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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about the city. For the division, see Khulna Division. For the district,
see Khulna District. For the subdistrict, see Khulna Kotwali Thana.

Khulna
খুলনা

Metropolis
A monument at the Khulna University of Engineering & Technology

Khan Jahan Ali Bridge

Khulna Medical College

Khulna Railway Station

Gollamari Martyrs' Memorial

Khulna University lake

Nickname(s):

City of Tigers, Industrial City, Gateway to the Sundarbans

Khulna

Show map of Khulna division Show map of

Bangladesh Show all

 Coordinates: 22°49′N 89°33′E

Country Bangladesh

Division Khulna Division

District Khulna District

Municipal Council: 8 September 1884 (139 years ago)

Municipal 12 December 1984 (38 years ago)

Corporation:

City Corporation: 6 August 1990 (33 years ago)

Government

• Type Mayor-council

• Body Khulna City Corporation

• Mayor Talukder Abdul Khaleque

• Police MD Masudur Rahman Bhuiyan

Commissioner

Area
[1]

• Total 150.57 km2 (58.14 sq mi)

• Urban 45.65 km2 (17.63 sq mi)

• Metro 127.00 km2 (49.03 sq mi)

• Rank 3rd

Elevation 9.0 m (29.5 ft)

Population
 • Total 2,318,527

• Rank 3rd

• Density 15,000/km2 (40,000/sq mi)

• Urban 718,735

• Urban density 16,000/km2 (41,000/sq mi)

• Metro 1,556,300
[2]

• Metro density 12,000/km2 (32,000/sq mi)

Demonym Khulnaiya

Time zone UTC+6 (BST)

Postal codes 9000, 9100, 92xx

IDD : Calling Code +880 (0)41

Languages Standard Bengali(Official)

Police Khulna Metropolitan Police

Airport Jessore Airport & Khan Jahan Ali

Airport (Planned)

Development Khulna Development Authority

Authority

WASA KWASA

Literacy rate 71.5%[3]

Website khulnacity.org

Khulna (Bengali: খুলনা, [ˈkʰulna]) is the third-largest city in Bangladesh,

after Dhaka and Chittagong.[4] It is the administrative centre of the Khulna District and
the Khulna Division. Khulna's economy is the third-largest in Bangladesh, contributing
$53 billion in gross regional domestic product and $95 billion in purchasing power parity
(PPP) in 2020. In the 2022 census, the city corporation area (Khulna City and it's
surrounding areas) had a population of 718,735.[5]
Khulna is on the Rupsha and Bhairab Rivers, a strategic point in southwestern
Bangladesh. It is also a center of Bangladeshi industry, and the city hosts many of the
nation's largest companies. It is served by the Port of Mongla, Bangladesh's second-
largest seaport. The Khulna River Port is one of the country's oldest and busiest river
ports.
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.[6][7]

History[edit]
Khulna was part of the ancient kingdoms of Vanga and Samatata. It became a part of
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 (fiefdom) 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.[8]
After Ali's death, the city became part of the Bengal Sultanate. During the reign of Daud
Khan Karrani in the 16th century, Vikramaditya (one of Karrani's chief ministers)
obtained a grant in southern Bengal—including Khulna—when Karrani was fighting
the Mughals. Vikramaditya established a sovereign kingdom with its capital at Iswaripur
(in present-day Satkhira District). 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.[9]
Khulna was ruled by autonomous Bengali nawabs until 1793 when the British East India
Company abolished nizamat (local rule) and took control of the city. Becoming part of
Jessore District in 1842, it became the headquarters of Khulna District (the Khulna and
Bagerhat subdivisions of Jessore District, the Satkhira subdivision of 24
Parganas district, and the Sundarbans) in 1882.[9] Khulna had a pouroshava (municipal
council) 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 (an official of the Bengali civil service) 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.
Pakistani Eastern Command plan for the defense of East Pakistan from 1967 to 1971
(generic representation—some unit locations not shown)
During the Bangladesh Liberation War, the Pakistan Army created the 314th ad
hoc Brigade to hold Khulna.[10] 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.[11]

Geography[edit]
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 150.57
square kilometres (58.14 sq mi),[12] and Khulna District covers 4,394.46 square
kilometres (1,696.71 sq mi). Khulna is south of Jessore and Narail Districts, 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.[13] Khulna is in the northern part of the district, and the Mayur
River is the western boundary of its metropolitan area.

Climate[edit]
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 1,878.4 mm (73.95 in)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 26.3 °C (79.3 °F),
with monthly averages ranging from 11.4 °C (52.5 °F) on January mornings to 34.6 °C
(94.3 °F) during April afternoons.

hide

v
t
e
Climate data for Khulna
Fe Ma Ap Ma No De Yea
Month Jan Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct
b r r y v c r
25. 28. 33. 34. 34. 32. 29. 26.
32.9 31.8 31.8 32.1 31.1
Average high °C 6 5 1 6 3 1 9 5
(91. (89. (89. (89. (88.
(°F) (78. (83. (91. (94. (93. (89. (85. (79.
2) 2) 2) 8) 0)
1) 3) 6) 3) 7) 8) 8) 7)
 11. 15. 20. 23. 25. 24. 19. 12.
26.1 26.0 26.2 25.8 21.6
Average low °C 4 4 5 9 2 1 6 9
(79. (78. (79. (78. (70.
(°F) (52. (59. (68. (75. (77. (75. (67. (55.
0) 8) 2) 4) 9)
5) 7) 9) 0) 4) 4) 3) 2)
13. 44. 52. 87. 200 335. 398. 323. 254. 129 32. 1,87
Average precipit 6.6
3 4 1 5 .0 6 8 5 7 .8 1 8.4
ation mm (0.2
(0.5 (1.7 (2.0 (3.4 (7.8 (13. (15. (12. (10. (5.1 (1.2 (73.
(inches) 6)
2) 5) 5) 4) 7) 21) 70) 74) 03) 1) 6) 95)
Average rainy
2 3 3 6 11 14 17 16 13 7 2 1 95
days
Average relative
78 74 73 76 79 85 87 86 87 84 80 79 81
humidity (%)
Source: Bangladesh Meteorological Department[14][15][16][17][18]

Administration[edit]
This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this
section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be
challenged and removed. (September 2019) (Learn how and when to remove
this template message)

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 (KCC) is a
self-governing corporation run by an elected mayor, who governs the city's 31 wards.
Currently, Talukder Abdul Khaled is the mayor of Khulna City Corporation (KCC).
The Khulna Metropolitan Police (KMP) 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, Aarongghata
Thana, Horintana Thana and Labonchora Thana. The Metropolitan Magistrate Court
(CMM) adjudicates the city's legal issues. The Khulna Development Authority (KDA)
plans and coordinates the city's development. Khulna Water Supply & Sewerage
Authority (KWASA) parallels the KCC.
Military[edit]
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 (ASCC&S), is 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) from Khulna.

Demographics[edit]
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%.[19]
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 (including Noakhali District), Barisal and Faridpur Divisions,
and Bihar.
Most residents speak Bengali (the national language), 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.
Religions in Khulna city (2011)[19]
Religion Percent
Islam 90.04%
Hinduism 8.71%
Christianity 1.23%
Other or not stated 0.02%

Islam is Khulna's major religion, practiced by 90.04% of the population. Other religions
are Hinduism (practiced by 8.71%), and Christianity (1.23%).[19]

Economy[edit]
This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this
section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be
challenged and removed. (September 2019) (Learn how and when to remove
this template message)

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 (KCCI) regulates commerce through its
Licensed Measurers' Department (LMD) and certification, attestation, and publicity
departments. The region has an Export Processing Zone, attracting foreign investment.
The city is home to branch offices of a number of 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[edit]
This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this
section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be
challenged and removed. (February 2021) (Learn how and when to remove
this template message)

Road[edit]
 Khan Jahan Ali Bridge, which carries the Khulna City
Bypass over the Rupsha River
Rickshaws 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 R760 connects Satkhira and western Khulna Districts.
There are several nationwide bus services available in Khulna (most privately owned),
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[edit]

Bandhan Express at Khulna Railway Station

Khulna Railway Station is the city's main station. Bangladesh Railway operates six
intercity trains: the Sundarban and Chitra Expresses (to Dhaka), the Kapotaksha and
Sagardari Expresses (to Rajshahi), 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 (in
addition to the Rupsha Rail Bridge) are under construction as part of the Khulna–
Mongla Port Railway project.
Air[edit]
 S2-AFE United Airways ATR-72 at Jashore Airport
Jessore Airport, 50 kilometres (31 mi) 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, in Bagerhat Sadar Upazila, was
planned but it is no longer a priority project for the government.[20]
Water[edit]
Several passenger launches and cargo services operate from the Bangladesh Inland
Water Transport Authority launch terminal in the city.
Public transport[edit]
There are being 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 sub-urban 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 on an hourly or daily basis.

Education[edit]
Main article: List of educational institutions in Khulna
 Bangladesh Liberation War statue at the Khulna
University of Engineering & TechnologyKhulna University building

Brajalal College pond

Educational institutions in the city include Khulna University of Engineering &
Technology (KUET). The university, earlier known as Bangladesh Institute of
Technology, Khulna, is the only engineering university in Khulna and was listed in the
2019 edition of QS Asian University Rankings.[21] Brajalal College, founded in 1902, is
the city's oldest higher-education institution. Khulna University is the only public
university in Bangladesh where student politics is prohibited.[22] There is also an
agriculture university, named Khulna Agricultural University (KAU) was founded in 2019.
[23]
Sheikh Hasina Medical University and Khulna Medical College (KMC) are public
medical institutions, while North Western University, Bangladesh (NWU) and the
Northern University of Business and Technology (NUBT) are private.

Sports[edit]
Further information: Sport in Bangladesh
Cricket and football are the two most popular sports in Khulna, and the Khulna Division
cricket team's home ground is in the city. Khulna's cricket Bangladesh Premier
League Khulna Titans was formerly the Khulna Royal Bengals. The Khulna Abahani
Club played in the Bangladesh Football Premier League for several seasons before its
relegation in the 2008–09 season.
Sheikh Abu Naser Stadium, the city's international sports venue (hosting test
cricket, One Day International and Twenty20 International matches), became
Bangladesh's seventh test-cricket venue on 21 November 2012; it also hosts several
Bangladesh Premier League matches.[24] Khulna District Stadium hosts other domestic
sports and cultural events.

Media[edit]
Print media include the Daily Purbanchal, Daily Janmabhumi, Daily Shomoyer
Khobor and Dakhinanchal Protidin. The Daily Tribune is the only English-language
newspaper. Electronic media include the Khulna Gazette,[25] Protidin Shebok,
[26]
Shomoyer Khobor.[27] Radio stations are Bangladesh Betar Khulna, Radio
Today (89.6 MHz), Radio Foorti (88.0), and Radio Khulna FM (88.8).

Tourism[edit]
The Sundarbans, in Khulna District, is home to the Bengal tiger and the world's largest
virgin mangrove forest. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.[28] The Mosque City of
Bagerhat, in Bagerhat District about 15 miles (24 km) south-east of Khulna, is also a
World Heritage Site.[29]
Rabindra Complex is in the village of Dakkhindihi, 19 kilometres (12 mi) from Khulna.
The home of Rabindranath Tagore's father-in-law, Beni Madhab Roy Chowdhury,
Tagore visited several times. The museum has been renovated and is administered by
Bangladesh's Department of Archaeology.[30] The Khulna Divisional Museum, founded in
1998, was established by the country's Department of Archaeology.

2008 Corporation election[edit]

The 2008 Khulna City Corporation election was an election in Khulna held on 8 May
2008 to elect the Mayor of Khulna. Talukder Abdul Khaleque was elected as next mayor
of the Khulna City Corporation in May 2008.[31][32]

Notable residents[edit]
 Khan Jahan Ali – Sufi saint
 Khan A Sabur – Politician
 Prafulla Chandra Ray – Chemist
 Sheikh Razzak Ali – Lawyer, politician, deputy speaker, and speaker of the Jatiyo
Sangsad
 Tanvir Mokammel – Filmmaker and writer
 Firoz Mahmud- Visual artist and painter
 Nilima Ibrahim- Educationist, littérateur and social worker
 Prafulla Chandra Sen – Former West Bengal chief minister
 Sheikh Abu Naser – Politician
 Rudra Mohammad Shahidullah - Poet
 Qazi Imdadul Haq – Writer
 Humayun Kabir Balu – Renowned journalist, Freedom fighter and Ekushey Padak
winner in journalism
 SM Shafiuddin Ahmed – 17th Chief of Army Staff (CAS) of Bangladesh Army
 Sheikh Salahuddin – Former cricketer
 Bishnu Chattopadhyay – Freedom fighter and peasant leader
 Abdur Razzak – Cricketer
 Manjural Islam Rana – Cricketer
 Popy (Sadia Parvin Popy) – Actress, model
 Moushumi (Arifa Pervin Moushumi) – Actress, model
 Salma Khatun – Cricketer
 Jahanara Alam – Cricketer
 Rumana Ahmed – Cricketer
 Mehedi Hasan – Cricketer
 Bibhuti Roy – Engineer
 Puja Cherry Roy – Actress
 Afif Hossain – Cricketer
 Nurul Hasan Sohan – Cricketer
 Ayasha Rahman – Cricketer
 Shukhtara Rahman – Cricketer
 Tahin Tahera – Cricketer
 Shaila Sharmin – Cricketer
 Md. Rafiqul Islam - Editor/ Secretary General: Parliament Watch
 Ziaur Rahman – Cricketer
 Amit Majumder, Cricketer
 Sheikh Mohammad Aslam, Footballer
 Abdus Salam Murshedy, Footballer, Politician
 Mamun Joarder, Footballer

 Dibbendu Dwip, Writer

Prafulla Chandra Ray



Sheikh Razzak Ali meeting with Queen Elizabeth II

 General SM Shafiuddin Ahmed

Firoz Mahmud

Tanvir Mokammel