Jessore District

Jessore District, officially Jashore District, is a district in southwestern Bangladesh. It is bordered by India to the west, Khulna and Satkhira districts to the south, Khulna and Narail to the east, and Jhenaidah and Magura districts to the north. Jessore is the capital of the district. Jessore is the home to the ancestors of Rabindranath Tagore. Jashore was the first independent district of Bangladesh in 1971.
Jessore district was established in 1781. It consists of 8 municipalities, 8 upazilas, 92 unions, 1,329 mouzas, 1,477 villages and 120 mahallas. The upazilas are: Abhaynagar Upazila, Bagherpara Upazila, Chaugachha Upazila, Jessore Sadar Upazila, Jhikargachha Upazila, Keshabpur Upazila, Manirampur Upazila, and Sharsha Upazila.
The district produces a variety of crops. Date sugar, called patali, is made from the sap of locally grown date trees. It is cooked, thickened and crystallised using a traditional method. Patali is mainly produced in Khajura, but many date trees are cultivated in the Keshabpur Upazila and Manirampur Upazila areas.

History

Jessore district once belonged to the ancient Janapada of Vanga Janapada. In the 15th century, Jessore was a part of the kingdom of Pratapaditya. It was then conquered by the Mughals.
British administration was fully established in Jessore district in 1781 when the governor-general ordered the opening of a court at Murali near Jessore. In 1947, Jessore was divided between India and Pakistan. Except for the Bangaon and Gaighata thanas, the district became part of East Pakistan.
The Bengali soldiers stationed at Jessore Cantonment and mutinied against the Pakistan Army on 29 March 1971. They were led by Captain Hafiz Uddin and Lieutenant Anwar in an uprising where 300 soldiers were killed. The rebels killed 50 Pakistani soldiers at Chanchara.

Geography

Jessore District encompasses 2606.94 km². It is bounded by Jhenaidah and Magura districts at the north, Satkhira and Khulna districts at the south, Narail and Khulna districts at the east, and North 24 Parganas and Nadia districts of West Bengal of India at the west. Major rivers that flow through this region are the Bhairab, Teka, Hari, Sree, Aparbhadra, Harihar, Buribhadra, Chitra, Betna, Kopotakkho, and the Mukteshwari.

Climate

Annual average temperature range from. The annual rainfall is.

Demographics

According to the 2022 Census of Bangladesh, Jessore District had 798,032 households and a population of 3,076,144 with an average 3.79 people per household. Among the population, 510,121 inhabitants were under 10 years of age. The population density was 1,180 people per km². Jessore District had a literacy rate of 56.5%, compared to the national average of 74.80%, and a sex ratio of 1,018 females per 1,000 males. Approximately, 23.39% of the population lived in urban areas. The ethnic population was 5,386.
The Muslim population is the majority religion, while Hindus, the largest minority, have been growing much more slowly. There is a community of around 5,300 Christians in the district, mainly in Jhikargachha and Jessore Sadar upazilas.
The main occupations are agriculture 39.84%, agricultural labour 24.13%, other wage labour 2.68%, commerce 11.99%, service 8.66%, industry 1.41%, transport 3.11% and others 8.18%.
Jessore District's administrative framework was established in 1781. It consists of the following eight upazilas

Upazila	Area in km²	2011 Census population
Abhaynagar	247.21	262,434
Bagherpara	308.29	216,897
Chaugachha	269.31	231,370
Jhikargachha	307.96	298,908
Keshabpur	258.44	253,291
Jessore Sadar	435.22	742,898
Manirampur	444.20	417,421
Sharsha	336.28	341,328

The upazilas are further divided into 9 municipalities, 36 wards, 92 unions, 1,329 mouzas, 1,434 villages and 120 mahallas.

Economy

The economy of Jessore District is traditionally agrarian, but in recent decades it has diversified into industry, trade, services, and communications. Due to its geographical position, Jessore is considered a commercial gateway to the south-western region of Bangladesh. The district is home to the country's largest land port Benapole Land Port, the domestic Jessore Airport, railway and road networks, and the Noapara River Port.

Agriculture

Agriculture remains the backbone of Jessore’s economy. Major crops include rice, wheat, jute, maize, potatoes, vegetables, and a variety of fruits. Jessore is especially known for its flower cultivation; flowers grown in Godkhali, Jhikargacha and Sharsha are supplied across the country. The district was once famous for its date juice and molasses, which are still produced during winter. Aquaculture is another significant sector; numerous ponds and hatcheries in the district produce fish and fry that are supplied nationwide.

Industry

Jessore has a growing light engineering and mechanical workshop industry. Small factories and workshops produce and repair vehicles, motorcycles, agricultural machinery, and other equipment. Traditional industries include wooden furniture, bamboo and cane products, and handmade combs. The government has also approved the establishment of an Export Processing Zone and an economic zone in Jessore, which are expected to attract both local and foreign investment.

Trade and communication

is the largest land port in Bangladesh and serves as the principal gateway for trade with India. Many local residents are engaged directly or indirectly in port-related businesses. The Noapara River Port facilitates trade in goods such as coal, fertilizers, and industrial raw materials. Jessore has road and rail links with Dhaka and other districts, supporting the transport of agricultural and industrial products. Jessore Airport, the only operational domestic airport in the south-western region, plays a vital role in business and tourism.

Infrastructure and services

Almost every union in the district now has access to electricity, which has boosted irrigation, cottage industries, and service activities. Rural roads, bridges, and culverts have improved the marketing of agricultural products. Jessore is also emerging in the field of information technology. A Hi-Tech Park is under construction in the district headquarters, which is expected to become a future hub for the IT industry.

Challenges and prospects

Despite progress, many agricultural and industrial sectors in Jessore lag behind in modern technology and quality control. Climate change and natural disasters pose challenges to agricultural activities. However, sectors such as flower cultivation, fruits and vegetables, aquaculture, date-based products, light engineering, and information technology hold great potential to make Jessore one of the most promising economic regions of Bangladesh.

Arts and culture

There were 21 cinema halls in the district in 2000. As of 2021, only six survive: four in smaller towns, and two in the city of Jessore. One of the latter, Tosbir Mohol, once the country's second oldest theater with a revolving stage, is being restored for stage productions. The other, Monihar, the largest cinema hall in Bangladesh when it was built in 1983, with 1400 seats, reported record revenues in 2022.
Jessore-based theater troupe Bibartan has staged more than 4,000 performances since their founding in 1989.
Jessore Institute Public Library, established in 1854, is one of the oldest public libraries in the Indian subcontinent.

Sports

Football and cricket are the two most popular sports in Jessore. Cricketers from the district represent the South Zone in the Bangladesh Cricket League. In football, Jessore most notably won the National Football Championship in 1976. Notable footballers from the district includes Mannaf Rabby, Kowsar Ali, and Rabby Hossen Rahul. Lutfor Rahman, a member of the Shadhin Bangla football team, also hailed from the district. In 1973, the Jessore Zonal football team hosted a historic game against Dinamo Minsk from the Soviet Union, which ended in a 0–9 defeat. The Shamsul Huda Stadium, formerly known as the Jessore Stadium, serves as the district's main venue for football and cricket. The stadium notably hosted the Pakistan National Football Championship in 1968. The Shams-Ul-Huda Football Academy, operated by the Jessore District Sports Association, is one of the most notable football academies in the country.

Points of interest

Sagardari is the birthplace of the poet Michael Madhusudan Dutta. His large villa consists of a huge garden, a small museum and houses. The front gate has a solid sculpture work. The Kobodak River is at a stone's throw away
Bharat Bhaina is the relics of ancient Buddhist Temple of the 6th century at Keshabpur
Mirzanagar Hammamkhana is a structure of Mughal's at Keshabpur
Dhalijhara Buddha Bihar is one of the outstretched and unique Buddhist Temples of the 8th century among South Asia at Keshabpur
Sheikhpura 3 Domed Mosque
Khan Jahan Ali's Dighi at Keshabpur
Marshina Baor, a proposed ecopark at Keshabpur
Jhikargachha Upazila
Abhaynagar Upazila
In Vaatnogor at Abhaynagar Upazila, ruins of eleven temple complex, dedicated to Shiva
A terracotta plaque bearing the image of Mallinath, a female tirthankar of the Jain religion, was found at the Mound of Dam Dam Peer in Manirampur Upazila. File:Mound_of_Dam_Dam_Peer_2.jpeg|thumb| Mound of Dam Dam Peer in Manirampur Upazila. It is believed to be the most ancient relic discovered from this part of the world. The Department at Khulna said that the plaque is at least 1800 years old. It is currently kept at the Khulna Museum.
Gazir Dorgah
Jessore Airport, Jessore Cantonment and Air Force Base Matiur Rahman
Avaynogor's Khanjahan Ali Jame Mosque
Jamidar Bari at Shridhorpur
Konnadah Archajjo Baor at Sarsha
Benapole Port
Sonanodia Baor
Fakhir Tika at Godkhali
Shimulia Mission
Grave of Birshrestho Lance Nayek Noor Muhammad Sheikh
Khatura Baor
Moktarpur Lalu Babu Jamidar Bari
Solo Khada Jamidar Bari