Khulna


Khulna is the third-largest city in Bangladesh, after Dhaka and Chittagong. It is the administrative centre of the Khulna District and the Khulna Division. It is the divisional centre of 10 districts of the division. Khulna is also the second largest port city of Bangladesh after Chittagong because of Port of Mongla. There is also a river port within the city named Port of Khulna. Khulna's economy is mainly marine, sea port and local industry based and it is the third-largest in Bangladesh.
Khulna is on the Rupsha and Bhairab River, a strategic industrial point in southwestern Bangladesh. It is also an important industrial hub in Bangladeshi industry, hosting many of the nation's largest companies. Khulna's economy is affected by the Port of Mongla, Bangladesh's second-largest seaport.
A colonial steamboat service, which includes the Tern, Osrich and Lepcha, operates 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 Bengal tiger. It is north of the Mosque City of Bagerhat, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

History

Khulna was part of the ancient kingdoms of Vanga, Gangaridai and Samatata. After the end of the Pala Empire, it was ruled by the Sena dynasty during the 12th-century reign of Ballala Sena, and formed part of the Bagri division of Bengal.
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 encompassing a large part of Khulna Division from the king of Gauḍa during the 15th century and renamed the region as Jahanabad. Ali ruled until he died in 1459.
After Ali's death, the city became part of the Bengal Sultanate. During the reign of Daud Khan Karrani in the 16th century, Vikramaditya obtained a grant in southern Bengal—including Khulna—when Karrani was fighting the Mughals. Vikramaditya established a sovereign kingdom with its capital at Iswaripur. 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.
Khulna was ruled by autonomous Bengali nawabs until 1793 when the British East India Company abolished nizamat and took control of the city. Becoming part of Jessore District in 1842, it became the headquarters of Khulna District in 1882. Khulna had a pouroshava in 1884, which became a municipal corporation in 1984.
Before 19 August 1947, Khulna District was part of undivided Bengal. Khulna first declared itself as part of India in 1947, and the Indian flag was flown on 15 August. Syed Mohammad Abdul Halim requested Khulna's inclusion in Pakistan, and the boundary commission declared that the city was part of East Bengal. Sher e Bangla A.K.Fazlul Haq, Muslim League leaders Khan A Sabur, Advocate Hamidul Haq Chowdhury, A. F. M. Abdul Jalil, and Abdul Mojid Khan were also involved in the process.
During the Bangladesh Liberation War, the Pakistan Army created the 314th ad hoc Brigade to hold Khulna. The city's Mukti Bahini fighters were part of sector 8 under the command of Major Abu Osman Chowdhury and, later, under Major Mohammad Abdul Monjur.

Geography

Khulna is Bangladesh's third-largest city, after Dhaka and Chittagong. It is in the southwestern part of the country, on the Rupsha and Bhairab Rivers. Even though the city corporation area is 45.65 square Kilometres, The total city area covers, and Khulna District covers. Khulna is south of Jessore and Narail District, east of Satkhira District, west of Bagerhat and north of the Bay of Bengal. It is part of the Ganges Delta, the world's largest river delta. Sundarbans, the world's largest mangrove forest, is in the southern part of the delta. Tidal-flat ecosystems are adjacent to the city. Khulna is in the northern part of the district, and the Mayur River is the western boundary of its metropolitan area.

Climate

In the Köppen climate classification, Khulna has a tropical wet and dry climate. The city is hot and humid during summer, and pleasantly warm during winter. Khulna is significantly affected by the Monsoon of South Asia. Khulna gets less rainfall than other parts of Bangladesh due to its location and the effects of the Sundarbans south of the city. Its annual average rainfall is h about 87 percent falling between May and October. Khulna also receives heavy rain from cyclones which form in the Bay of Bengal. The city has an annual average temperature of, with monthly averages ranging from on January mornings to during April afternoons.

Administration

Khulna Municipal Council was founded on 12 December 1884. It 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.
The Khulna Metropolitan Police maintains law and order and regulates traffic in the metropolitan area. It has eight police stations: Khulna Kotwali Thana, Sonadanga Thana, Khalishpur Thana, Daulatpur Thana, Khan Jahan Ali Thana, Aranghata Thana, Harintana Thana and Labanchara Thana. The Metropolitan Magistrate Court adjudicates the city's legal issues. The Khulna Development Authority plans and coordinates the city's development. Khulna Water Supply & Sewerage Authority parallels the KCC.
Khulna city area has two parliamentary seats. They are
Khulna is one of two principal naval command centers for the Bangladesh Navy. The BNS Titumir naval base is in the city. Jahanabad Cantonment, containing the Army Service Corps Center and School is situated in Gilatola area of the Khulna metropolitan.
Also Khulna Shipyard is a renowned military naval Institute in Khulna region

Demographics

As of the 2022 census, Khulna City Corporation had 188,579 households and a population of 719,557. 14.97% of the population was under 10 years of age. Khulna had a literacy rate of 88.07% for those 7 years and older and a sex ratio of 102.91 males per 100 females.
In the 2011 census, Khulna City Corporation had a population of 751,237 in 177,852 households. Khulna had a sex ratio of 923 females to 1000 males and a literacy rate of 72.7%.
Like the rest of Bangladesh, most of the city's population is Bengali. Khulna's native residents are known as Khulnaiya. Its population also consists of people from neighboring districts.
Most residents speak Bengali, its dialects, and regional languages. English is understood by a large segment of the population, especially in business. An Urdu-speaking population, descendants of Muslims displaced from Bihar in 1947 who sought refuge in East Bengal, lives in the city's Khalishpur area.
Islam is Khulna's major religion, practiced by 89.06% of the population. Other religions are Hinduism, and Christianity.

Economy

Khulna is Bangladesh's third-largest economic center. North of the Port of Mongla, it has a variety of industries. Major sectors are jute, chemicals, fish and seafood packaging, food processing, sugar milling, power generation and shipbuilding. The Khulna Chamber of Commerce and Industry regulates commerce through its Licensed Measurers' Department and certification, attestation, and publicity departments. The region has an Export Processing Zone, attracting foreign investment. The city is home to branch offices of several national companies, including M. M. Ispahani Limited, BEXIMCO, James Finlay Bangladesh, Summit Power and the Abul Khair Group. Khulna's largest companies include Khulna Shipyard, Bangladesh Cable Shilpa Limited, Bangladesh Oxygen, Platinum Jubilee Mills, Star Jute Mills, and the Khulna Oxygen Company.

Transport

Road

s 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, but 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 N760 connects Satkhira and western Khulna Districts. There are several nationwide bus services available in Khulna, and the Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation operates inter-district buses 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

is the city's main station. Bangladesh Railway operates six intercity trains: the Sundarban and Chitra Expresses, the Kapotaksha and Sagardari Expresses, and the Rupsa and Seemanta Expresses 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. The city has four other railway stations, and two more are newly inaugurated as part of the Khulna–Mongla Port Railway project.

Air

, north of Khulna, has flights to Dhaka on Biman Bangladesh Airlines, US-Bangla Airlines and Novoair, with air-conditioned bus service from the airport to the city. Khan Jahan Ali Airport, is an airport under construction near Khulna city to serve Khulna region.

Water

Several passenger launches and cargo services operate from the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority launch terminal in the city.

Public transport

There is public transportation in Khulna city through the mid 19's. Buses of that urban transportation of Khulna city were called 'Murir Tin'. Today besides the urban transportation buses, Cycle rickshaw, auto rickshaws are playing a vital role in transport within Khulna city and the adjoining metro area. Famous ride sharing services like Uber, Pathao, Obhai also available in the city.
There are also bus and mini-bus services on some routes, connecting suburban areas of the city. Plenty of rental car agencies operate within the city and metro area, where sedans, SUVs, and micro-buses are available to hire hourly or daily.