Comilla
কুমিল্লা
Metropolis
Cumilla
From top: Comilla Skyline, Comilla Town Hall, Shah Shuja Mosque, Mainamati War Cemetery, Dharmasagar Lake, Roopsagar Park, Bangladesh Academy for Rural Development and Mainamati
Comilla is located in Chittagong division
Comilla
Comilla
location in Chittagong Division
Comilla is located in Bangladesh
Comilla
Comilla
Location in Bangladesh
Coordinates: 23°27′N 91°12′E / 23.450°N 91.200°E / 23.450; 91.200
Country Bangladesh
DivisionChittagong
DistrictComilla
Municipality1890
City Corporation10 July 2011
Government
 • TypeMayor–Council
 • BodyComilla City Corporation
 • MayorArfanul Haque Rifat
Area
 • Total53.04 km2 (20.48 sq mi)
Population
 (2022)[1]
 • Total439,414
 • Density8,300/km2 (21,000/sq mi)
Demonym(s)Comillian, Kumilli
Time zoneUTC+6 (BST)
Postal code
3500–3583
Calling code081
Notable sport teamsComilla Victorians
Websitewww.comilla.gov.bd

Comilla (/kuˈmɪlə/; Bengali: কুমিল্লা, romanized: Kumillā, Bengali pronunciation: [kumilla]), 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. Also the city of Comilla was once the capital of Tripura kingdom. Comilla Airport is located in the Dulipara area of Comilla city. Along with the Comilla Economic Zone EPZ, various industrial factories have come up at the airport, making the airport area a business and commercial city. Comilla City is a division centered city district with surrounding districts coming to Comilla in more diverse areas of work. Besides, Bibi Bazar land port has come up 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 6 hundred thousand.

History

Ancient era

Shalaban Bihar is evidence of the age of Comilla.

The Comilla region was once under ancient Samatata 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 the Deva dynasty (eighth century AD), and (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.

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, Laksham, and Chauddagram on the south, and Barura 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.

Climate

Comilla has a tropical savanna climate. The Köppen-Geiger climate classification is Aw. The climate of Comilla is generally marked with monsoons, high temperature, considerable humidity, and heavy rainfall. The hot season commences early in April and continues until July. The average annual temperature in Comilla is 25.5 °C (77.9 °F). About 2,295 mm (90.35 in) of precipitation falls annually.

Climate data for Comilla
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 25.7
(78.3)		 28.1
(82.6)		 31.6
(88.9)		 32.8
(91.0)		 32.5
(90.5)		 31.2
(88.2)		 30.7
(87.3)		 31.0
(87.8)		 31.4
(88.5)		 31.0
(87.8)		 29.2
(84.6)		 26.5
(79.7)		 30.1
(86.3)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 12.4
(54.3)		 14.8
(58.6)		 19.6
(67.3)		 23.1
(73.6)		 24.4
(75.9)		 25.2
(77.4)		 25.3
(77.5)		 25.4
(77.7)		 25.3
(77.5)		 23.6
(74.5)		 18.8
(65.8)		 13.8
(56.8)		 21.0
(69.7)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 9
(0.4)		 20
(0.8)		 49
(1.9)		 142
(5.6)		 259
(10.2)		 469
(18.5)		 457
(18.0)		 396
(15.6)		 265
(10.4)		 181
(7.1)		 45
(1.8)		 3
(0.1)		 2,295
(90.4)
Source: Climate-Data.org, Climate data

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.[15] There is a World War II war cemetery in Comilla, which is protected and maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.[16]

Sports

Comilla Victorians is a professional cricket team based in Comilla and is the most successful club in the Bangladesh Premier League.[17][18]

Administration

Comilla is controlled by the Comilla City Corporation. It has 27 wards.[19]

Metro neighbourhoods

These are the neighbourhoods of Comilla:[20]

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

Demographics

At the time of the 2011 census, Comilla City Corporation had a population of 339,133, of which 177,300 were male and 161,833 were female.[21]

Religions in Comilla city (2011)[22]: 1378, 1409 
Religion Percent
Muslims
 
 91.12%
Hindus
 
 8.58%
Other or not stated
 
 0.30%

Muslims are over 91% of the population, while Hindus make up over 8%.

Transportation

Sunset at Dhaka-Comilla Highway.

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.[23]

Railway

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

Education

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.

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][24][25]

Notable residents

See also

References

  1. ↑ Population & Housing Census 2022: Preliminary Report. Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics. August 2022. p. vii. ISBN 978-984-35-2977-0.
  2. ↑ "Bangladesh changes English spellings of five districts". Bdnews24.com. Dhaka. 2 April 2018. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
  3. ↑ Mahadi Al Hasnat (2 April 2018). "Mixed reactions as govt changes English spellings of 5 district names". Dhaka Tribune. 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. 1 2 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
  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. 1 2 "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. ↑ Huntington, Susan L. (1984). The "Påala-Sena" Schools of Sculpture. Brill Archive. p. xxvi. ISBN 978-90-04-06856-8.
  16. ↑ "Maynamati War Cemetery | Cemetery Details".
  17. ↑ "Cricket Records | Bangladesh Premier League | Records | Series results". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 22 July 2016.
  18. ↑ "Cricket Records | Bangladesh Premier League | Records | Result summary". ESPN Cricinfo. Archived from the original on 10 September 2016. Retrieved 22 July 2016.
  19. ↑ "History". Comilla City Corporation. Archived from the original on 18 November 2016. Retrieved 22 August 2016.
  20. ↑ 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.
  21. ↑ "Cumilla District". www.comilla.gov.bd. Government of Bangladesh.
  22. ↑ "Community Series - Comilla District" (PDF). bbs.gov.bd. Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics.
  23. ↑ Leung, Mikey; Meggitt, Belinda (2012). Bangladesh. Bradt Travel Guides. p. 274. ISBN 978-1-84162-409-9.
  24. ↑ পত্র পত্রিকা [Periodicals]. Comilla District (in Bengali). Bangladesh National Portal.
  25. ↑ "Bangladesh Newspapers and News Media Guide". ABYZ News Links.
  26. ↑ Sarma, Ramya (3 September 2013). "The magic in the music". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 5 September 2013.
  27. ↑ দেবী চৌধুরানি [Devi Choudhurani]. Anandabazar Patrika (in Bengali). 25 October 2010. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014.
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