Comilla

This article is about the city. For the upazilas, see Comilla Adarsha Sadar Upazila and Comilla Sadar Dakshin Upazila. For the district, see Comilla District. For the proposed division, see Comilla Division.

Comilla কুমিল্লা
City
Cumilla
Comilla Skyline Comilla Town Hall Shah Shuja Mosque Mainamati War Cemetery Dharmasagar Lake Comilla Club Roop sagar park Comilla University
Comilla location in Chittagong Division Show map of Chittagong division Comilla Location in Bangladesh Show map of Bangladesh
Coordinates: 23°27′N 91°12′E
Country	Bangladesh
Division	Chittagong
District	Comilla
Municipality	1890
City Corporation	10 July 2011
Government
• Type	Mayor–Council
• Body	Comilla City Corporation
• Administrator	Saif Uddin Ahmed
Area
• Comilla City Corporation	53.04 km^2 (20.48 sq mi)
• Land	50 km^2 (20 sq mi)
• Water	3.04 km^2 (1.17 sq mi)
• Urban	113.04 km^2 (43.64 sq mi)
• Rural	40 km^2 (20 sq mi)
• Metro	150 km^2 (60 sq mi)
Population  (2022)[1]
• Comilla City Corporation	440,233
• Density	8,300/km^2 (21,000/sq mi)
• Rank	10th in Bangladesh
• Metro rank	10th in Bangladesh
Languages
• Official	Bengali • English
Time zone	UTC+6 (BST)
Postal code	3500–3583
Calling code	081
UN/LOCODE	BD CLA
Police	Cumilla Range Police
Website	www.comilla.gov.bd

Comilla (Bengali: কুমিল্লা), officially spelled Cumilla,^[2][3] is a metropolis on the banks of the Gomti River in eastern Bangladesh. Comilla was one of the cities of ancient Bengal. It was once the capital of Tripura kingdom. Comilla Airport is located in the Dulipara area of Comilla city Although it is currently replaced with Comilla Export Processing Zone (EPZ). Comilla City is a division centered city district with surrounding districts coming to Comilla in more diverse areas of work. Bibir Bazar land port is located 5 km away from Comilla city. The area of Comilla City Corporation is 53.04 square kilometers, so the surrounding areas of the main city fall under the jurisdiction of the City Corporation. The urban areas falling outside the city corporation are considered as suburbs with a population of 600,000.

History

Ancient era

Shalaban Bihar is evidence of the age of Comilla.

The Comilla region was once under the reign of Gangaridai and Samatata in ancient period. This district came under the reign of the kings of the Harikela in the ninth century AD. Lalmai Mainamati was ruled by the Deva dynasty (eighth century AD) and Chandra dynasty (during the 10th and mid-11th century AD). In 1732, it became the centre of the Bengal-backed domain of Jagat Manikya.^[4]

The Peasants' Movement against the king of Tripura in 1764, which originally formed under the leadership of Shamsher Gazi is a notable historical event in Comilla.^[5] It came under the rule of East India Company in 1765. This district was established as the Tripura district in 1790. It was renamed Comilla in 1960. Chandpur and Brahmanbaria subdivisions of this district were transformed into districts in 1984.^{[citation needed]}

British era

World War II cemetery in Mainamati.

Communal tension spread over Comilla when a Muslim was shot in the town during the partition of Bengal in 1905. On 21 November 1921, Kazi Nazrul Islam composed patriotic songs and tried to awaken the townspeople by protesting the Prince of Wales's visit to India.^[6] 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 4000 peasants in Mohini village in Chauddagram Upazila revolted against a land revenue tax. The British Gurkha soldiers fired indiscriminately on the crowd, killing four people.^[7] In a major peasant gathering, the police fired at Hasnabad of Laksam Upazila in 1932. Two people were killed and many were wounded. Comilla Victoria Government College in the city was named in memory of Queen Victoria. The main meaning of the context is that the people of Comilla have always maintained good relations and harmonized with others.^[8]

World War II

Comilla Cantonment is an important military base and the oldest in East Bengal. It was widely used by the British Indian Army during World War II. It was the headquarter of the British 14th Army. There is a war cemetery, Maynamati War Cemetery,^[9] in Comilla that was established after 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 buried there as well, from the Second World War.^[10]

War of liberation of Bangladesh

Pakistani Eastern Command plan for the defense of East Pakistan from 1967 to 1971 (generic representation—some unit locations not shown).

During the war for the liberation of Bangladesh, when Pakistan Army created the 39th ad hoc Division in mid-November, from the 14th Division units deployed in those areas, to hold on to the Comilla and Noakhali districts, and the 14th Division was tasked to defend the Sylhet and Brahmanbaria areas only.^[11] Pakistan Army's 93,000 troops unconditionally surrendered to the Joint Coalition forces on 16 December 1971.^[12] This day and event is commemorated as the Bijoy Dibos (Bengali: বিজয় দিবস) in Bangladesh.^[13][12]

Geography

Gomti river, Comilla

Comilla is bounded by Burichang Upazila and Tripura on the north, Laksam and Chauddagram on the south, and Barura Upazila on the west. The major rivers that pass through Comilla include Gomoti River^[14] and Little Feni. The Tropic of Cancer crosses Comilla town on the south side just over the Tomsom Bridge.^{[citation needed]}

Climate

Climate data for Comilla (1991–2020, extremes 1883-present)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °C (°F)	31.0 (87.8)	34.0 (93.2)	36.0 (96.8)	41.8 (107.2)	37.5 (99.5)	37.0 (98.6)	37.0 (98.6)	36.8 (98.2)	37.0 (98.6)	36.5 (97.7)	34.8 (94.6)	32.0 (89.6)	41.8 (107.2)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	25.9 (78.6)	28.6 (83.5)	31.1 (88.0)	32.2 (90.0)	32.5 (90.5)	31.8 (89.2)	31.1 (88.0)	31.4 (88.5)	31.9 (89.4)	31.7 (89.1)	30.0 (86.0)	27.1 (80.8)	30.4 (86.7)
Daily mean °C (°F)	18.0 (64.4)	21.3 (70.3)	25.0 (77.0)	27.2 (81.0)	28.0 (82.4)	28.3 (82.9)	28.2 (82.8)	28.4 (83.1)	28.2 (82.8)	27.1 (80.8)	23.5 (74.3)	19.4 (66.9)	25.2 (77.4)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	12.1 (53.8)	15.6 (60.1)	19.9 (67.8)	22.8 (73.0)	24.3 (75.7)	25.5 (77.9)	25.7 (78.3)	25.7 (78.3)	25.4 (77.7)	23.7 (74.7)	18.7 (65.7)	13.8 (56.8)	21.1 (70.0)
Record low °C (°F)	5.3 (41.5)	8.5 (47.3)	12.0 (53.6)	15.4 (59.7)	18.5 (65.3)	21.5 (70.7)	20.2 (68.4)	22.6 (72.7)	21.2 (70.2)	18.0 (64.4)	11.8 (53.2)	7.8 (46.0)	5.3 (41.5)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	8 (0.3)	23 (0.9)	63 (2.5)	138 (5.4)	314 (12.4)	378 (14.9)	432 (17.0)	290 (11.4)	247 (9.7)	156 (6.1)	35 (1.4)	13 (0.5)	2,097 (82.6)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1 mm)	1	2	4	8	15	18	21	20	17	9	2	1	118
Average relative humidity (%)	77	75	77	81	82	86	87	86	86	84	80	79	82
Mean monthly sunshine hours	211.7	218.4	242.5	231.0	213.0	167.9	164.3	173.8	175.1	220.5	239.2	215.2	2,472.6
Source 1: NOAA[15]
Source 2: Bangladesh Meteorological Department (humidity 1981–2010)[16][17]

Points of interest

Comilla has a number of tourist attractions. Various archaeological relics discovered in the district, especially from the seventh–eighth centuries, are now preserved in the Mainamati Museum.^[18] There is a World War II war cemetery in Comilla, which is protected and maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.^[19]

Sports

Comilla Victorians is a professional cricket team based in Comilla and is the most successful franchise in the Bangladesh Premier League.^[20][21]

Administration

Comilla is controlled by the Comilla City Corporation. It has 27 wards.^[22]

Metro neighbourhoods

These are the neighbourhoods of Comilla:^[23]

• Baghmara
• Bara Para
• Belghar
• Adra (North)
• Adra (South)
• Bijoypur
• Chapapur
• Durlovpur
• Chouara
• Galiara
• Purba Jorekaran
• Pachim Jorekaran
• Perul (North)
• Perul (South)

Demographics

Religions in Comilla City Corp. (2022)[1]
Religion			Percent
Islam			91.96%
Hinduism			7.75%
Other or not stated			0.29%

As of 2022 census results, Comilla City Corporation had 101,245 households and a population of 440,233. 17.63% of the population was under 10 years of age. Comilla had a literacy rate of 87.28% for those 7 years and older and a sex ratio of 100.68 males per 100 females.^[1]

Transportation

Dhaka-Chittagong Highway, Comilla

Highway

One of the oldest highways of the Indian subcontinent, 'The Grand Trunk Road', passes through the city. The Dhaka–Chittagong Highway bypasses the city from the cantonment to Shuagaji through Poduar Bazar.^[24]

Railway

Comilla is a nearby city of Laksham Junction and Akhaura Railway Junction. Rail connection is available to Dhaka, Chittagong, Brahmanbaria, and Sylhet.

Education

Main article: List of Educational Institutions in Comilla

The Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education is responsible for holding public examinations (JSC, S.S.C, and H.S.C) in Comilla and five nearby districts.^{[citation needed]}

Media

Daily newspapers published in Comilla include Comillar Kagoj, Daily Amader Comilla, Shiranam, and Rupasi Bangla, established in 1972. Amod, founded in 1955, is the city's oldest weekly newspaper.^[7][25][26]

Notable residents

Main article: List of people from Comilla

• Kazi Zafar Ahmed, Prime Minister
• Iqbal Karim Bhuiyan, General (Retired), 15th Chief of Army Staff of the Bangladesh Army
• Kamrul Ahsan: Secretary to the Government and now serving as Bangladesh Ambassador to Russia. Earlier served as High Commissioner to Canada and Singapore.
• Buddhadeb Bosu, Bengali poet, novelist, translator, editor, and essayist
• S. D. Burman, Indian singer, composer and music director, was born in Comilla in 1906.^[27]
• Sabitri Chatterjee Indian Actress,was born in Comilla in 1937
• Shib Narayan Das, member of BLF. One of the designers of the first flag of Bangladesh.
• Shaheed Dhirendranath Datta was ex-Minister of Law, Language movement activist and Shaheed of 1971.
• Major Abdul Gani, organizer of the First East Bengal Regiment
• Kazi Nazrul Islam, resided at Comilla
• Abdul Kadir, poet, researcher and editor
• Mustafa Kamal served as president of the International Cricket Council. He is a member of the Jatiya Sangsad representing the Comilla-10 constituency and is a former Minister for Planning and former Minister of Finance.
• Shaukat Mahmood, senior journalist and editor of Weekly Economic Times. Elected president of National Press Club.
• Abdul Matin Patwari, former vice-chancellor, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) and former director general, IUT
• Reba Rakshit, bodybuilder and circus performer, was born in Comilla in the early 1930s.^[28]
• Bidya Sinha Saha Mim, National Film Award winner actress
• Ayman Sadik, Founder of 10 Minute School

See also

• List of universities and schools in Comilla

• Upazilas of Bangladesh
• Districts of Bangladesh
• Divisions of Bangladesh
• Upazila
• Thana

References

1. Population and Housing Census 2022 - District Report: Comilla (PDF). District Series. Dhaka: Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics. June 2024. ISBN 978-984-475-284-9.
2. "Bangladesh changes English spellings of five districts". Bdnews24.com. 2 April 2018. Archived from the original on 24 May 2024. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
3. "Mixed reactions as govt changes English spellings of 5 district names". Dhaka Tribune. 2 April 2018. Archived from the original on 6 February 2024. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
4. Kilikhar, Bidhas Kanti (1995). Tripura of the 18th Century with Samsher Gazi Against Feudalism: A Historical Study. Agartula: Chhapa Kathi, Tripura State Tribal Cultural Research Institute and Museum. p. 55. OCLC 39290375.
5. Nawaz, Ali (2012). "Shamsher Gazi". In Islam, Sirajul; Jamal, Ahmed A. (eds.). Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh (Second ed.). Asiatic Society of Bangladesh.
6. Islam, Rafiqul (2012). "Islam, Kazi Nazrul". In Islam, Sirajul; Jamal, Ahmed A. (eds.). Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh (Second ed.). Asiatic Society of Bangladesh.
7. Siddiqi, Mamun (2003). "Comilla District". In Islam, Sirajul; Jamal, Ahmed A. (eds.). Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh (First ed.). Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. During this time Avaya Ashram, as a revolutionary institution, played significant role. Poet Rabindranath Tagore and Mahatma Gandhi visited Comilla at that time. In 1931, the British Gurkha soldiers fired indiscriminately and killed four persons of village Mohini of Chauddagram Upazila when about four thousand peasants of this village revolted against paying land revenue.
8. https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2398721153683156&id=1671913669697245 ^{[user-generated source]}
9. Whitaker's Cumulative Book List. J. Whitaker. 1961. p. 146.
10. "Japan-Bangladesh E-Bulletin (13th issue / November 22nd, 2004". Embassy of Japan in Bangladesh. 22 November 2004. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
11. Salik, Siddiq, Witness to Surrender, pp126
12. "Why Do India Celebrate 'Vijay Diwas' On 16th December". SSBToSuccess. 17 December 2017. Retrieved 18 December 2017.
13. "About us". Liberation War Museum. Archived from the original on 8 November 2011. Retrieved 21 November 2011.
14. Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Comilla" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 6 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 763.
15. "World Meteorological Organization Climate Normals for 1991-2020 — Comilla". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved 13 June 2024.
16. "Climate of Bangladesh" (PDF). Bangladesh Meteorological Department. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 December 2018. Retrieved 24 December 2018.
17. "Normal Monthly Humidity" (PDF). Bangladesh Meteorological Department. Archived from the original on 24 December 2018. Retrieved 24 December 2018.
18. Huntington, Susan L. (1984). The "Påala-Sena" Schools of Sculpture. Brill Archive. p. xxvi. ISBN 978-90-04-06856-8.
19. "Maynamati War Cemetery | Cemetery Details".
20. "Cricket Records | Bangladesh Premier League | Records | Series results". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 22 July 2016.
21. "Cricket Records | Bangladesh Premier League | Records | Result summary". ESPN Cricinfo. Archived from the original on 10 September 2016. Retrieved 22 July 2016.
22. "History". Comilla City Corporation. Archived from the original on 18 November 2016. Retrieved 22 August 2016.
23. মানচিত্রে সদর দক্ষিণ উপজেলা [Map of Sadar South Upazila]. Bangladesh National Information Portal (in Bengali). Government of Bangladesh. Archived from the original on 1 April 2017. Retrieved 22 August 2016.
24. Leung, Mikey; Meggitt, Belinda (2012). Bangladesh. Bradt Travel Guides. p. 274. ISBN 978-1-84162-409-9.
25. পত্র পত্রিকা [Periodicals]. Comilla District (in Bengali). Bangladesh National Portal.
26. "Bangladesh Newspapers and News Media Guide". ABYZ News Links.
27. Sarma, Ramya (3 September 2013). "The magic in the music". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 5 September 2013.
28. দেবী চৌধুরানি [Devi Choudhurani]. Anandabazar Patrika (in Bengali). 25 October 2010. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014.

External links

• Media related to Cumilla at Wikimedia Commons
• City Corporation Archived 15 August 2016 at the Wayback Machine