Jessore District যশোর জেলা
District of Bangladesh
Jashore District
Clockwise from top-left: Noapara Bazar, Sheikhpur Jami Masjid, Jessore Polytechnic Institute, River in Keshabpur, Residence of Michael Madhusudan Dutt
Location of Jessore District in Bangladesh
Expandable map of Jessore District
Country	Bangladesh
Division	Khulna Division
District Established	1781 (1781)
Seat	Jessore
Government
• Deputy Commissioner	Md. Tamijul Islam Khan
• District Council Chairman	Saifuzzaman Pikul
• Chief Executive Officer	S. A. M. Rafikulnabi
Area
• Total	2,606.94 km2 (1,006.55 sq mi)
Elevation	7 m (23 ft)
Population  (2022 Census)[1]
• Total	3,076,849
• Density	1,200/km2 (3,100/sq mi)
HDI (2019)	0.660[2] medium · 2nd of 20
Website	jessore.gov.bd

Jessore District (Bengali: যশোর, pronounced Jaw-shore, Anglicised: Jessore), officially spelled Jashore District from April 2018,^[3][4][5] is a district in the southwestern region of Bangladesh. It is bordered by India to the west, Khulna District and Satkhira District to the south, Khulna and Narail to the east, and Jhenaidah District and Magura District to the north. Jessore is the capital of the district. Jessore is also the home of the ancestors of the great Bengali poet Rabindranath Tagore.

Jessore district was established in 1781. It consists of 8 municipalities, 8 upazilas, 92 unions, 1329 mouzas, 1477 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 year-round. 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 (বঙ্গ) Janapada. In the 15th century, Jessore was a part of the kingdom of Pratapaditya. It was then conquered by the Mughals.

British administration was finally established in Jessore district in 1781 when the governor-general ordered the opening of a court at Murali near Jessore.^[6] In 1947, Jessore was divided between India and (then) Pakistan. Except for the Bangaon and Gaighata thanas, the district became part of East Pakistan.^[7]

The Bengali soldiers stationed at Jessore cantonment 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 with machine gun fire at Chanchara.

On 6 December 1971, Jessore became the first district of Bengal to be liberated from Pakistani forces. And Jessore is the first digital district in Bangladesh.

Geography

Jessore District encompasses 2606.98 km². It is bounded by Jhenaidaha 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.^[8][9]

Demographics

According to the 2022 Census of Bangladesh, Jessore District had 798,057 households and a population of 3,076,849, 23.3% of whom lived in urban areas. The population density was 1,180 people per km². The literacy rate (age 7 and over) was 77.0%, compared to the national average of 74.7%.^[1]

Religion in present-day Jessore district^{[lower-alpha 1]}

Religion	Population (1941)[11]: 84–85	Percentage (1941)	Population (2011)[10]	Percentage (2011)
Islam	349,554	62.44%	2,446,162	88.48%
Hinduism	208,647	37.27%	310,184	11.22%
Others[lower-alpha 2]	1,644	0.29%	8,201	0.30%
Total Population	559,845	100%	2,764,547	100%

The main occupations are agriculture 39.84%, agricultural labourer 24.13%, wage labourer 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

The upazilas are further divided into 9 municipalities, 36 wards, 92 unions, 1329 mouzas, 1434 villages and 120 mahallas.

Economy

Arts and culture

Monihar is the last remaining cinema hall in the city of Jessore.

There were 21 cinema halls in the district in 2000.^[12] As of 2021, only six survive: four in smaller towns, and two in the city of Jessore.^[13] One of the latter, Tosbir Mohol, once the country's second oldest theater with a revolving stage, is being restored for stage productions.^[14] The other, Monihar, the largest cinema hall in Bangladesh when it was built in 1983, with 1400 seats,^[13] reported record revenues in 2022.^[15]

Jessore-based theater troupe Bibartan has staged more than 4,000 performances (stage plays, street theater, and works for children) since their founding in 1989.^[16]

Jessore Institute Public Library, established in 1854, is one of the oldest public libraries in the Indian subcontinent.^[17]

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 (locally called Bharter Dewl) 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 Temple of the 8th century among the South -Asia at Keshabpur
• Birthplace and residence of Dhiraj Bhattacharya who was a film actor of undivided India and litterateur mostly known for his two autobiographies:Jakhan Police Chhilam and Jakhan Nayak Chhilam. He is also popular for Mathin's Well at Teknaf where a tribal girl, Mathin suicide herself for him after his return to Kolkata at Keshabpur
• Sheikhpura 3 Domed Mosque where poet Michael Madhusudan Dutta learned Persian language at Keshabpur
• Khan Jahan Ali's Dighi at Keshabpur
• Marshina Baor, a proposed ecopark at Keshabpur
• The Capital City of flower in Bangladesh, Godkhali Jhikargachha Upazila...
• Katakhal Bangabandhu Park Jhikargachha Upazila...
• At Abhaynagar Upazila, there is a small village called Dhoolgraam. It once had a magnificent complex of 17 Hindu temples, but only one remains today. Most of the temples were destroyed by the Bhairab River. A terracotta design can be seen all over the temple. It is considered a very holy place by Bengali Hindus.

The main gate of the house of Michael Madhusudan Dutta at Sagardari village in Jessore. This house is currently being used as a museum.

• In Vaatnogor at Abhaynagar Upazila, ruins of eleven temple complex, dedicated to Shiva, remains. Though the central temple is partially destroyed, the site still shows the majesty of Bengal's glorious past.
• A terracotta plaque bearing the image of Mallinath, a female tirthankar (saint) of the Jain religion, was found at the Mound of Dam Dam Peer in Manirampur Upazila.^[18]
  

  Mound of Dam Dam Peer in Manirampur Upazila.
  It is believed to be the most ancient relic discovered from this part of the world.^[19] The Department at Khulna said that the plaque is at least 1800 years old. It is currently kept at the Khulna Museum.^[20][21]
• Besides, "Neelkuthi" at village Joypur & "Kachari Ghar" are important archaeological sites in Manirampur

• Imam Bara, at Murolir Mor beside the Dhaka-Khulna Highway, is a historical building constructed by Hazi Muhammad Mohsin.
• The Jessore Collectorate Building, in Doratana, is one of the oldest buildings in Jessore.
• Near Jessore Sadar Upazila village Hamidpur has an ancient mosque, known as "Shani mosque." It is an example of the high architecture of Muslim Sultani period.
• Godkhali kalibari
• Panchpukur Baganchara
• Binodia Park
• Upashahar Park
• Jessore Boat-club
• Jess-garden Park
• Rajgonj Baor
• Vobodaho Bil
• Gazir Dorgah
• 

  The Front View of Jashore Airport
  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
• Fakhir Tika at Godkhali
• Shimulia Mission (Saheb Bari)
• Grave of Birshrestho Lance Nayek Noor Muhammad Sheikh
• Khatura Baor
• Moktarpur Lalu Babu Jamidar Bari

Solo Khada Jamidar Bari, House and birthplace of Ratna Gorva awarded by British Govt. and her son former Health minister of India Dr. Nil Ratan Dhor and his brother Jebon Ratan Dhor

Transport

Jessore has well connected road, rail and air transport links to other major cities and water transport links to Khulna and Mongla of Bangladesh. It boasts one of the first rail networks established in the Indian subcontinent.

Air

Jashore Airport

The Jessore Airport, near the city, is an airfield for the Bangladesh Air Force. One of the oldest airfield in Bangladesh and the subcontinent. Alongside military service, its runway caters to seven commercial flights daily which includes US Bangla, Novo and Biman Bangladesh Airlines, for domestic flights.

Education

Media

Notable people

• Sanatana Goswami – sage and a prominent writer from medieval period
• Rupa Goswami – Bengali poet, philosopher and writer in Vaishnab tradition from medieval period
• Maharaja Pratapaditya – Medieval Bengali warrior, adhipati or ruler of Kingdom of Jessore.
• Michael Madhusudan Datta – Bengali poet and playwright.
• Manomohan Bose – Bengali poet, playwright and journalist
• Jnanadanandini Devi – Bengali writer, social reformer, pioneer in women’s movement in India
• Prafulla Chandra Ray – Bengali chemist, philanthropist and otherwise known as father of modern chemical science in India
• Sisir Kumar Ghosh- Founder of Amrita Bazar Patrika, Freedom fighter in Independence Struggle of India
• Kali Nath Roy – nationalist journalist and the chief editor of the newspaper The Tribune
• Saroj Dutta – Indian political activist, poet, editor of Amrit Bazar Patrika
• Jadunath Majumdar, Rai Bahadur- Journalist, writer, Member of Bengal Legislative Assembly
• N. G. Majumdar – Indian archaeologist who is credited with having discovered 62 Indus Valley Civilization sites in Sindh including Chanhudaro
• P. C. Bose – freedom fighter, labor activist and politician
• Kanak Mukherjee – political activist, women’s movement pioneer in India
• Farida Akhtar – popularly known as Babita, Bangladeshi Film actress
• Dinesh Chandra Chattopadhyay – writer and editor
• Haridasa Thakur – Vaishnab saint, acarya of the Holy Name
• Jatin Bala – poet and Dalit author
• Ahmed Ali Enayetpuri – Islamic scholar, member of the Bengal Legislative Assembly
• Mashiur Rahman – politician of the Awami League
• Munshi Mohammad Meherullah – poet, Islamic scholar and social reformer
• Syed Rasel – Bangladeshi cricketer, Bangladesh cricket team
• Iqbal Quadir – founder of Grameenphone
• M. Shamsher Ali – Bangladeshi astrophysicist
• Jiban Ratan Dhar – politician, army officer
• ASHK Sadek – former Education Minister of Bangladesh
• Mohammad Moniruzzaman – writer, poet, professor, freedom fighter and lyricist[1]
• Mohammad Rafiquzzaman – lyricist
• Paran Bandopadhyay – Indian film and television actor
• Mustafa Monwar – painter, sculptor, artist
• S. M. Imdadul Hoque – Bangladesh Army officer who fought and died in the Bangladesh Liberation war. He was posthumously awarded Bir Uttom, the second-highest military honor in Bangladesh
• Kazi Kamrul Hassan – Bangladesh Navy commodore and MD of Khulna Shipyard
• Champa – actress, model
• Kishori Mohan Bandyopadhyay – Bengali scientist, social worker and freedom fighter
• Latifur Rahman – 10th Chief Justice of Bangladesh and the 2nd Chief Adviser of Bangladesh

See also

• Khulna Division

Notes

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Jashore District.

External links

• Official website