Comilla; a City in Bangladesh

Narrow streets of Kandirpar, the heart of Comilla city

Comilla (Bengali: কুমিল্লা) (Urdu and Punjabi: کومیلا) is a city in south-eastern Bangladesh, located along the Dhaka-Chittagong Highway. It is the administrative center of the Comilla District, part of the Chittagong Division. It had a population of 210,000at the 2010 Census. The Eastern Wing of Bangladesh Highway Police is located in Comilla. 

History: 

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 town people by protesting the Prince of Wales's visit to India. 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 Upazilla revolted against a land revenue tax. The British Gurkha soldiers fired indiscriminately on the crowd, killing four people. In a major peasant gathering, the police fired at Hasnabad of Laksham Upazila in 1932. Two people were killed and many were wounded.

WWII Cemetery at Moinamoti, Comilla, Bangladesh

Comilla Cantonment is one of most important military bases and is the oldest in East Bengal. It was widely used by the British Indian Army during World War II. There is a war cemetery in Comilla that was established after the 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 were buried there as well. 

The Comilla municipality, having its introduction dating back to 1890s, was named Comilla City Corporation on 10 July 2011. Epz (EXport processing Zone)in Comilla is doing good part in Bangladesh economy by exporting goods like ready made garments electronics and other sector. 

Geography and climate:

Comilla covers a total area of 11.47 square kilometers. It is bounded by Burchiganj and Tripura on the north, Laksham and Chauddagram on the south, and Barura on the west. The major rivers that pass through Comilla include Gumti and Little Feni. The Tropic of Cancer crosses Comilla town on the south side over the Thomson Bridge just besides MSN Computers.

Comilla Bypass, A road to connect Comilla with N1

Transport: 

Comilla is a hub of road communication for the eastern part of Bangladesh. The communication system is very much sound with bi-communication system- Roads and water ways throughout the region, particularly the eastern part is enrich with road communication. One of the oldest highways of the Indian Sub-continent, 'The Grand Trunk Road' passes through the city. At present, the most important Dhaka-Chittagong highway bypasses the city from the cantonment to Poduar Bazar. Center point of Comilla is located 97 kilometers away from the capital city, Dhaka which can be traveled by road or railway. Here goods and raw materials, soil are carried by tractor. Rickshaws pulled by rickshaw pullers is widely used and very much popular for short distance. In recent years the battery-driven auto rickshaw has become very popular. 

It is on the Akhaura-Laksam-Chittagong Line.

Commilla Medical College, Comilla, Bangladesh

Education: 

Comilla was home to many educated people before the British arrived. Habitually the people in this region are prompt enough to take up the changes taking in the education sector. The educated people of this region have made tremendous contributions in every sector of the country and have shown their meritorious presence both home and abroad. Comilla's schools, colleges and universities include Comilla University, Comilla Medical College, Comilla Victoria Government College, Comilla Government College and numerous colleges and schools such as Comilla Cadet College, Comilla Zilla School, Ibn Taimia School & College, Comilla High School.Comilla education board Model School and College(Shaktala Sodor south) Comilla Polytechnic Institute. The Comilla Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education had headquarters in Comilla. This board is the central administration that conducts primary, secondary, and higher secondary education for several districts.

S.D. Burman

Notable Persons: 

• Famous Indian Bengali Singer and composer Sachin Dev Burman was born here. 

• Principal Abul Kalam Mazumder (1945–1994), Freedom Fighter, National Flag Placed High in Comilla during the Liberation,Politician,Educationalist,Founder of Many School & College. 

• Faizunnesa Chowdhurani(1834–1903): poet & philanthropist. 

• Dhirendranath Datta(1886–1971): Political leader, provincial minister of the than East Pakistan, Language Movement activist & lawyer. 

• Barrister Shafiq Ahmed - Minister of Law 

• Advocate Abdul Motin Khosru- Ex. Law Minister, Bangladesh Awami League 

• Buddhadeb Basu (1908–1974):Bengali poet, novelist, essayist, translator & editor. 

• Kailashchandra singha(1851–1914): historian & archaeologist (author of 'Rajmala' and many historic books on tippera, sylhet, comilla). 

• Nowab Musharaf Hussen(1871–1966): politician,education minister,member of Bengal legislative assembly 

• Maheshchandra vottracharjya(1858–1944): philanthropist, munificent & writer (founder of Iswar patsala, ram mala hostel, library & 35 educational institutions and many other charitable organisations in comilla & other parts of the then Bengal & India).

Khondakar Mushtaq Ahmad, Ex Bangladeshi President

• Kaminikumar Dutta(1878–1958): Provincial minister of East Pakistan. 

• Professor Ghulam Subhan (1920–2006):Legendary educationalist and scholar, Former Head of the chemistry- Comilla Victoria College 

• Sachin Dev Burman(1906–1975):singer, composer & music director 

• Himanshu Dutta(1908-15 Nov 1944):composer,singer.Titled"Sur-Sagar"(The Ocean of Music) 

• Abdur Rahim(1988-): 

• Mohamed Ali Azam(1908–1974): educationist, translator & author (a contributor to Encyclopædia Britannica). 

• Major(Red)Abdul Gani(1919–1957): founder of Bengal Regiment & member of BLA. 

• Khondaker Mostaq Ahmad(1919–1996): Ex-president of Bangladesh 

• Dr Akhtar Hameed Khan(1914–1999) : Social reformer and Development activist. 

• Professor Shamsul Haque : Educationist & ex-foreign minister of Bangladesh. 

• Shib Narayan Das: the designer of first national flag of Bangladesh in 1971, a freedom fighter & political activist. 

• Abdur Rashid Engineer (1934–2006): Ex-Minister of Bangladesh Government. 

• Lt. Col.(Ret) Akbar Hossain BP : Ex-Minister of Bangladesh Government. 

• M.K. Anwar: Ex-minister of Bangladesh. 

• Dr. Redwan Ahmed (1952- : Ex-state Minister, Philanthropist, Freedom Fighter, Educationist

Kazi Shamsul Hoque

• Dr. Khondoker Mosharraf Hossain: Ex-minister of Bangladesh. 

• Kazi Shamsul Hoque, an eminent journalist, founder editor of weekly Akhon Samoy, New York, USA. 

• Mr. Sifullah Miajee: Political leader and Social reformer. 

• Kazi Zafar Ahmed : Ex Prime Minister of Bangladesh. 

• Abdur Rahim Chowdhury (satbaria,Nangolkot,Comilla):Ex Leo district council President 315B2,Bangladesh 

• Capt. Sujat Ali (1926–2007), ex-Minister, founder of Sujat Ali College 

• Fazle Nizami (1933–1984), music teacher & Rabindra sangeet singer 

• Shib Narayan Das, one of designers of the first national flag of Bangladesh and veteran freedom fighter 

• Air Vice-Marshall Mohammad Jamaluddin, ex-Chief of Staff of Bangladesh Air Force 

• Anis Chowdhury (1929–1990), novelist and dramatist 

• Justice Md. Mamtaz Uddin Ahmed (1944-), Justice,Applied Division,Supreme Court of Bangladesh 

• Dr. Mohammad Lutfur Rahman (1976-)Energy Science, Kyoto University, Japan - Asst. Professor, Bangladesh University of Professionals, Mirpur Cantonment 

• Dr M. Zainal Abedin,Ex Head, Polymer Science, Dean,Faculty of Science, Shahajalal University, Sylhet.- Adjunct Professor, IUB, Bangladesh. 

• Mohammad Belal Hossain, Assistant Professor,Ex Chairman, Department of Fisheries and Marine Science, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Bangladesh.

AHM Mustafa Kamal

• Dr Nasir Uddin, Associate Professor, Islamic Studies, Islamic University, Bangladesh 

• Md.Ahmedul Azam, Ex- Govt Officer, Ministry of Education.JENESIS & NOMA scholar 

• Tofayel Ahammed Miazi, Ex President, Bangladesh Society of University of Greenwich, London, UK. 

• AHM Mustafa Kamal, FCA, Member of the Parliament. Mr. Kamal is the President of the Bangladesh Cricket Board since 23 September 2009 who has been appointed by the Government of the Peoples’ Republic of Bangladesh. Mr. Kamal is the current President of Asian Cricket Council and also the Chairman of Audit Committee of International Cricket Council. Mr. Kamal is a lawmaker from Comilla district. and as well the Convener of Bangladesh Awami League, Comilla district (South). He is also the Secretary, Finance and Planning, of Bangladesh Awami League. Mr. Kamal is the Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Finance. He is also a leading businessman in the country.He is the President & CEO of Lotus Kamal Group.

Mainamati Museum Comilla, Bangladesh

Tourism: 

Comilla has a number of tourist attractions. Various archaeological relics discovered in the district are now preserved in the Mainamati Museum, which is a famous Buddhist archaeological site. There is a World War II war cemetery in mainamoti Comilla, which is protected and maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. there is Salban bihar in cotbari comilla western side of comilla city. Near kandirpar there is a big pond name Dhormo Sagar. There is red soil rock named Lalmai pahar(located in south side of city). 

Media: 

There are a number of locally published newspapers in Comilla. These are mainly online newspapers. These papers include: 

• Comilla Batra 

• Comillar Kagoj 

• Bangladesh Sangbad 

• Natun Alo 

• Kathak 

• Rupsi Bangla