| Name | Comilla |
|---|
| Nickname | Comilla |
|---|
| Pushpin map | Bangladesh |
|---|
| Coordinates display | inline,title |
|---|
| Coordinates region | BD |
|---|
| Subdivision type | Country |
|---|
| Subdivision type1 | Region |
|---|
| Subdivision name | |
|---|
| Subdivision name1 | Chittagong Division |
|---|
| Subdivision type2 | District |
|---|
| Subdivision name2 | Comilla District |
|---|
| Area total km2 | 11.47 |
|---|
| Population as of | 2007 |
|---|
| Population density km2 | 36584 |
|---|
| Timezone | BST |
|---|
| Utc offset | +6 |
|---|
Comilla () is a city in south-eastern Bangladesh, located along the Dhaka-Chittagong Highway. It is the administrative center of the Comilla District, part of the Chittagong Division.
History of Comilla
The Comilla region was once under ancient
Samatat and was joined with
Tripura State. This district came under the reign of the kings of the Harikela in the ninth century AD. Lalmai Mainamati was ruled by Deva dynasty (eighth century AD), and (during tenth and mid eleventh century AD). It came under the rule of
East India Company in 1765. This district was established as Tripura district in 1790. It was renamed Comilla in 1960. Chandpur and Brahmanbaria subdivisions of this district were transformed into districts in 1984.
Historical events
Peasants Movement against the king of Tripura in 1764 under the leadership of Samsher
Gazi is a notable historical event. Born in an ordinary peasant family Shamsher Gazi became the ruler of the entire Chakla Raushanabad which was spread over the south of Comilla and the north of the Noakhali districts. Gradually he brought the whole of the Comilla district under his control. Later he conquered Nizampur Pargana, thus making himself the uncrowned king of the region between the Meghna, the Muhuri and the Manuganga rivers.
Shamsher Gazi was born of a poor Muslim peasant family in the year 1712 at Kungura village under Dakshin Shik pargana north of Chittagong which formed part of Tripura's Manikya kingdom. While working as 'Tehshildar' in the local landlord Nasir Mohammed's office Shamsher is said to have received divine blessing of a 'Pir'.
, to communicate with the port facilities of Chittagong.]]
From his very boyhood, Shamser Gazi was intelligent and brave. Chakla Raushanabad was at that time under the jurisdiction of the state of Tripura. Its zamindar was Nasir Mahmud. Nasir Mahmud brought Shamser up with love and care. Young Shamser was ambitious. Shamsher Gazi came to grief after his proposal to marry the landlord's daughter was rudely rejected and he was ordered to be nabbed. Shamsher Gazi organized an armed force. He soon captured Nasir Mohammed's domain in 1745.
Towards the beginning of the British Raj, zamindari oppression had made the life of the peasants and farmers miserable. Shamsher Gazi was wise, efficient, kind and a bountiful ruler. He granted rent exemption to poor peasants, managed the economy well and this led to the reduction of the prices of essential commodities. He granted freeholds to many Hindus and Muslims. He dug numerous ponds and built many schools in and outside his capital Jagannath Sonapur. Of the ponds he dug, 'Kaiyar Sagar' was the largest.
Having consolidated his position as landlord of Dakshin Shik and Meherkul parganas Shamsher turned his attention to Tripura and ousted King Krishna Manikya after a brief conflict in the year of 1748. He encountered serious opposition from the tribal subjects in the hilly interiors of the state who fought behind the king of Tripura.
The king of Tripura Krishna Manikya sent two expeditions of the powerful Kuki armies against Shamser Gazi. Both failed before Shamser's extraordinary military acumen and heroism. Shamser Gazi conquered Udaypur, the capital of Tripura. The king fled to Agartala and sought the protection of Nawab MIR QASIM. Shamsher Gazi was killed in 1760 when he responded to a false invitation for a dialogue with the nawab. Thus Krishna Mainkya was able to regain his lost Kingdom.
Communal tension spread over Comilla when a Muslim was shot in Comilla town during the partition of bengal in 1905. During the preparation of a countrywide hartal on 21 November 1921, Kazi Nazrul Islam composed patriotic songs and tried to awaken the town people by protesting the Prince of Wales's visit to India. During this time, Avay Ashram, as a revolutionary institution, played a significant role. Poet Rabindranath Tagore and Mahatma Gandhi visited Comilla at that time. In 1931, approximately four-thousand peasants in Mohini village in Chauddagram upazilla revolted against a land revenue tax. The British Gurkha soldiers fired indiscriminately on the crowd, killing four people. In a huge peasant gathering, the police fired at Hasnabad of Laksham Upazila in 1932. Two people were killed and many were wounded.
In 1931, on 14 December Sunity Choudhuri and Shanti Ghosh from Faizunnesa Girls School shot dead Magistrate Mr. Stevens. This was the first time that women come to the forefront in armed struggle for freedom.
Marks of the War of Liberation mass killing site: 5, Laksham, Comilla Cantonment, Homna, Beltali and Rasulpur; mass graves at Betiara, Muzaffarganj, Nagaripara, Cantonment, Krishnapur, Dhananjay, Dilabad and Laksham Bidi Factory; memorials at Comilla Victoria College, Betiara, Police Line, Cantonment, Laksham, Polytechnic Institution and Haratali.
Geography and climate
Comilla is located at 23°27′0″N, 91°12′0″E, and has a total area of 280 square kilometers. It is bounded by Burchiganj and Tripura on the north, Laksham and Chauddagram on the south, and Barura on the west. The major rivers that pass through Comilla include Gumti and Little Feni.
The Tropic of Cancer (23°5') crosses Comilla town on the south side just over the Thomson Bridge.
Climate
Height about 6m / 19 feet above sea level.
24-hr Average Temperature Respectively :
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
°C 19.0 21.4 25.6 27.8 28.5 28.2 28.0 28.1 28.3 27.3 23.9 20.1
Administration & Development
Comilla, as a district, is generally administrated by a Deputy Commissioner (DC), who is a government official of the district. However, civil society is quite strong in voice and activity here. The DC office is situated at Fauzdari area of the town on the east side of Dharmasagar. The District of Comilla has been divided into sixteen Tanas, namely Comilla Adarsa Sadar, Comilla Sadar South, Hoamna, Laksham, Muradnagar, Devidwar, Daudkandi, Burichang, Barura, Chandina, Titas, Meghna, Chowddogram, Langolkot, Brahmanpara and Manohargonj.
The main town of Comilla is under the Sadar Tana. Comilla Cantonment is one of most important military bases and is the oldest in East Bengal. It was widely used by the British Indian Army during World War II. There is a war cemetery in Comilla that was established after the World War II to remember the Allied soldiers who died during World War I and II, mostly from Commonwealth states and the United States. There are a number of Japanese soldiers were buried there as well.
Comilla also has an Export Processing Zone (EPZ) at the east end of the town, established on the former site of an airport. Presently only the runway still exists, whereas other establishments have been converted to instruments of the EPZ. It is one of the first growing EPZ(s) in Bangladesh.Recently 2008 some occurrence by BEPZA GM , 4 Running Factory layoff.
Comilla is well known as a city for education; educational institutions include Comilla University, Comilla Medical College, Comilla Victoria College, Comilla Cadet College (formerly Comilla Residential Model College). BARD at Kotbari is well known for research on rural development, which is a brain child of the eminent educationist Dr. Akhter Hamid Khan (formerly Principal of Comilla Victoria College, formerly Sub-Divisional Officer). His formula for Rural Development has four subdivisions, namely Cooperatives, Irrigation, Rural Works, and Plan Books. Based on this theme, a reputed government organisation, LGED, was formed, which is headed by an Executive Engineer in districts and holds three of the themes of Dr. Akhter Hamid Khan.
Natural gas is the main natural resource of this district. Bakhrabad Gas Company has its headquarters in Comilla.
Land and economy
Main occupations Agriculture 43.28%, commerce 11.6%, service 10.78%, transport 3.36%, agricultural labourer 15.89%, wage labourer 2.46%, construction 1.03%, and others 11.6%.
Land use Total cultivable land 243596.93 hectares; single crop 18.05%, double crop 63.99% and treble crop land 17.96%.
Land control Among the peasants 30% are landless, 46% small, 20% intermediate and 4% rich.
Value of land The market value of the land of the first grade is 135000 Taka per 0.01 hectare.
Main crops Paddy, jute, wheat, mustard seed, brinjal.
Extinct or nearly extinct crops Linseed, sesame, sweet potato, china and kaun.
Main fruits Mango, jackfruit, banana, coconut, palm, guava and blackberry.
Fisheries, dairies, poultries Dairy 28, poultry 109, fishery 27, hatchery 69, nursery 200.
Manufactories In the second half of the eighteenth century east India company established a large cotton mill at Charpata on the south of the district. Cotton cloths were exported to other districts in those days. At present Comilla Khaddar is famous in the country. Manufactories include textile mills: Halima Textile Mills; iron and steel factory: Mozaher Cooperative Mills, Radharani Manufacturing Works, Qayum Steel Mills Ltd.; pharmaceuticals- Skylab, Comilla Ayurvedic Pharmacy, Sharma Chemical (extinct), Arco Industry.
are mostly based on this Manoharpur area of the town.]]
Cottage industries Comilla is noted for potteries of Bijoypur. Other cottage industries include bamboo and cane works, Shital Pati, hooka, and madur (mat) made of murta tree.
Main hats, bazars and fairs Most noted hats, bazars and fairs (Mela) are Dulalpur, Companyganj, Rajganj, Bibir Bazar, Daulatganj, Nangalkot, Nimshar, Chandina, Gunabati Bazar, Homna, Ramchandrapur,Chandanail Bangshanagar, Chauddagram, Govindapur, Monipur, Chandimura, Madhavpur, Mohanpur, Rasulpur, Syedpur, Madhaya, Eliotganj, Baroikandi, Changini Bazar, Chawkbazar, Mainamati Mela, Punra Mela, Chandala Mela, Baira Mela, Betakhali Mela, Thanda Kalibari Mela, LAKSAM BAZAR,KHELA BAZAR, Tomsombridge,Easin market,EPZ Gate Ishaq Market,
Kaptan Bazar (Beside of Gumti River)
Main exports khaddar cloth, coconut, dry chilly, dry fish, egg, poultries, Knitting Sweater, Denims,Under Garments, and potteries.
Mineral resources natural gas (Bakharabad in Sreekail. Bakhrabad gas field lies in the Muradnagar upazila under Comilla district some 40 km away to the east from capital city of Bangladesh, Dhaka. Like Titas & Habiganj fields Bakhrabad gas field was discovered by Pakistan Shell Oil Co. Ltd. in 1969. The Bakhrabad anticline, as defined by seismic, is a narrow, elongate almost symmetrical fold about 69 km long up to 10 km wide. Total recoverable gas reserves of this field re-estimated by Hydrocarbon Unit is . Commercial gas production from this field was started in 1984 and till August 31, 2006 total or 62.74 percent of reserves has been recovered.
Sub-divisions
:::
This secction must be moved to Comilla District
Comilla district consists of the following upazilas:
#
Barura Upazila
#
Brahmanpara Upazila
#
Burichong Upazila
#
Chandina Upazila
#
Chauddagram Upazila
#
Daudkandi Upazila
#
Debidwar Upazila
#
Homna Upazila
#
Comilla Adarsa Sadar Upazila
#
Laksam Upazila
#
Monohorgonj Upazila
#
Meghna Upazila
#
Muradnagar Upazila
#
Nangalkot Upazila
#
Comilla Sadar South Upazila
#
Titas Upazila
Demographics and culture
Comilla is famous for different types of sweets and Batik printed cloth. The people of Comilla are multiethnic. To some extent, there is more Afghan and British heritage in Comilla. Green or hazel eyes are more common in Comilla than in other parts of Bangladesh.
It is a highly Muslim dominated area and one can find many economically disadvantaged people. But it is home district of many educated Bangladeshis who have achieved great success in their career as Bangladeshi expatriates or in other parts of the Nation. The majority of the denizens lead an agrarian lifestyle, depending on their fields for their livelihood. A much smaller number of Hindus are present in this area.
Every Muslim festival is celebrated in big way. Especially Eid and Ramzan.
Most of the Muslims are Sunni and few are Shia.
There is electricity in most of the area at present in Comilla.
In the suburb there exists the Commonwealth War Cemetery Memorials, Muktajuddha Museum at Mainamati Cantonment and Bangladesh academy for rural development, Mainamati Museum, Comilla Cadet College at Courtbari. Comilla Town is blessed with the memories of national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam. Nazrul Islam married twice in life, one at Daulatpur of Muradnagar upazila of the district and the other at Comilla Town. Those places have been marked with memorial plates. Poet Rabindranath Tagore visited Comilla twice. Ustad Muhammad Hussain, Fazle Nizami and Kulendu Das have enriched the cultural heritage of the town. Ustad Ayet Ali Khan established a musical institute here.
Marks of rich ancient civilization have been found in Lalmai Mainamati hills. In these hills there are plenty of archaeological sites including Shalvan Vihara, Kutila Mura, Charandra Mura, Rupban Mura, Itakhola Mura, Satera Ratna Mura, Ranir Banglar Pahar, Ananda Bazar Palaces, palaces of Bhoj King, Chandi Mura, etc. Various archaeological relics including images and metalled utensils discovered from these viharas, muras and palaces are now preserved in the Mainamati Museum. Other archaeological heritage and relics include Saptaratna Mandir (Jagannath Mandir), Shah Suja Mosque, Dharmasagar, Chandimata Mandir (on the top of Lalmai Hill of Barura), Chandala Shiva Mandir (Brahmanpara, eighteenth century), Saitshala Jami Mosque (Brahmanpara, 1719), Mazars of Panch Pir (five saints) at Shashidal (Brahmanpara, 1815), Harimangal Math (Brahmanpara, 1822), Ramnagar elongated Math (Brahmanpara, 1705), Saitshala Rammahan Mandir (Brahmanpara, 1805), Hasnabad Math.
Transport
.]]
Comilla has good communication network. It is known as the hub of road communication of eastern part of Bangladesh . One of the oldest highways of the Indian Sub-continent, 'The Grand Trunk Road' has approached through the city. At present, the most important Dhaka-Chittagong highway bypass the city from the cantonment to Poduar Bazar. Comilla is located at 97 kilometers from the capital city, Dhaka. This can be travelled by road or railway. The trains has to travel 197 kilometers and takes over 3 hours to Comilla, however buses take about 2 hours only. Hundreds of trucks & lorries travel to or from Comilla with goods. Prominent bus services to Comilla are Tisha, Asia Line, Prince etc.As Public Goods Carrier Messey ferguson Tractor Used last 30 years.Mr Hazi Mohiuddin one of pionear Transport Businessman who first started Machenery Cultivation Tractor & Rotavetor in 1981.
Road networks are administered by RHD, LGED and Municipalitis. RHD and LGED have regional headquarters in Comilla. RHD is responsible for National Highways, Regional Highways and District Roads; LGED is responsible for Upazila Roads and Union Roads; where as Municipalities are responsible for municipal roads.
Communication facilities Roads: pucca 1219 km, mud road 587 km; railways 108 km; airport 1.
Traditional transport Palanquin, horse carriage, bullock cart, dhuri and bhari. These means of transport are either extinct or nearly extinct.
Education
The Comilla Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education is located in Comilla. This is the central administration that conducts primary, secondary, and higher secondary education for several districts. Historically, Comilla Board administered the education system of the whole Chittagong Division, but recently, Chittagong and Sylhet Education boards were spun off.
Comilla is also the location for-
Comilla Cantonment High School (Comilla Cantonment High School Ex-Students Association - )
Comilla govt college.
Chandina Redwan Ahmed Degree College
The University Of Comilla (UNIC)
Comilla University
Comilla Medical College
Comilla Teachers Training College
Comilla Polytechnic Institute (CPI)
Nimshar Junab Ali College
Comilla Victoria Govt. College
Comilla Cadet College
Comilla Zilla School
Comilla Iswar Pathsala
Nawab Faizunnesa Girls High School
Our Lady of Fatima Girls High School
Rose Garden International School
Comilla High School
Shailarani Devi Girls High School
Ispahani Public School and College Comilla
School of Military Intelligence at Comilla Cantonment
Bangladesh Academy for Rural Development (BARD)
Debidwar Reaz Uddin Pilot High School
Debidwar S.A.GOVT College
Comilla Modern High School.
Ibne Taimiya School & College.
Ghorashal Abdul Karim High School.
Montoly High School ( Nangol Kot)
Debidwar al-haj jobeda khatun mohila college
shamals chakraborty
Khalil Pur High School. Debidwar. Comilla
Chandpur Model Technical High School. Debidwar. Comilla
Companigong Badiul Alam Degree College.
etc.
Tourism
war cemetery in
Mainamati.]]
Comilla has a number of tourist attractions. Marks of rich ancient civilization have been found in Lalmai Mainamati hills. In these hills there are plenty of archaeological sites including Shalvan Vihara, Kutila Mura, Charandra Mura, Rupban Mura, Itakhola Mura, Satera Ratna Mura, Ranir Banglar Pahar, Ananda Bazar Palaces, palaces of Bhoj King, Chandi Mura, etc. Various archaeological relics including images and metalled utensils discovered from these viharas, muras and palaces are now preserved in the Mainamati Museum.
Mainamati is a famous
Buddhist archaeological site. The Mainamati Museum is a prominent torist attraction. Poet
Rabindranath Tagore and
Indian leader
Mahatma Gandhi visited Comilla in
1921. There is a
World War II war cemetery in Comilla. It is protected and maintained by the
Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
Notable Personalities
Freedom Fighters
Shaheed Dhirendranath Datta (1886–1971), ex-Minister of Law, Language movement activist and Shaheed of 1971
Lt-Col. Akbar Hussain (1942–2006), veteran freedom fighter, ex-Minister of Mineral Sources (1978), ex-Minister of Forest Preservation (1991), ex-Minister of Inland Water Transports (2001)
Mamtaj Begum, veteran woman freedom fighter, member of BLF
Abdul Quddus Makhon, member & one of the organizers of Mukti Bahini, student leader, one of four popular DUCSU leaders during Muktijuddho known as 'Char Kholifa' (Four Caliphs; including A. S. M. Abdur Rab, Tofayel Ahmed and Shahjahan Siraj)
Shib Narayan Das, member of BLF one of the designers of the first flag of Bangladesh
Politicians
Nowab Musharaf Hussein (1871–1966), ex-Minister of Education
Kamini Kumar Dutta (1878–1958), ex-Minister
Khondaker Mostaq Ahmad(1918–1996), ex-President of Bangladesh, ex-Minister and member of Exile Cabinet of Meherpur Government
Capt. Sujat Ali (1926–2007), ex-Minister, founder of Sujat Ali College
Kazi Zafar Ahmed (1930-), member of the presidium of Jatiya Party, ex-Prime Minister (1988), ex-Minister of Education (1986)
Dr. Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, member of the standing committee of Bangladesh Nationalist Party, ex-Minister of Energy & Mineral Resources (1991) and ex-Minister of Health & Family Welfare (2001)
M. K. Anowar [Vice President of Bangladesh Nationalist Party] , Ex-Minister of Agriculture Ministry [2001]
Shaukat Mahmood (1959-), senior journalist, editor of Weekly Economic Times, adviser to Begum Khaleda Zia and elected president (2007–08, 2009-incumbent) of National Press Club
Social Activists and Philanthropists
Nawab Faizunnesa, poetess, pioneer in woman's education, founder of Faizunnesa Girls’ School
Dr. Zobaida Hannan, physician (gynecologist), philanthropist and Ekushey Padak laureate.
Educationists and Scholars
Mahasthabir Shilabhadra (529-654), principal of Nalanda Bihar
Mohammad Ali Azam (1908–1978), novelist and author, one of the contributors of Encyclopædia Britannica
Professor Ghulam Subhan (1920–2006) -Legendary educationalist and scholar, Former Head of the chemistry- Comilla Victoria College.
Engg. Mohammad Raqibul Hasan, Researcher, Satellite & Space Robotics Systems.
Ataur Rahman Khadim (1933–1971), researcher, killed after Operation Searchlight (25th March genocide) was launched inside Dhaka University in 25 March 1971
Dr. Fazlul Halim Chowdhury, former Vice-Chancellor, Dhaka University
Dr. Shamsul Hoque, former Vice-Chancellor, Dhaka University
Professor Mohammed Idris (1937-2010)- Legendary educationalist and scholar. Former Head of the Dept of Comilla Govt woments college and who had a great contribution to established this college and improve the Honours and Masters course in Comilla. Chittagong University Senate member for 16 years and had a lot of contribution to establish so many College, school and Madrasa in Comilla District.
Literature
Buddhadeb Bosu (1908–1974), legendary Bangla poet, novelist, translator, editor and essayist
Anis Chowdhury (1929–1990), novelist and dramatist
Mohammad Kasem (1905–1957), editor and publisher
Abdul Kadir (1906–1984), researcher, poet and editor
A K M. ALI AKBAR KHAN ,(1933-1999) teacher, researcher, poet and social worker.
Music
Sachin Dev Burman (1906–1975), recognized as S.D. Burman, singer, composer and music director
Jan-e-Alam Chowdhury (1884–1967), tabla player
Ustaad Mohamed Husain Khasru (1903–1959), classical musician and composer
Himangsu Kumar Dutta (1908–1944), musician and composer
Shukhendu Chakrabarty (1928–1989), lyricist, musician and composer
Shoila Devi (1916–1944), singer
Rahul Dev Burman, recognized as R.D. Burman, son of S.D. Burman, composer and pioneer in Bollywood music direction
Others
Maj. Abdul Ghani, founder of East Bengal Regiment (formerly belonged to Pakistan Army, now is the largest unit of Bangladesh Army)
Mujibur Rahman, eminent criminal lawyer and unbeaten President of Comilla Bar Association
Kailashchandra Sinha (1851–1914), historian, archaeologist, author of Rajmala and many other history related publications
Air Vice Marshall Jamaluddin Ahmed, ex-Chief of Air Staff of Bangladesh Air Force
Media
There are a number of locally published newspapers in Comilla. Thse are mainly
daily and
weekly newspapers. The daily newspapers include Comilla Batra, Bangladesh Sangbad, Natun Alo. The weeklies include Kathak, Comilla Sahitya Parishad Patrika,somoer poth. Furthermore are some monthly newspapers. There are several cultural clubs in Comilla. The online newspaper of comilla district is comillaweb.com (http://www.comillaweb.com), this is the first and largest online newspaper of greater comilla.
Notes
The list of notable personalities is collected from the following:
1. Bangla Academy Caritabhidhan ( Dictionary of Biography), 2nd ed, by Selina Hussain & Nurul Islam, Dhaka , 1997.
2. Mahasthavir Shilabhadra by Shahidullah Mridha, 1st ed, Bangla Academy, Dhaka, 1994.
3. Research by The Modifier.
References
External links
Comilla, Comilla.com - Comilla News and Directory
Comilla District, Banglapedia article on Comilla
Welcome to Comilla
History of Comilla Club
Weekly Amod, Comilla's local weekly
Category:Populated places in Bangladesh
Category:Comilla District
.svg)
.svg)
