Jessore

Jessore ( যশোর or যশোহর) is a district located in the Khulna Division of southwestern Bangladesh. It is bordered by India to the west.
The district produces a variety of crops year-round. Date-sugar called patali is made from the sap of locally grown date trees that is cooked, thickened and crystallised using a traditional method. Patali is mainly produced in Khajura, but there are also many such trees in the Keshabpur and Monirampur areas.
Jessore district was established in 1781. It consists of 4 municipalities, 36 wards, 8 upazilas, 92 unions, 1329 mouzas, 1434 villages and 120 mahallas. Upazilas are: Abhaynagar Upazila, Bagherpara Upazila, Chaugachha Upazila, Jessore kotwali Upazila, Jhikargachha Upazila, Keshabpur Upazila, Manirampur Upazila, and Sharsha Upazila.
Jessore town which stands on the Bhairab, consists of 9 wards and 73 mahalls. Jessore municipality was established in 1864. The area of the town is 25.72 km². The town has a population of 1178273; male 52.97%, female 47.03%. Literacy rate among the town people is 56.57%. The town has one dakbungalow.

History of Jessore

Jessore district once belonged to the ancient Janapada kingdom of Samatat Janapada. At the time of the partition of India in 1947, Jessore was partially divided. Except for the Bangaon and Gaighata thanas, the entire district became part of East Pakistan.
The Bengali soldiers stationed at Jessore cantonment mutinied against the Pakistan Army on 29 March 1971. They were led by Captain Hafiz Uddin and Lieutenant Anwar in an uprising in which about 300 soldiers were killed. The rebels killed 50 Pakistani soldiers with machine gun fire at Chanchara.
On 7 December 1971, Jessore became the first district of Bangladesh to be liberated from Pakistani forces.

Places to see in Jessore

Village Rampur has become a tourist attraction for its island-like look surrounded by two rivers, Jhapa Bayor and Khajura Bayor. The Kapatakkha River flows through the area.
At Abhaynagar Upazila, there is a small village called Dhulgram. There was once a magnificent complex of 17 temples here, but now only one remains standing. Most of the temples were submerged into the Bhairab River, which flows by the complex. A beautiful terracotta design can be seen all over the temple. It is considered a very holy place by Bengals.

In Bhatnagar, Abhaynagar, stands the ruins of an 11 temple complex dedicated to Lord Shiva. Though the central temple is partially destroyed the place still shows the majesty of the glorious past of Bengal.

• Near the town of Jessore, there is a suburb called Chanchra. A Chanchra Rajbari once stood, but it is completely ruined now. However, one can see the Shiv Temple, which is almost restored; The ruined Dosh Mahabidya Temple, which is only piece in Bangladesh, and Jora Shiv Temple at Murali in almost ruined condition.
• There is a historical building named Imam Bara, situated at Murolir Mor beside the Dhaka-Khulna Highway. It was built by Hazi Muhammad Mohsin.
• The Jessore Collectorate Building, located in Daratana, is one of the oldest buildings in Jessore.

Sagardari is also the birthplace of the poet Michael Madhusudan Dutta. His large villa consists of a huge garden, a small museum and houses. The front gate of the house has a solid sculpture work and the Kapattakka River is only a block away from his house. Around the house, there are many small shops which usually sell souvenirs.

Jessore Town

• The town area is almost 64 km²;
• The town of Jessore has a population almost half of that of the entire district's — 1,178,273, of which 52.97% are male and 47.03% are female.
• The literacy rate amongst townspeople (68.57%) is significantly higher than that of the entire district.

Famous Personalities

• Michael Madhusudan Datta  Poet and Dramatist
  
• Mahendra Lal Bose - Philanthropist and Educationist
• Masihur Rahman - Highest ranked leader of Bangladesh independence movement assassinated by Pakistan, founding member of Awami League, member of the Parliament, Minister, Lawyer.