

| government_footnotes =

| leader_party =

| leader_title = Divisional Commissioner

| leader_name = Md. Hilal Mahmud Sharif{{cite web |url=http://www.khulnadiv.gov.bd/site/officer_list/75b15e83-4121-4462-a185-0d62e0cdc16a/%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%AD%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%97%E0%A7%80%E0%A6%AF%E0%A6%BC%20%E0%A6%95%E0%A6%AE%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%B6%E0%A6%A8%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B0 |script-title=bn:কনটেন্টটি শেয়ার করতে ক্লিক করুন |website=Khulna Division |access-date=20 June 2022 |archive-date=23 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230223012438/http://www.khulnadiv.gov.bd/site/officer_list/75b15e83-4121-4462-a185-0d62e0cdc16a/%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%AD%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%97%E0%A7%80%E0%A6%AF%E0%A6%BC%20%E0%A6%95%E0%A6%AE%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%B6%E0%A6%A8%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B0 |url-status=dead }}{{cite web | url=http://pmis.mopa.gov.bd/pmis/Forms/divcommlist.php | title=List of Divisional Commissioners | access-date=20 June 2022 | archive-date=18 June 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220618085224/http://pmis.mopa.gov.bd/pmis/Forms/divcommlist.php | url-status=dead }}

| leader_title1 = Parliamentary constituency

| leader_name1 = Jatiya Sangsad (36 seats)

| unit_pref = Metric

| area_footnotes =

| area_total_km2 = 22284.22

| area_note =

| elevation_footnotes =

| elevation_m =

| population_total = 17415924 (Enumerated)

| population_as_of = 2022

| population_footnotes = {{Cite book |url=https://bbs.portal.gov.bd/sites/default/files/files/bbs.portal.gov.bd/page/b343a8b4_956b_45ca_872f_4cf9b2f1a6e0/2024-01-31-15-51-b53c55dd692233ae401ba013060b9cbb.pdf |title=National Report |date=November 2023 |publisher=Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics |isbn=978-9844752016 |series=Population and Housing Census 2022 |volume=1 |location=Dhaka |pages=386}}

| population_density_km2 = auto

| population_urban = 4312418

| population_urban_footnotes =

| population_rural = 13102183

| population_rural_footnotes =

| population_metro = 719,465

| demographics_type1 = Languages

| demographics1_title1 = Official language

| demographics1_info1 = Bengali{{cite web |url=http://bdlaws.minlaw.gov.bd/act-details-367.html |title=The Constitution of the People's Republic of Bangladesh |website=Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs |access-date=1 February 2017 |archive-date=10 November 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191110101626/http://bdlaws.minlaw.gov.bd/act-details-367.html |url-status=live }}

| demographics1_title2 = {{nobold|Indigenous minority languages}}

| demographics1_info2 = {{Collapsible list

| titlestyle = background:transparent;text-align:left;font-weight:normal;font-size:100%;

| title = List{{cite web |url=https://www.ethnologue.com/country/BD/ |title=Bangladesh |website=Ethnologue |access-date=7 January 2024}}

|Rakhine

|Santali}}

| population_metro_footnotes =

| population_blank1_title = Adjusted Population

| population_blank1 = 17813218

| population_note =

| timezone1 = Bangladesh Standard Time

| utc_offset1 = +6

| iso_code = BD-D

| website = {{URL|https://khulna.gov.bd}}

| blank_name_sec1 = HDI (2018)

| blank_info_sec1 = 0.641{{Cite web|url=https://globaldatalab.org/shdi/shdi/BGD/?levels=1%2B4&interpolation=1&extrapolation=0&nearest_real=0|title=Sub-national HDI - Area Database|website=Global Data Lab|language=en|access-date=8 July 2021|archive-date=9 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709185837/https://globaldatalab.org/shdi/shdi/BGD/?levels=1%2B4&interpolation=1&extrapolation=0&nearest_real=0|url-status=live}}
{{color|#fc0|medium}}

| blank_name_sec2 = Notable sport teams

| blank_info_sec2 = Khulna Tigers, Khulna Division

| founder =

| footnotes =

}}

Khulna Division ({{langx|bn|খুলনা বিভাগ}}) is the second largest of the eight divisions of Bangladesh. It has an area of {{cvt|22,285|km2}} and a population of 17,416,645 at the 2022 Bangladesh census (preliminary returns). Its headquarters and largest city is Khulna city in Khulna District.

History

During the British Raj era, Khulna Division was a part of the Presidential division. Before 1947, The Presidential division had six major districts, Murshidabad, Calcutta, 24 Parganas, Khulna, undivided Jessore, and undivided Nadia. In 1947, The Partition of India divided this division into two. The district of Khulna and the other half of Jessore District and Nadia District became part of newly established East Bengal. And rest of the district of the presidential division became part of West Bengal. In 1948, Nadia district of East Bengal formed new Kushtia District. And the government of East Bengal added the Jessore, Khulna & Kushtia district into Rajshahi Division. After in 1960, the government of East Pakistan, these three districts from Rajshahi Division and one district from Dacca Division created new division of Khulna. In 1993, the Barisal Division was formed from Khulna division.

Geography

The Khulna division borders to India by the State of West Bengal to the west, the Rajshahi Division to the north, the Dhaka division and the Barisal division to the east, and has a coastline on the Bay of Bengal to the south. It is part of the Ganges River delta or Greater Bengal Delta. Other rivers include the Madhumati River, the Bhairab River and the Kapotaksha River. The region also includes several islands in the Bay of Bengal.

The Sundarbans, the world's largest mangrove forest, is in the southern part of the delta. Khulna is in the northern part of the district, and the Mayur River is the western boundary of the metropolitan area.

Administrative districts

The division was formed in 1960.

{{Cite Banglapedia|article=Khulna Division}}

Khulna Division consists of the following ten districts (zilas), subdivided into 59 sub-districts (upazilas):Census figures for 1991, 2001 and 2011 are from Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, Population Census Wing. The 2011 Census figures are based on preliminary results.

class="wikitable"
DistrictAdministrative
centre
Area in
km2.
Population
2001 Census
Population
2011 Census

!Population 2022 Census

Bagerhat DistrictBagerhat3,959.111,549,0311,476,090

|1,613,076

Chuadanga DistrictChuadanga1,174.101,007,1301,129,015

|1,234,054

Jashore DistrictJessore2,606.942,471,5542,764,547

|3,076,144

Jhenaidah DistrictJhenaidah1,964.771,579,4901,771,304

|2,005,849

Khulna DistrictKhulna4,394.452,378,9712,318,527

|2,613,385

Kushtia DistrictKushtia1,608.801,740,1551,946,838

|2,149,692

Magura DistrictMagura1,039.10824,311918,419

|1,033,115

Meherpur DistrictMeherpur751.62591,430655,392

|705,356

Narail DistrictNarail967.99698,447721,668

|788,671

Satkhira DistrictSatkhira3,817.291,864,7041,985,959

|2,196,582

Total Districts1022,284.2214,705,22315,687,759

|17,415,924

Demographics

{{bar box

|title=Religion in Khulna division (2022)

|titlebar=#Fcd116

|left1=Religion

|right1=Percent

|float=left

|bars=

{{bar percent|Muslims|green|88.21}}

{{bar percent|Hindus|darkorange|11.53}}

{{bar percent|Christians|dodgerblue|0.24}}

{{bar percent|Others|black|0.02}}

}}

Muslims are the predominant religion with 88.21%, while Hindus are main minority with 11.53% population. Christians and others are 0.24% and 0.02% respectively.

Economy

Most parts of the largest mangrove forest in the world — the Sundarban — is spread over the three most southerly districts of Satkhira, Khulna and Bagherhat. Khulna's GDP is the third-largest GDP behind Dhaka and Chittagong. It possesses a GDP of $53 billion.

Education

The division contains educational institutions including

= Universities =

Public Universities

Private Universities

= Medical Colleges =

Public

Private

= Colleges =

= Polytechnic institutes =

= Schools =

= Other educational institutes =

Khulna has six integrated general and vocational (IGV) schools and one technical school of UCEP (Underprivileged Children's Educational Programs), which is a non-profitable organization.

  • UCEP Mohsin Khulna TVET Institute, Baikali, Khulna
  • UCEP Mohsin Khulna Technical School, Baikali,
  • UCEP Sonadanga Technical School, Sonadanga
  • UCEP M.A Majid Technical School, Fulbarigate
  • UCEP Khalishpur Technical School, Khalishpur
  • UCEP Johara Samad Technical School, Tootpara
  • UCEP Wazed Ali Technical School, Banorgati

Transportation

Khulna Division has highest transportation link with other area in Bangladesh as well as with India by Road, Rail, Air and Waterways

= Road =

The national highway (N7) cross through Khulna Division which connects Dhaka to Port of Mongla. The AH1 and AH41 also Cross through Khulna division. It also connects with India by Port of Benapole, Port of Darshana, Port of Mujibnogor, and Port of Bhomra through various Road links.

= Rail =

There are several railway routes in Khulna Division which connects various cities and areas of Bangladesh. It also has 2 international routes which connects to India by train.

= Air =

There are two airports in Khulna Division. One of them is functional and one is under construction. The Jashore Airport is a functional airport in Khulna Division which connects Dhaka, Chattogram and Cox's Bazar by air and the Khan Jahan Ali International Airport is still under construction.

= Waterways =

Port of Khulna, Port of Kustia, Port of Noapara are the main three river port in Khulna division. Every day various ship are leaving from thus port to various part of Bangladesh.

Port of Mongla is the solo sea port in Khulna division.

Newspapers and magazines

Daily and weekly newspapers are published from Khulna Division, including:

  • Anirbhan
  • Janmobhumi
  • Khulna News
  • Lok Samaj
  • Probaho
  • Purbanchal
  • satkhiranews.com{{cite web |url=http://www.satkhiranews.com/ |title=Satkhira News |access-date=8 April 2014 |archive-date=9 April 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140409084548/http://satkhiranews.com/ |url-status=live }}
  • The Daily Gramer Kagoj
  • The Daily Spandan{{Cite Banglapedia|article=Jessore District}}
  • Tribune{{Cite Banglapedia|article=Khulna District}}
  • Daily Mathabhanga

Points of interest

Sixty Dome Mosque — Situated in the suburbs of Bagerhat Sadar Upazila, at the meeting-point of the Ganges and Brahmaputra rivers, this ancient city, formerly known as Khalifatabad, was founded by the Turkish general Ulugh Khan Jahan in the 15th century. The city's infrastructure reveals considerable technical skill and an exceptional number of mosques and early Islamic monuments, many built of brick, can be seen there.{{Cite web|url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/321/|title=Historic Mosque City of Bagerhat|website=UNESCO World Heritage Centre|language=en|access-date=11 April 2019|archive-date=6 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191206133932/http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/321|url-status=live}}

The Sundarbans mangrove forest, one of the largest such forests in the world (140,000 ha), lies on the delta of the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna rivers on the Bay of Bengal. It is adjacent to the border of India's Sundarbans World Heritage site inscribed in 1987. The site is intersected by a complex network of tidal waterways, mudflats and small islands of salt-tolerant mangrove forests, and presents an excellent example of ongoing ecological processes. The area is known for its wide range of fauna, including 260 bird species, the Bengal tiger and other threatened species such as the estuarine crocodile and the Indian python.

Mobarakganj Sugar Mills Limited is a prominent sugar manufacturing company located in Mobarakganj, Jhenaidah, Bangladesh. Established with the goal of supporting the agricultural sector and contributing to the national economy, the company produces high-quality sugar and related by-products.

Lalon is Bengali Baul saint. Lalon Shah was a songwriter, social reformer, and thinker. He is most popular as Lalon Shah or Lalon Fakir. He wrote many songs, and these songs are known as Lalon Geeti. Fakir Lalon was born in 1774 and died on 17 October 1890 in Kushtia district, Bangladesh. He is known as the Baul Samrat.

Shilaidaha Kuthibadi is a place in Kumarkhali Upazila of Kushtia District in Bangladesh. The place is famous for Kuthi Bari; a country house made by Dwarkanath Tagore. Rabindranath Tagore lived a part of life here and created some of his memorable poems while living here.

1971: Genocide-Torture Archive & Museum - Rare pictures and paintings depicting the genocide of Bangalees by the Pakistan army hang on the wall. There is also a rich collection of books and audio-visual materials on the ruthless massacre against the unarmed people. The aim of the museum is to educate people, especially youths, about the genocide committed by the Pakistan army in association with their local collaborators, said Prof Muntassir Mamoon, chairman of the trustee board that runs the institution.{{Cite news|url=https://www.thedailystar.net/backpage/welcome-the-genocide-museum-1380547|title=Welcome to the genocide museum|date=24 March 2017|work=The Daily Star|language=en|access-date=11 April 2019|archive-date=12 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190412002342/https://www.thedailystar.net/backpage/welcome-the-genocide-museum-1380547|url-status=live}}

Notable residents

See also

References

{{Reflist}}