Comilla or Kumillā is a city in the Chittagong division of Bangladesh, located on the Dhaka-Chittagong Highway. The name Comilla was derived from Komolangko, meaning the pond of lotus. 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. Lamai Mainamati was ruled by the Deva dynasty (eighth century AD), and (during the 10th and mid-11th century AD).
In 1732, it became the center of the Bengal-backed domain of Jagat Manikya. It came under the rule of the East India Company in 1765, It was renamed Comilla in 1960. Chandpur and Brahmanbaria subdivisions of this district were transformed into districts in 1984. Comilla Cantonment is an important military base and the oldest in the country. It was widely used by the British Indian Army during World War II. There is a war cemetery, Maynamati War Cemetery, 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, protected and maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
There are a number of Japanese soldiers buried there as well, from the Second World War. Comilla is bounded by Burichang Upazila and Tripura on the north, Laksham, and Chauddagram on the south, and Barbera on the west. The major rivers that pass through Comilla include Gomoti and Little Feni. The Tropic of Cancer crosses Comilla town on the south side just over the Tomsom Bridge.
Mainly based on agriculture, the #economy of Comilla has flourished through trade and cottage industries, especially the ‘Khadi’ textile. Rice, jute, wheat, mustard seed, and eggplant are the chief crops with jackfruit, bananas, and coconuts being the main fruits. Some tea and cotton are grown on the hillsides For the economic development of the region the “Bangladesh Export Processing Zone Authority” established the “Comilla Export Processing Zone” in the Comilla Airport area in 2000. Well connected by air, rail, and road the city is a major business center on the trade route to Agartala, Tripura.
The main businesses is cane and bamboo basketry, pottery, woodworking, and cotton weaving. Comilla has a number of tourist attractions. Various archaeological relics discovered in the district, especially from the 7th–8th century, are now preserved in the Mainamati Museum. Many historical and archaeological sites are located including Shalban Bihar, Ananda Bihar, Ananda Rajar Bari, Rani Mainamati palace, Commonwealth War Cemetery, Muktijoddha Museum at Mainamati Cantonment, Gomti River, and Dharma Sagar.
Comilla city is also famous for its colonial architecture and Rosh malai sweets. The city is distinguished by the great size and number (more than 400) of its water-storage tanks; including the Dharma Sagar tank. There are numerous hotels and resorts in the city that offer luxurious mid-range and budget accommodation. Known for its sweets the restaurants offer delicious food at a reasonable rate. The city is good for a weekend visits.
