Khulna District

Khulna District (khulna division) area 4394.45 sq km, located in between 21°41' and 23°00' north latitudes and in between 89°14' and 89°45' east longitudes. It is bounded by jessore and narail districts on the north, bay of bengal on the south, bagerhat district on the east, satkhira district on the west.

Population Total 2318527; male 1175686, female 1142841; Muslim 1776749, Hindu 525727 Buddhist 97, Christian 15239 and others 715.

Water bodies Main rivers: rupsa (Bhairab), Arpangachhia, shibsa, pasur, Koyra.

Administration Khulna district was established in 1882. Khulna Paurasabha was declared on 12 December 1884 and it was up graded into a Municipal Corporation on 12 December 1984. Khulna City Corporation was declared on 6 August 1990

District
Area (sq km)	Upazila	Municipality	Union	Mouza	Village	Population		Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
						Urban	Rural
4394.45	9	2	69	751	1123	777588	1540939	528	60.1

City Corporation
City corporation	Metropolitan thana	Ward	Mahalla
1	5	31	200

Khulna Metropolitan Thana
Name of Metropolitan thana and GO code	Area (sq km)	Ward and union	Mahalla and Mouza	Population	Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
Kotwali 51	9.45	9	63	250651	26524	72.86
Khan Jahan Ali 48	28.95	2	4	108317	3742	71.30
Khalishpur 45	11.47	10	41	235018	20490	73.72
Daulatpur 21	11.81	6	34	118380	10024	66.85
Sonadanga 85	8.42	7	42	172079	20437	68.91

Others Information of District
Name of Upazila	Area (sq km)	Municipality	Union	Mouza	Village	Population	Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
Koyra	1775.40	-	7	72	133	1,93,931	109	50.4
Dumuria	454.23	-	14	205	241	3,05,675	673	52.6
Terokhada	189.49	-	6	32	99	1,16,709	615	48.5
Dacope	991.56	-	9	26	97	1,52,316	154	56.0
Dighalia	77.16	1	4	29	43	1,15,585	1498	54.3
Paikgachha	411.19	1	10	166	212	2,47,983	603	52.8
Phultala	56.83	-	3	18	29	83,881	1476	59.0
Batiaghata	248.31	-	7	127	172	1,71,691	691	54.9
Rupsa	120.15	-	5	64	78	1,79,519	1494	58.2

Source Bangladesh Population Census 2001 and 2011, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics.

Historical events About 600 years ago Pir (saint) Khan Jahan Ali came to this district to preach Islam. He, for the first time, established settlements in the Sundarnbans area and established his control over the region centering Bagerhat. Mahatma Gandhi visited Khalishpur of the district to invigorate Swadeshi Movement.

War of Liberation The first encounter between Pak army and the freedom fighters in Khulna took place at Gallamari Radio Station of Khulna. There had been many encounters in other places of the district such as Khalishpur Police Station, Dumuria, Terokhada, Paikgacha, Fultala, Batiaghata and Rupsha. The joint troop of the freedom fighters and allied forces (Indian army) had a four dayfierce fight with the Pak army at Daulatpur and Shiromoni area towards the end of the War of Liberation. Mass killing sites has been discovered at three places of the district, 5 memorial monuments and one memorial sculpture (Bir Bangali) has been built.

Literacy rate and educational institutions Average literacy 60.1%; male 64.3%, female 55.3%. Educational institutions: university 6, medical college 1, homeopathic college 1, college 27, art college 1, polytechnic institute 6, secondary school 50. Noted educational institutions: khulna university of engineering and technology (1969), university of khulna (1991), Khulna Medical College (1992), Khulna Homeopathic Medical College, Darul Ihsan University (1989), Asian University of Bangladesh (1996), Azam Khan Commerce College, Brajalal College, Government Pioneer Mahila College, Government Sundarban Adarsha College (1969), Kopotakkho College (1984), Zobeda Khanam Mahila Degree College (1996), Hazi Mohammad Mohsin College, Khulna City Corporation Collegiate School, Khulna Zila School (1885), St. Joseph's High School, Coronation Government Secondary School, Tutpara Model Government Primary School (1896), Koyra Madinabad High School, Sundarban Secondary School, Victoria Infant Primary School, Khulna Alia Madrasa.

Newspapers and periodicals Daily: Tribiun, Janmobhumi, Purbanchal, Probaho, Anirban, Janabarta, Tatthya, Rajpather Dabi, Satya Khabar, Hizbullah, Pathaker Kagoz, Juger Sathi, Kalantor, Viswabarta and Mail (present); Periodicals: Purushottomadyuti, Shikar and literary periodical Padatik (present); Weekly: Khulna, Janoveri, Padoddhoni, Rupsa, Chhayapath, Ganobani; Periodicals: Agami, Ityadi and Deshkal (defunct).

Main sources of income Agriculture 34.90%, non-agricultural labourer 6.22%, industry 3.51%, commerce 19.60%, transport and communication 5.17%, service 18.27%, construction 1.99%, religious service 0.21%, rent and remittance 0.78% and others 9.35%.

Folk culture Folk songs including Jari, Sari, Kirtan, Gazir Gan, Halui Gan, Manasha Bhasan, Bhati Pujargan etc are notable. Folk games and sports still prevalent in the district include Kabadi or Ha-du-du,Gollachhut, horse race, Kanamachhi, Lathikhela (playing with sticks), wrestling, Danguti, Boat race, Baghbandhi, Jor Bijor, etc. Dramas are also performed by various theatre groupsS.

Important installations or tourist spots the sundarbans, Khulna Shipyard, Khulna Stadium, Khulna Circuit House, Khulna District Court, Khulna Hadis Park, Central Jail, Khan Jahan Ali Bridge (Rupsa Bridge), Khulna Hardboard Mill, Khulna Paper Mill, Khalishpur Wonderland Shishu Park, Jahanabad Cantonment Zoo, etc. [Sandipak Mallik]

See also The upazilas under this district.

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