Jessore District

Jessore District (khulna division) area 2606.94 sq km, located in between 22°48' and 23°22' north latitudes and in between 88°51' and 89°34' east longitudes. It is bounded by jhenaidah and magura districts on the north, satkhira and khulna districts on the south, narail and Khulna districts on the east, West Bengal state of India on the west.

Population Total 2764547; male 1386293, female 1378254; Muslim 2446162, Hindu 310184, Buddhist 112, Christian 5556 and others 2533.

Water bodies Main rivers: bhairab, chitra, Betna, kobadak, Mukteshwari.

District
Area (sq km)	Upazila	Municipality	Union	Mouza	Village	Population		Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
						Urban	Rural
2606.94	8	8	91	1263	1419	513552	2250995	1060	56.5

Others Information of District
Name of Upazila	Area (sq km)	Municipality	Union	Mouza	Village	Population	Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
Abhaynagar	247.21	1	8	77	106	262434	1062	59.8
Keshabpur	258.44	-	9	133	135	253291	980	55.2
Chaugachha	269.31	-	11	138	154	231370	859	53.7
Jhikargachha	307.96	1	11	158	174	298908	971	53.0
Bagherpara	308.29	-	9	155	191	216897	704	52.8
Manirampur	444.20	1	17	233	235	417421	940	53.7
Jessore Sadar	435.22	1	15	237	256	742898	1707	63.8
Sharsha	336.28	-	11	131	168	341328	1015	49.8

Source Bangladesh Population Census 2011, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics.

Administration Jessore district was formed in 1781. Of the eight upazilas of the district manirampur is the largest (444.72 sq km) and abhaynagar is the smallest (247.19 sq km).

War of Liberation The Pak army arrested Advocate Moshiur Rahman (former minister and noted politician) on the night of 26 March 1971 and later brutally killed him. The Pak army killed a number of railway staff in the office room of the Nowapara Station under Abhaynagar upazila on 27 March 1971. They also killed 17 persons including Najibur Rahman, Assistant Secretary of bangladesh awami league of Nowapara unit. The Bangali soldiers posted at Jessore cantonment at the beginning of the war of liberation revolted against the Pak army on 29 March 1971. The rebellion was led by Captain Hafiz Uddin and Lt Anwar and about 300 soldiers were killed in it. The freedom fighters killed 50 Pakistani soldiers by machine gun shot at Chanchra. On 30 March the freedom fighters killed about 50 Pakistani soldiers at the turning point of the Chanchara. In the month of April the Pak army brutally killed many people at Krishnapur under Jhikargacha upazila. On 5 September a battle was fought between the freedom fighters and the Pak army at village Goalhati of Ganganandapur union in which Bir Srestha nur mohammad sheikh was killed. Two freedom fighters were killed in an encounter with razakars at village Dohakula of Bagherpara upazila. On 8 December another encounter was held between the freedom fighters and the razakars at village Sekandarpur in which three freedom fighters were killed and so were 30 razakars. The Pak army brutally killed 23 persons at village Manahar of Manirampur upazila. Twelve freedom fighters were killed in an encounter with the Pak army at the Kagajpukur area on the eastern side of the Benapole Border of Sharsha upazila. Besides, the Pak army sacked the nearby three villages. Many freedom fighters were killed in a battle with the Pak army and the combined forces (allied forces and the freedom fighters) on 20 November at Jagannathpur and Garibpur playground of Chaugachha upazila. This upazila is called the gateway to the War of Liberation. Jessore district was liberated on 7 December. There is a mass grave in the district; memorial monuments had been built at 5 places and there are 2 memorial sculptures and a memorial preservation centre. The tomb of Bir Srestha Nur Mohammad is at village Kashimpur under Sharsha upazila.

Literacy rate and educational institutions Average literacy 56.5%; male 59.4%, female 53.7%. Educational institutions: university college 1, medical college 1, law college 1, homeopathic college 1, college 78, polytechnic institution 1, secondary school 516, primary school 1254, madrasa 359. Noted educational institutions: Michael Madhusudan University College (1941), Noapara College (1964), Jessore Government Mohila College (1965), Manirampur Degree College (1967), Government City College (1967), Saheed Moshiur Rahman' law College (1968), Bagherpara Degree College (1972), Chaugachha College (1972), Navaran Degree College (1972), Sammilani Institute (1889), Jessore Zilla School (1838), Pajiya Secondary School (1897), Munshi Mehrullah Academy (1901), Biddanandakathi Rasbihari Secondary School (1901), PB Secondary School (1903), Nehalpur Secondary School (1917), Mosiahati Multilateral High School (1918), Jessore Government Girls' School (1920), Kultia Secondary School (1921), Madhusudan' Tara Prosonno Girls' School (1926), Shabajpur Secondary School (1927), Chaugachha Chara Pilot Secondary Girls' School (1928), Shadot Pilot School' (1928), Kashipur Siddiqia Alim Madrasa (1908), Narayanpur High school, Chaugachha High school, Bagherpara Senior Madrasa (1910), Bagherpara Siddiqia Fazil Madrasa (1922), Syedpur Siddiqia Dakhil Madrasa (1922), Chaugachha Madrasa' (1940).'

Newspapers and periodicals Daily: Purabi (1984), Desh Hitoishi (1991), Telegram (1991), Jessore (1993), Lok Samaj (1996), Gramer Kagaj (2001), Spondan (2006), Runner (2009); weekly: Sonali Din (1992), Manobadhikar Sangbad (1993), Noapara (1995), Banglalok (1996) Bajrakalam (2004), Pratahiki (2007), Gonomanas (2009); monthly: Ghumonter Dak (1995), Gramer Sangbad' (2004); photo report;' Samaeki, Jessore Shahittik Sangsad, Arbachin; deunct: Dainik Kalyan (1984), Kapatakkha.

Folk culture Folk songs such as Jari, Dheuo, Bhab, Baul, Foloi are sung in the rural areas of the district. Besides, indigenous communities like Bede, Pode, Kaora, Bagdi and Buno perform various folk festivals during Puja (worship) and marriage ceremony.

Tourist spots Jessgarden Park at Jessore Sadar upazila, Imambari, Deul Bharat at Keshabpur, Khanjalir Dighi, Madhu Palli at village Sagardari, Hammamkhana at Mirzanagar, Khan Jahan Ali Jami Mosque at Abhaynagar, Zamindar Bari at Sridharpur, Rup-Sonatan Dham. [Mahibullah Siddiqui]

See also The upazilas under this district.

References Bangladesh Population Census 2001 and 2011, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics; Cultural survey report of Jessore District 2007; Cultural survey report of Upazilas of Jessore District 2007.