Khulna previously called Jahanabad is the third-largest city in Bangladesh after Dhaka and Chittagong. It is the administrative territory of the Khulna District and Khulna Division. The economy of Khulna is the third-largest in Bangladesh, contributing the maximum to the GDP. Khulna is located on the bank of the Rupsha and Bhairab rivers. The centre of Bangladeshi industry, it hosts many national companies. Forest products from the forest-and-swamp area known as the Sundarbans supply Khulna’s textile, paper, and board mills as well as its match and newsprint factories. The city also produces steel, cables, milled rice, and flour.
Khulna is served by Port of Mongla, the second-largest seaport in the country, and is one of two principal naval-command centres hosting the Bangladesh Navy. A steamboat service operates on the river route to the city. Khulna is considered the gateway to the Sundarbans, the world’s largest mangrove forest and home of the Royal Bengal tiger. It is north of the Mosque City of Bagerhat, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Khulna was part of the ancient kingdoms of Vanga and Samatata. It became a part of the Sena dynasty during the 12th-century reign of Ballala Sena. During the 14th century, Shamsuddin Firoz Shah was the first Muslim ruler to arrive in the city.
During the reign of Daud Khan Karani in the 16th century, Vikramaditya (a chief minister) obtained a grant in south Bengal including Khulna when Karani was fighting Mughals. Vikramaditya established a sovereign kingdom with its capital at Iswaripur in Jessore district. He was succeeded by his son, Pratapaditya, who gained preeminence over the Baro-Bhuyans and controlled southern Bengal. Vikramaditya was defeated by Man Singh I, a Hindu general of the Mughal emperor Akbar, in 1611. Khulna remained under the rule of autonomous nawabs of Bengal until 1793 when the British East India Company abolished nizam and took control of the city.
The city became a part of the Jessore District in 1842. It became the headquarters of Khulna District in 1882. Well connected by road, river, rail and air with the rest of the country Khulna is a major educational centre with numerous colleges and institutes. There are numerous tourist places worth visiting in and around the city. the city is known for its cuisine and has numerous hotels and restaurants that offer delicious food. There are numerous hotels resorts and lodges that provide luxurious mid-range and budget accommodation. As a major business centre, there are numerous shopping malls and markets that sell a variety of items at reasonable prices.
The city is known for its parks and lakes and other water bodies. The city has a major bangladesh liberation war memorial established after 1971. The has a historic reference also as being the place visited by Mahatma Gandhi in 1926 on his 1st tour to the east of India. It is also the home of Kobiguru Ravindranath Tagore’s father in-laws home and he visited the city several times in his lifetime. The city is also the birthplace of Prafulla Chandra Ray. Khulna is the perfect place for a group or family tour over the weekend.
