Mymensingh

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Mymensingh (Bengali: ময়মনসিংহ) is a metropolitan city and capital of Mymensingh Division, Bangladesh. Located on the bank of Brahmaputra River, about 120 km (75 mi) north of the national capital Dhaka, it is a major financial center and educational hub of north-central Bangladesh. It is the administrative center of Mymensingh District and Mymensingh Division. As of 2022, Mymensingh City Corporation is the 7th largest city in terms of area and the 8th largest in terms of population in the country, with a population of 576,927 people.

The city was constituted by the

Mymensingh is associated with the Old Brahmaputra river, handcrafted duvets called Nakshikantha (Bengali: নকশীকাঁথা), and a rural ballad called Maimansingha Gitika. The cadet college established in Tangail in 1963 was called Momenshahi Cadet College.^[6] The city is known for educational institutions.

History

Mymensingh is one of the sixteen old districts of Bangladesh which was constituted by the

From the early 20th century Muslims moved into town. Since then this city has played an important role as a centre for secularism. The Vidyamoyee Uccha Balika Bidyalaya and Muminunnesa Women's College have played a great role in educating Bengali Muslim women. A majority of first-generation successful Bangladeshi women have attended these schools and colleges, including the first woman justice of the High Court of Bangladesh, Justice Nazmun Ara Sultana.^[11] On 1 December 1969, Tangail subdivision was separated from Mymensingh and a new District of Tangail was formed. Then in 1977 another new district Jamalpur (including Sherpur) was formed.

The nine-month liberation war of Bangladesh started on 27 March 1971. Mymensingh remained free from the occupation army until 23 April 1971. Pakistani occupation forces deserted Mymensingh on 10 December, and Mukti Bahini took over on 11 December, just five days ahead of the victory of Dhaka on 16 December.

Geography and climate

The city has no officially defined geographical limits. Since the 1980s the city has expanded with fast urbanisation. Mymensingh city is clearly marked by the old Old Brahmaputra River flowing along its north. Shambhuganj is situated on the other side of the Brahmaputra, connected by the Shambhuganj Bridge. Other ends of the city are marked respectively by the beginning of the Bangladesh Agricultural University campus, the Mymensingh Medical College, Army cantonment and, finally, Sultanabad, a township built for the followers of Aga Khan. A railway line connecting Dhaka with northern districts, built between 1885 and 1899,^[12] passes through the city and divides it into two sides.

The climate of Mymensingh is a little colder than Dhaka, as it is closer to the Himalayas, and sufficient to be a monsoon-influenced humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cwa) instead of a tropical savanna or tropical monsoon climate as found further south in Bangladesh. The monsoon starts in May or June and continues till August. It rains heavily and sometimes for days and weeks. During the monsoon, the temperature varies between 25 and 31 °C (77.0 and 87.8 °F). The temperature falls below 15 °C (59 °F) in winter which is spread over December and January and may well include November and February. The highest temperature is felt during April–May period, when it mat rrach as high as 40 °C (104 °F). High humidity causes heavy sweating during this period. For western travelers, the best time to visit is between November and February.

Administration

Mymensingh is the headquarter of one of the eight administrative divisions of Bangladesh. Divisional Commissioner, who is the administrative chief of Mymensingh Division, DIG for Mymensingh division and other divisional civil servants have their own offices in the city, which functions as part of the government administrative setup. Deputy Commissioner (DC) who is the administrative chief of Mymensingh District, Civil Surgeon and other district level civil servants have their offices in the city.

One mayor and ward commissioners are elected for five-year terms by direct votes. Mymensingh City Corporation is responsible for all the administrative work related to city governance.

Demographics

At the time of the 2011 census, Mymensingh Municipality had 54,869 households and a population of 258,040. 44,429 (17.22%) were under 10 years of age. Mymensingh had a sex ratio of 953 females per 1000 males and a literacy rate of 73.91% (for 7+ years).^[16] In 2022, the expanded Mymensingh City Corporation had 135495 households and a population of 576,927. It had a sex ratio of 965 females per 1000 males and a literacy rate of 84.41%.^[3]

Economy

Historically, Mymensingh district was known for

The entire area between Durgabari Road, and Maharaja Road comprises the traditional shopping area. There are places like Ganginarpar, Boro Bazaar, Choto Bazaar, Mechua Bazaar within this area. There are spots like Jilapi Patty which is for making and selling jilapi. The main road from Notunbazar to the railway station & C.K. Ghosh Road to Charpara hosts a number of shops for manufactured products and clothing.

Public utilities

City centre

The city center of Mymensingh is along the Ganginarpar Road, which is known as the vein or life line of Mymensingh city. Some more busy area of the city are Chorpara Moor, Town Hall Moor, Zero Point Moor & Bridge Moor.

Cuisine

The staple food is plain rice with a

The Old Town Hall, built by Maharaja Surya Kanta Acharyya had hosted thousands of drama, meeting and cultural functions since 1878. It was demolished in 2006 and is being rebuilt by the Mymensingh Pourashava.[17]^{[needs update]}

Bangladesh Parishad, situated at Chhoto Bazar Road, the regional centre of Pakistan Council in Mymensingh, set up in 1969, came to be known as Bangladesh Parishad after establishment of Bangladesh in 1971. It was a government institution under the Ministry of Information and housed a public library with a collection of books and magazines. The library has 35,656 volumes on all subjects.^[18] It also had a hall to hold literary and cultural functions. Till the 1980s, Bangladesh Parishad was a hub of cultural activity of post-liberation Mymensingh. It was most active in the late 1970s when Ashraf Ali Khan was its chief executive.

Shishu Academy was set up under the initiative of president Ziaur Rahman in 1980. Its Mymensingh office was opened in the 1990s.

The first Shahid Minar was built in 1958 on crossing of the Amrita Babu Road, close to Mymensingh Pourashava. It was relocated to the Town Hall premises in the mid-1990s.

Amarabati Natya Mandir was the first theatre built in the heart of Mymensingh town in the 1930s. Later it was converted into a cinema named Chayabani. The Town Hall became the sole venue for staging a play or drama. Bahubrihi is one of the drama circles that has played a key role in sustaining the drama movement in Mymensingh since the 1970s.

Muslim Institute library is a public library which was established in 1934. The Bangladesh Parishad library has died down since the 1980s.^[citation needed] The local Bar also has a library of its own rich in legal books and journals.

The "Alexandar Castle" or "Lohar Kutir" as it is locally known, is where Maharaja Surya Kanta Acharya invited Grand Duke Boris of Russia and General Sir George White, and built it for his stay and a same Russian styled also built by the Ponni of Tangail. Rabindranath Tagore also was in Alexandra castle for participating a citizen gathering. This earthquake-proof steel and timber building was built after his much vaunted "Crystal Palace" or "Rang Mahal" as it was locally known, was destroyed by the Great Bengal Earthquake of 12 June 1897. Subsequently, "Soshi Lodge" or "Mymensingh Palace" was built at the site of "Rang Mahal". However Maharaja Surya Kanta died before "Soshi Lodge" could be completed. It was completed by Maharaja Soshi Kanta Acharyya. Both the buildings had once contained innumerable works of art, artefacts, sculptures and antiques collected from all over the world. Both these buildings have been declared as National Heritage Monuments. But unplanned development already damaged the scenario of rare Russian architecture in this country.

Bipin Park is a small park near Boro Bazaar right on the Brahmaputra River.

Museums

The Mymensingh Museum was established in 1969.Though its collection comes from the palaces of zamindars of the greater Mymensingh region, it lacks proper preservation.^[19]

The Zainul Abedin Museum was established in a house on the Brahmaputra River in 1975. The art gallery includes the paintings of Zainul Abedin, a pioneer of the country's modern art movement, as well as an art school, art cottage, and open-air stage.^[20][21][22]

The

Anjuman Eid-gah Maidan

Under the auspices of the governor of East Pakistan

Durga Bari Temple

Durga Bari Temple is one of the main religious centers for the Hindus living in Mymensingh. It is situated in the Durga Bari Road. Hindu Goddess

The "Panditparar Math" is a vast field on the bank of the Brahmaputra, in front of the Circuit House, which is used by the sports persons of the city. It has produced many notable cricket players like Prabir Kumar Sen, one of the few wicket keepers to stump Don Bradman and Hemanga Bose. The former vice captain of Bangladesh national cricket team, Mahmudullah was born in this district and he served Bangladesh cricket team proudly. Mymensingh has the country's oldest football club (alongside Wari Club Dhaka), Mymensingh Mohammedan Sporting Club, established in 1898.^[23]

Many students come from other districts for education. The city contains a number of universities, colleges and schools, including:

• Jatiya Kabi Kazi Nazrul Islam University
• Bangladesh Agricultural University
• Mymensingh Medical College
• Mymensingh Engineering College
• Mymensingh Girls' Cadet College
• Ananda Mohan College
• Shahid Syed Nazrul Islam College
• Muminunnesa Women's College
• Mymensingh Polytechnic Institute
• Agricultural University College, Mymensingh
• Notre Dame College, Mymensingh
• Women Teachers Training College
• Royal Media College
• Mymensingh Zilla School
• Vidyamoyee Govt. Girls' High School
• Govt. Laboratory High School, Mymensingh
• Mukul Niketon High School
• Cantonment Public School and College, Mymensingh^[24]
• Mymensingh Govt. College
• Muslim Girls High School And College, Mymensingh
• Progressive Model School, Mymensingh
• Premier Ideal High School - Mymensingh

Transportation

The distance from Mymensingh to Dhaka is about 120 km (75 mi) from the

Maharaja Suryakanata set up the first public hospital in Mymensingh along the river Brahmaputra. This is now a leprosy hospital and now called the "S K Hospital." Mymensingh Medical College hospital was established in 1962 and is one of the oldest and biggest hospitals in Bangladesh. Since the end of the 1990s, private investment in the medical sector has gone up and a number of private hospitals of various sizes and clinics have been established. Situated over about 40 acres (16 ha) of land, the Golkibari Cemetery is the largest Muslim cemetery of the town. There is another Muslim graveyard at Kalibari named Kalibari Gorosthan. The Hindu Shmoshanghat in Kewatkhali by the side of Brahmaputra railway bridge and the Christian cemetery of the colonial British are also present, and various other smaller cemeteries.

Media and literature

Bharat Mihir was one of the oldest newspapers published from Mymensingh in British India. Its publication commenced in 1875. After independence in 1971, Habibur Rahman Sheikh published in 1979 the first daily under the name and title Dainik Jahan, following his decade-long trial with weekly Banglar Darpan which had been launched in 1972. He also published a women's monthly under the title Chandrakash for almost a decade. The other newspapers published from the city include Dainik Ajker Bangladesh and Dainik Ajker Khabar.^[4] Newspapers published from Dhaka came by train and was available around the noon till the 1980s. Hawkers riding bicycle would deliver newspapers from home to home by the afternoon. As the roadlink with Dhaka improved, buses were used for transportation of Dhaka newspapers. Now newspapers from Dhaka arrive Mymensingh by 9.00 in the morning and are delivered to homes by the noon.

Mymensingh Press Club, situated near Ganginarpar is a vibrant hub for the intellectuals, teachers, literature and cultural activists, in addition to media peoples. It hosts literary events, cultural functions and such other activities on a regular basis. Mymensingh Press Club was established towards the end of 1959. It was set up in course of a provincial conference of journalists and editors of the-then East Pakistan, held on 7–8 March 1959. Literary circles of note were Sahitya Sava and Troyodaosh Sammilini. Earlier, in the 1960s, a leader of the Ahmadya community, Ahmad Toufiq Chowdhury, had set up printing press in his residence at Maharaja Road to bring out a periodic magazine entitled Writupatra.^[4] Poets Musharraf Karim and Farid Ahmed Dulal and writer Iffat Ara are some of the important literary names from Mymensingh. In 1985, Ara set up a press in her own residence to bring out the monthly Dwitiyo Chinta.

Notable people

Bengali scientist Sir

• 
  Monument of the martyrs of the Language Movement in Mymensingh
• 
  Bangladesh Agricultural University
• 
  Mymensingh Power Station
• 
  Centre for Nuclear Medicine and Ultrasound in MMCH
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  Town Hall Point
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  Mymensingh-1971 monument
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  Old Brahmaputra, Mymensingh
• 
  Payra Chattar, A sculpture in Natun Bazar Moor, Sadar Mymensingh
• 
  Abstract of liberation war at Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU)

References