Mymensingh
Encyclopedia
Mymensingh pronounced moy-mon-shing-haw, is a city of Bangladesh
situated on the river Brahmaputra. It is the headquarters of the administrative unit Mymensingh District
. Mymensingh is the anglicized pronunciation of the original name Momenshahi, referring to a ruler called Momen Shah. The cadet college established in Tangail
in 1963 was called Momenshahi Cadet College. The city is known for educational institutions like Bangladesh Agricultural University
, Mymensingh Medical College
[Mymensingh Engineering College][Mymensingh Ananda Mohon University College][Mymensingh Muminunnesa Women College] Mymensingh Poly technique Institute and Mymensingh Girls' Cadet College
. Other landmark institutions include Mymensingh Army Cantonment. Also it is related with old Brahmaputra river
, handcrafted duvet called Nakshikantha and a rural ballad called Moimonsingho Geetika
. Mymensingh city is located about 120 km (75 mi) north of Dhaka
which is the capital of the country.
on 1 May 1787. Being more than 220 years old, Mymensingh has a rich cultural and political history. At the beginning Begunbari was chosen as the headquarters of the district. However the district headquarters was relocated to Mymensingh when Begunbari devastated by flash flood. Earlier Mymensingh was called Nasirabad. During the British Raj
most of the inhabitants of the town were Hindus.
From the early 20th century Muslims moved into town. Since then this city has played an important role as a center 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. However, many Hindu families left Bangladesh during the partition of India in 1947. A second spell of exodus took place following the Indo-Pak war of 1965. Many people born and raised Mymensingh have left for West Bengal since the 1960s. The exodus continues albeit at a slower pace.
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 Mymensing on 10 December, and Mukti Bahini
took over on 11 December, just five days ahead of the victory of Dhaka on 16 December.
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 Agricultural University campus, the 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, passes through the city and divides it into two sides.
The climate of Mymensingh is moderate, much cooler than Dhaka
, as it is closer to the Himalayas
. 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 15 and 20 degrees. 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 the temperature may be as high as 40 degrees. High humidity
causes heavy sweating during this period. For western travelers, the best time to visit is between November and February.
production which was termed 'golden fiber' due to revenue it generated as a cash crop. Due to the high demand for polythene bags and other economic reasons, the jute industry has been significantly declined today. Agriculture is the most important sector contributing to GDP, followed by the growing service sector in the city. The increasing demand for fish in the local and global markets has generated a new opportunity for local fishermen as well as businessmen to exploit fishing in Mymensingh and today it is very important to the economy. People have changed their paddy fields to ponds, and are cultivating fish. Prawns, sometimes reaching a very large size in the winter, are sold in Mymensingh in great numbers.
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 hosts a number of shops for manufactured products and clothing on the two sides. The old colonial brothels in a moderate Muslim country is a paradox, involving prostitution, drugs and crimes.
with a curry
of fish or meat. Normally people start with fried or steamed vegetable and dal
, a kind of lentil
soup. Often people squeeze a lemon slice or take additional salt while eating and add fresh onion rings and green pepper to spice up the food. Traditional snacks and savories include seasonal pitha
of various kinds, dal-pury, singara
and samosa
. Home made desserts include Kheer
, Payesh and Shemai. Sweets soaked in syrup of sugar
, such as Geelapi, are mostly bought from shops. Paan
, a digestive made out of betel nut
s, spices, tobacco
, and certain other ingredients are eaten by many people, some of which consume it with aromatic Jarda. For dinner or lunch, a simple formula is to prepare "khichdi
", the broth of rice and lentils, seasoned with spices, and served with chutney
or pickle
s. Ghee
(butter) may be spread just before eating. The meal may end with sweet curd
. Muri
(puffed rice), chira
(flattened rice) and khoi
(popped rice/rice krispy) are substitutes for rice. They are eaten with gur
(jaggery
) which is a kind of unrefined sugar. They may be mixed up with curd or milk before eaten. People use only right hand for eating. No spoon, fork or knife is used.
Mymensingh is one the cities in Bangladesh where Muslims and Hindus band together. All types of religious festivals are celebrated throughout the city. During different critical international religious conflicts, people of this city proved what religion means to their lives.
Anjuman Eid-gah Maidan
Under the auspices of the governor of East Pakistan Abdul Monayem Khan, a prayer ground was
established in 1962 on 27 acres (109,265.2 m²) of land, including a pond. Every year congregation of Eid ul-Fitr
and Eid ul-Adha
are held here in the morning. The prayer ground is walled on all the sides and has a nice view with coconut trees lining up the sides. This place was used to accommodate the Elephants of Maharaj Surya kanta achrya in colonial time.
Ramakrishna Math & Mission
Ramakrishna Ashrama of Mymensingh is situated at 182, Ramakrishna Mission Road. Ramakrishna Math
is a monastic organization for men brought into existence by Sri Ramakrishna (1836–1886), the great 19th century saint of Bengal
who is regarded as the prophet of the Modern Age. Ramakrishna Mission
is a registered society in which monks of Ramakrishna Math and lay devotees cooperate in conducting various types of social service. It was founded by Sri Ramakrishna's chief apostle, Swami Vivekananda
(1863–1902), one of the foremost thinkers and religious leaders of the present age, who is regarded as 'one of the main moulders of the modern world', in the words of an eminent Western scholar A. L. Basham.
Bangladesh Parishad, situated at Chhotto Bazar Road, the regional center 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 good collection of books and magazines. The library has 35,656 volumes on all subjects. It also had a hall to hold literary and cultural functions. Till 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 1990s.
The first Shahid Minar was built in 1958 on crossing of the Amrita Babu Road, close Mymensingh Pourashava. It was relocated to the Ton Hall premises around mid-1990s.
Amarabati Natya Mandir was the first theater built in the heart of Mymensingh town in 1930s. Later it was considerted into a cinema named Aloka. 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 Mymensigh since 1970s. Singing was part of daily life for most people since the 19th century. Mithun Dey and Sunil Dhar were two popular music teachers since the 1960s. Sunil Dhar established a music school at Atharo Bari Building in the 1980s. Folk Ballads: Maimansingha Gitika
. There are five cinema halls in Mymensingh town. Most of these halls are very old but still in operation. Cable TV connectivity was launched in 1999 and together with DVD
and VCR, most people now prefer home entertainment. However, on special occasions such as Eid
, new year, Puja, and other vacations, people still watch movies in the cinema halls. Aloka was the oldest cinema hall which was demolished in 2006 to make a modern shopping and residential complex. Other cinema halls are Chayabani, Purabi and Shena Nibash.
Muslim Institute library has been the most popular public library, established in 1934. The Bangladesh Parishad library was rich and popular which died down in the 1980s. 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 Russian Jar Alexander and built it for his stay and a same Russian styled also built by the Ponni of Tangail. Rabindra nath Thakur 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 totally and completely 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, artifacts, 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.
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.
Body building has become a favourite pastime for many of the young adults of the town. The Muslim Institute has a well equipped gymnasium since 1950s. Although the zeal and enthusiasm observed in earlier times had significantly died down by the 1990s, young adults still visit this gymnasium on a regular basis for a work-out. Physician Abdul Halim
was a renowned bodybuilder in the 1960s who became Mr. East Pakistan in a nationwide competition. Farhad Ahmed Kanchon, who later became a Member of the Parliament in late 1970s, was also a regular.
Mymensingh contains many universities, colleges and schools. Of particular note are Bangladesh Agricultural University
, Agricultural University College, Mymensingh
, Shahid Syed Nazrul Islam College
, Mymensingh Medical College
, Muminunnesa Women's College
, Jatiya Kabi Kazi Nazrul Islam University
, Mymensingh Girls' Cadet College, Mymensingh Engineering College, Mymensingh Zilla School
, Mukul Niketon School
, Ananda Mohan College
, Katlashen Kaderia Kamil Madrashah, and Al-Arabia Dakhil Madrashah.
For computer education is the best institute is
is about 120 km (75 mi) from the Mohakhali
bus stop.The city was linked with Dhaka after the railway lines were connected around 1865. The road link to Dhaka was via Tangail
until 1979 when president Ziaur Rahman
ordered the completion of the half-finished highway between Dhaka and Mymensingh via Bhaluka. In 2006, the bus fare in the city was around TK.105 (US$1.5) per person, and around Tk.120 ($1.71) in January 2010. However, rickshaw
is the main mode of transportation within the city area and the growth of the number of cars is relatively slow. Three-wheelers started to ply toward the end of 1990s.
Train is by far the cheapest means to get to Mymensingh. Apart from a number of local trains, Ekota Express, Aghnibina Express, Tista Express, Bhrammaputra Express, Jamuna Express and Balaka Express connect the town with the capital of Dhaka. Train fares range from 40 tk to 120 tk ($0.57 to $1.71) per person depending upon the class and the train itself. It takes almost 3 hours to reach Mymensingh from Dhaka by train. All intercity trains connect the city with Jamalpur town as well. Several local trains run between Mymensingh town to Kishorganj and Netrokona.
hospital. Mymensingh Medical College
hospital is now serving the local people as well the people of surrounding districts.It is one of the oldest and biggest hospitals in Bangladesh.Since end of 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 (161,874.4 m²) 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.
was one of the oldest newspaper ever 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 Aker Khabar. Newspapers published from Dhaka came by train and was available around the noon till 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 0f 1959. Literary circles of note were Sahitya Sava and Troyodaosh Sammilini. Earlier, in 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. 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.
An Indian scientist of the last century, Sir Jagadish Chandra Bose was born in Mymensingh on 30 November 1858. The name of Mymensingh is associated with people like anti-British leader Mahadev Sannyal, writer Upendra Kishore Roychowdhury, Sukumar Roy and Leela Majumder, musician and a disciple of Rabindranath Tagore
Sailaja Ranjan Majumder, Maharaja Surya Kanta Acharyya, Maharaja Soshi Kanta Acharya, Maharajkumar Sitangshu Kanta Acharya, Maharajkumar Snehangshu Kanta Acharya, Maharaja Brojendra Kishore Roy Chaudhuri, painter Shilpacharya Zainul Abedin
, ballad collector Sirajuddin Kashimpuri, noveslist Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay
who received early education in Mymensingh town, Humayun Ahmed
who is arguably the most popular Bengali writer, acting president
of Bangladesh during the war of liberation Syed Nazrul Islam
in addition to three other presidents of the country, namely, Justice Abu Sayeed Chowdhury, Ahsanuddin Ahmed Chowdhury. Names of renowned politician and author Abul Mansur Ahmed
, the-then Governor of East Pakistan
Abdul Monem Khan, educationist principal Ibrahim Khan, president Shahabuddin Ahmed
, Language Hero and veteran Politician Khaleque Nawaz Khan, poets Nirmalendu Goon
, Helal Hafiz, Musharraf Karim, and Abid Azad, singer Mitali Mukherjee, writers Jatin Sarker
, Ghulam Rabbani
an Urdu speaking Bangladeshi, author of first Urdu-Bangla and Bangla-Urdu dictionary, played important role to maintain communal harmony during 1964 riots and 1971 liberation war.
Golam Samdani Quraishy, writer, founder GS-BCUTA; Shahid Akhand
, Helena Khan, and Iffat Ara
and several national and international cricketers like Prabir Kumar (Khokan) Sen, one of the few wicketkeeper to stump Don Bradman and football players, Jahurul Islam
one of the wealthiest persons of Bangladesh of 1970s are associated with Mymensingh: The Oscar-winning Indian filmmaker Satyajit Ray
and Bollywood
actress Rani Mukherjee's family hail from this district. Taslima Nasreen, the feminist writer and critic of Islam, and a well-known and revered physician of Jhansi, India, Dr. Sudhangsu Mohan Bhowmick of Lytton Medical School and his late wife Ina were born and brought up here. Dr. Subhrangshu Kanta Acharya, the Director General of Geological Survey of India and the renowned chemist and engineer, Satrughna Kanta Acharya originated from the district. Bhola is from the house across the street from the fire station.
Jalchap-Part 1
Jalchap-Part 2
Jalchap-Part 3
Jalchap-Part 4
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
situated on the river Brahmaputra. It is the headquarters of the administrative unit Mymensingh District
Mymensingh District
Mymensingh is one of the districts of Dhaka division, Bangladesh, and is bordered on the north by Meghalaya state of India and Garo Hills, on the south by Gazipur district, on the east by districts of Netrokona and Kishoreganj, and on the west by districts of Sherpur, Jamalpur and Tangail...
. Mymensingh is the anglicized pronunciation of the original name Momenshahi, referring to a ruler called Momen Shah. The cadet college established in Tangail
Tangail
Tangail is a town in Tangail District located in central region of Bangladesh. It consists of 5 corporations, 8 municipalities, 72 wards, 211 mahallas. It is located on the banks of Louhajang River, and is part of the Dhaka Division.-Education:...
in 1963 was called Momenshahi Cadet College. The city is known for educational institutions like Bangladesh Agricultural University
Bangladesh Agricultural University
Bangladesh Agricultural University or BAU was established as the only university of its kind in Bangladesh in 1961. The scheme for the establishment of BAU was finalized on 8 June 1961 and its ordinance was promulgated on 18 August 1961...
, Mymensingh Medical College
Mymensingh Medical College
Mymensingh Medical College is a government medical college in Bangladesh. It is located in the Mymensingh District of the Dhaka Division. Mymensingh Medical Journal, which is Index Medicus/MEDLINE listed, is the official journal of Mymensingh Medical College.-History:During the later part of...
[Mymensingh Engineering College][Mymensingh Ananda Mohon University College][Mymensingh Muminunnesa Women College] Mymensingh Poly technique Institute and Mymensingh Girls' Cadet College
Mymensingh Girls Cadet College
Mymensingh Girls' Cadet College is a military high school for girls, located in Mymensingh town, Bangladesh, near Charpara.-History:When Bangladesh and Pakistan were a joined country, Pakistan Military Force established some Cadet Colleges in West Pakistan and some Cadet Colleges in East Pakistan...
. Other landmark institutions include Mymensingh Army Cantonment. Also it is related with old Brahmaputra river
Brahmaputra River
The Brahmaputra , also called Tsangpo-Brahmaputra, is a trans-boundary river and one of the major rivers of Asia. It is the only Indian river that is attributed the masculine gender and thus referred to as a in Indo-Aryan languages and languages with Indo-Aryan influence...
, handcrafted duvet called Nakshikantha and a rural ballad called Moimonsingho Geetika
Maimansingha Gitika
Maimansingha gitika or Môemonshingha gitika is a collection of folk ballads from the region of Mymensingh, Bangladesh. They were published in English as Eastern Bengal Ballads...
. Mymensingh city is located about 120 km (75 mi) north of Dhaka
Dhaka
Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka Division. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia. Located on the banks of the Buriganga River, Dhaka, along with its metropolitan area, had a population of over 15 million in 2010, making it the largest city...
which is the capital of the country.
History
Mymensingh is one of the 16 old districts of Bangladesh which was constituted by the British East India CompanyBritish East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
on 1 May 1787. Being more than 220 years old, Mymensingh has a rich cultural and political history. At the beginning Begunbari was chosen as the headquarters of the district. However the district headquarters was relocated to Mymensingh when Begunbari devastated by flash flood. Earlier Mymensingh was called Nasirabad. During the British Raj
British Raj
British Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...
most of the inhabitants of the town were Hindus.
From the early 20th century Muslims moved into town. Since then this city has played an important role as a center for secularism. The Vidyamoyee Uccha Balika Bidyalaya and Muminunnesa Women's College
Muminunnesa Women's College
Muminunnesa Women's College , or Muminunnesa College in short, is a public university-college located opposite Town Hall of Mymensingh near the Brahmaputra river in Bangladesh. It was established in 1946 and was named after Muminunnesa Khan, mother of a reputed businessman M. R. Khan...
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. However, many Hindu families left Bangladesh during the partition of India in 1947. A second spell of exodus took place following the Indo-Pak war of 1965. Many people born and raised Mymensingh have left for West Bengal since the 1960s. The exodus continues albeit at a slower pace.
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 Mymensing on 10 December, and Mukti Bahini
Mukti Bahini
Mukti Bahini , also termed as the "Freedom Fighters" or FFs, collectively refers to the armed organizations who fought against the Pakistan Army during the Bangladesh Liberation War. It was dynamically formed by Bengali regulars and civilians after the proclamation of Bangladesh's independence on...
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 1980s the city has expanded with fast urbanization. Mymensingh city is clearly marked by the old Brahmaputra riverBrahmaputra River
The Brahmaputra , also called Tsangpo-Brahmaputra, is a trans-boundary river and one of the major rivers of Asia. It is the only Indian river that is attributed the masculine gender and thus referred to as a in Indo-Aryan languages and languages with Indo-Aryan influence...
flowing along its north. Shambhuganj
Shambhuganj
Shambhuganj is an area of Mymensingh, Bangladesh. It is situated on the other side of the Brahmaputra, connected by the Shambhugani Bridge. Roadways to places like Kishoreganj and Netrokona follow through Shambhuganj....
is situated on the other side of the Brahmaputra, connected by the Shambhuganj
Shambhuganj
Shambhuganj is an area of Mymensingh, Bangladesh. It is situated on the other side of the Brahmaputra, connected by the Shambhugani Bridge. Roadways to places like Kishoreganj and Netrokona follow through Shambhuganj....
Bridge. Other ends of the city are marked respectively by the beginning of the Agricultural University campus, the Medical College, Army cantonment and, finally, Sultanabad, a township built for the followers of Aga Khan
Aga Khan
Aga Khan is the hereditary title of the Imam of the largest branch of the Ismā'īlī followers of the Shī‘a faith. They affirm the Imamat of the descendants of Ismail ibn Jafar, eldest son of Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq, while the larger Twelver branch of Shi`ism follows Ismail's younger brother Musa...
. A railway line connecting Dhaka
Dhaka
Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka Division. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia. Located on the banks of the Buriganga River, Dhaka, along with its metropolitan area, had a population of over 15 million in 2010, making it the largest city...
with northern districts, built between 1885 and 1899, passes through the city and divides it into two sides.
The climate of Mymensingh is moderate, much cooler than Dhaka
Dhaka
Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka Division. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia. Located on the banks of the Buriganga River, Dhaka, along with its metropolitan area, had a population of over 15 million in 2010, making it the largest city...
, as it is closer to the Himalayas
Himalayas
The Himalaya Range or Himalaya Mountains Sanskrit: Devanagari: हिमालय, literally "abode of snow"), usually called the Himalayas or Himalaya for short, is a mountain range in Asia, separating the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau...
. The monsoon
Monsoon
Monsoon is traditionally defined as a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation, but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with the asymmetric heating of land and sea...
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 15 and 20 degrees. 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 the temperature may be as high as 40 degrees. High humidity
Humidity
Humidity is a term for the amount of water vapor in the air, and can refer to any one of several measurements of humidity. Formally, humid air is not "moist air" but a mixture of water vapor and other constituents of air, and humidity is defined in terms of the water content of this mixture,...
causes heavy sweating during this period. For western travelers, the best time to visit is between November and February.
Economy
Historically, Mymensingh district was known for juteJute
Jute is a long, soft, shiny vegetable fibre that can be spun into coarse, strong threads. It is produced from plants in the genus Corchorus, which has been classified in the family Tiliaceae, or more recently in Malvaceae....
production which was termed 'golden fiber' due to revenue it generated as a cash crop. Due to the high demand for polythene bags and other economic reasons, the jute industry has been significantly declined today. Agriculture is the most important sector contributing to GDP, followed by the growing service sector in the city. The increasing demand for fish in the local and global markets has generated a new opportunity for local fishermen as well as businessmen to exploit fishing in Mymensingh and today it is very important to the economy. People have changed their paddy fields to ponds, and are cultivating fish. Prawns, sometimes reaching a very large size in the winter, are sold in Mymensingh in great numbers.
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 hosts a number of shops for manufactured products and clothing on the two sides. The old colonial brothels in a moderate Muslim country is a paradox, involving prostitution, drugs and crimes.
Cuisine
The staple food is plain riceRice
Rice is the seed of the monocot plants Oryza sativa or Oryza glaberrima . As a cereal grain, it is the most important staple food for a large part of the world's human population, especially in East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and the West Indies...
with a curry
Curry
Curry is a generic description used throughout Western culture to describe a variety of dishes from Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Sri Lankan, Thai or other Southeast Asian cuisines...
of fish or meat. Normally people start with fried or steamed vegetable and dal
Dal
Dal is a preparation of pulses which have been stripped of their outer hulls and split. It also refers to the thick stew prepared from these, an important part of Indian, Nepali, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, and Bangladeshi cuisine...
, a kind of lentil
Lentil
The lentil is an edible pulse. It is a bushy annual plant of the legume family, grown for its lens-shaped seeds...
soup. Often people squeeze a lemon slice or take additional salt while eating and add fresh onion rings and green pepper to spice up the food. Traditional snacks and savories include seasonal pitha
Pitha
Pitha , or pithe is a type of cake or bread common in Bangladesh and India, especially the eastern states of Assam, Orissa, West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, and the northeastern region. Pithas are typically made of rice flour, although there are some types of pitha made of wheat flour...
of various kinds, dal-pury, singara
Singara
Singara was a strongly fortified post at the northern extremity of Mesopotamia, which for a while, as appears from many coins still extant, was occupied by the Romans as an advanced colony against the Persians...
and samosa
Samosa
A samosa is a stuffed, deep fried,snack that is very popular in the Indian Subcontinent, Southeast Asia, Central Asia and Southwest Asia, the Arabian Peninsula, the Mediterranean, the Horn of Africa, North Africa and South Africa...
. Home made desserts include Kheer
Kheer
Kheer also known as Payasam or Payesh is a rice pudding, which is a traditional South Asian sweet dish...
, Payesh and Shemai. Sweets soaked in syrup of sugar
Sugar
Sugar is a class of edible crystalline carbohydrates, mainly sucrose, lactose, and fructose, characterized by a sweet flavor.Sucrose in its refined form primarily comes from sugar cane and sugar beet...
, such as Geelapi, are mostly bought from shops. Paan
Paan
Paan, from the word pān is an Indian, Pakistani, Uttarvarshi and Southeast Asian tradition of chewing betel leaf with areca nut and slaked lime paste, and katha brown powder paste, with many regional and local variations...
, a digestive made out of betel nut
Betel nut
The Areca nut is the seed of the Areca palm , which grows in much of the tropical Pacific, Asia, and parts of east Africa. It is commonly referred to as "betel nut" as it is often chewed wrapped in betel leaves.-Description:...
s, spices, tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
, and certain other ingredients are eaten by many people, some of which consume it with aromatic Jarda. For dinner or lunch, a simple formula is to prepare "khichdi
Khichdi
Khichṛī , alternate spellings khichdi, khichri, khichdee, khichadi, khichuri, khichari, "kitcheree", "kitchree", and many other variants, is a South Asian preparation made from rice and lentils...
", the broth of rice and lentils, seasoned with spices, and served with chutney
Chutney
Chutney is a a condiment used in South Asian cuisine that usually contains a spice and vegetable mix.Chutneys are wet or dry, having a coarse to fine texture. The Anglo-Indian loan word refers to fresh and pickled preparations indiscriminately, with preserves often sweetened. At least several...
or pickle
Pickle
Pickling is a process of preserving food. Pickle or pickling may refer to:-Food:* Pickled cucumber* Pickled onion* Pickled herring* Indian pickle includes oil-based food preservation* Branston and similar sweet pickle relishes...
s. Ghee
Ghee
Ghee is a class of clarified butter that originated in South Asia and is commonly used in South Asian cuisine....
(butter) may be spread just before eating. The meal may end with sweet curd
Curd
Curds are a dairy product obtained by curdling milk with rennet or an edible acidic substance such as lemon juice or vinegar, and then draining off the liquid portion. The increased acidity causes the milk proteins to tangle into solid masses, or curds. The remaining liquid, which contains only...
. Muri
Muri
Muri, Formerly known as Muri , is a municipality in southeastern Swiss Canton Aargau and is the capital of same district. The present municipality of Muri was created in 1816 from the merging of the four municipalities Langdorf, Egg, Hasli and Wey....
(puffed rice), chira
Chira
Chira may refer to:* Chira County, a county in Xinjiang, China* Chira , a genus of spiders* a flattened rice in Indian cuisine-See also:* Río Chira...
(flattened rice) and khoi
Khoi
Khoi may refer to:*The common name of Siamese Rough Bush, Streblus asper Lour*The Khoikhoi people*One of the Khoe languages*The Khoekhoe language*Khoy, a city in Iran*Khoy County, an administrative subdivision of Iran...
(popped rice/rice krispy) are substitutes for rice. They are eaten with gur
Gur
-People:*Mordechai Gur , Israeli politician and the 10th Chief of Staff of the Israeli Defense Forces-Places:*A village in Tibet, see Gur, Tibet*Gur place name in ancient Israel near Megiddo*Guernsey, one of the Channel Islands-Other:...
(jaggery
Jaggery
Jaggery is a traditional unrefined non-centrifugal whole cane sugar consumed in Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean. It is a concentrated product of cane juice without separation of the molasses and crystals, and can vary from golden brown to dark brown in color...
) which is a kind of unrefined sugar. They may be mixed up with curd or milk before eaten. People use only right hand for eating. No spoon, fork or knife is used.
Religion
Mosques, temples, and churchesMymensingh is one the cities in Bangladesh where Muslims and Hindus band together. All types of religious festivals are celebrated throughout the city. During different critical international religious conflicts, people of this city proved what religion means to their lives.
Under the auspices of the governor of East Pakistan Abdul Monayem Khan, a prayer ground was
established in 1962 on 27 acres (109,265.2 m²) of land, including a pond. Every year congregation of Eid ul-Fitr
Eid ul-Fitr
Eid ul-Fitr, Eid al-Fitr, Id-ul-Fitr, or Id al-Fitr , often abbreviated to Eid, is a Muslim holiday that marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting . Eid is an Arabic word meaning "festivity," while Fiṭr means "breaking the fast"...
and Eid ul-Adha
Eid ul-Adha
Eid al-Adha or "Festival of Sacrifice" or "Greater Eid" is an important religious holiday celebrated by Muslims worldwide to commemorate the willingness of Abraham to sacrifice his son Ishmael as an act of obedience to God, before God intervened to provide him with a sheep— to sacrifice...
are held here in the morning. The prayer ground is walled on all the sides and has a nice view with coconut trees lining up the sides. This place was used to accommodate the Elephants of Maharaj Surya kanta achrya in colonial time.
Ramakrishna Math & Mission
Ramakrishna Math
Ramakrishna Math is a religious monastic order, considered part of the Hindu reform movements. It was set up by Swami Vivekananda to follow the teachings of Sri Ramakrishna...
is a monastic organization for men brought into existence by Sri Ramakrishna (1836–1886), the great 19th century saint of Bengal
Bengal
Bengal is a historical and geographical region in the northeast region of the Indian Subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. Today, it is mainly divided between the sovereign land of People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, although some regions of the previous...
who is regarded as the prophet of the Modern Age. Ramakrishna Mission
Ramakrishna Mission
Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission are twin organizations which form the core of a worldwide spiritual movement known as Ramakrishna Movement or Vedanta Movement. The Ramakrishna Mission is a philanthropic, volunteer organization founded by Ramakrishna's chief disciple Swami Vivekananda on...
is a registered society in which monks of Ramakrishna Math and lay devotees cooperate in conducting various types of social service. It was founded by Sri Ramakrishna's chief apostle, Swami Vivekananda
Swami Vivekananda
Swami Vivekananda , born Narendranath Dutta , was the chief disciple of the 19th century mystic Ramakrishna Paramahansa and the founder of the Ramakrishna Math and the Ramakrishna Mission...
(1863–1902), one of the foremost thinkers and religious leaders of the present age, who is regarded as 'one of the main moulders of the modern world', in the words of an eminent Western scholar A. L. Basham.
Landmarks
The Old Town Hall, built by Maharaja Surya Kanta Acharyya had hosted thousands of drama, meeting and cultural functions since 1878. The age old Town Hall was demolished in 2006 and is being rebuilt by the Mymensingh Pourashava.Bangladesh Parishad, situated at Chhotto Bazar Road, the regional center 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 good collection of books and magazines. The library has 35,656 volumes on all subjects. It also had a hall to hold literary and cultural functions. Till 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
Ziaur Rahman
President Ziaur Rahman, Bir Uttam, was a Bangladeshi politician and general, who read the declaration of Independence of Bangladesh on March 26, 1971 on behalf of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. He later became the seventh President of Bangladesh from 1977 until 1981...
in 1980. Its Mymensingh office was opened in 1990s.
The first Shahid Minar was built in 1958 on crossing of the Amrita Babu Road, close Mymensingh Pourashava. It was relocated to the Ton Hall premises around mid-1990s.
Amarabati Natya Mandir was the first theater built in the heart of Mymensingh town in 1930s. Later it was considerted into a cinema named Aloka. 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 Mymensigh since 1970s. Singing was part of daily life for most people since the 19th century. Mithun Dey and Sunil Dhar were two popular music teachers since the 1960s. Sunil Dhar established a music school at Atharo Bari Building in the 1980s. Folk Ballads: Maimansingha Gitika
Maimansingha Gitika
Maimansingha gitika or Môemonshingha gitika is a collection of folk ballads from the region of Mymensingh, Bangladesh. They were published in English as Eastern Bengal Ballads...
. There are five cinema halls in Mymensingh town. Most of these halls are very old but still in operation. Cable TV connectivity was launched in 1999 and together with DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
and VCR, most people now prefer home entertainment. However, on special occasions such as Eid
Eid ul-Fitr
Eid ul-Fitr, Eid al-Fitr, Id-ul-Fitr, or Id al-Fitr , often abbreviated to Eid, is a Muslim holiday that marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting . Eid is an Arabic word meaning "festivity," while Fiṭr means "breaking the fast"...
, new year, Puja, and other vacations, people still watch movies in the cinema halls. Aloka was the oldest cinema hall which was demolished in 2006 to make a modern shopping and residential complex. Other cinema halls are Chayabani, Purabi and Shena Nibash.
Muslim Institute library has been the most popular public library, established in 1934. The Bangladesh Parishad library was rich and popular which died down in the 1980s. The local Bar also has a library of its own rich in legal books and journals.
Bipin Park is a small park near Boro Bazaar right on the Brahmaputra river.
Museums
The Mymensingh Museum
Mymensingh Museum
Mymensingh Museum is located at the bagan bari of zamindar Madan Babu at 17 Amrita Babu Road, Mymensingh, Bangladesh. The museum, which began as an important regional institution for preservation of locally collected historical evidence, lacks proper preservation...
was established in 1969. Though its collection comes from the palaces of zamindars of the greater Mymensingh region, it lacks proper preservation.
Zainul Abedin
Zainul Abedin was nitially a painter of India and became famous in 1944 with his Famine Series paintings of 1943; and after partition he moved to Pakistan; and finally when Bangladesh was created in 1971, he was rightly considered the founding father of Bangladeshi Art...
, a pioneer of the country's modern art movement, as well as an art school, art cottage, and open-air stage.
Sports
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. It is also used for holding large public meetings.Body building has become a favourite pastime for many of the young adults of the town. The Muslim Institute has a well equipped gymnasium since 1950s. Although the zeal and enthusiasm observed in earlier times had significantly died down by the 1990s, young adults still visit this gymnasium on a regular basis for a work-out. Physician Abdul Halim
Abdul Halim
Abdul Halim is a male Muslim given name, and in modern usage, surname. It is built from the Arabic words Abd, al- and Halim. The name means "servant of the all-clement", Al-Halīm being one of the names of God in the Qur'an, which give rise to the Muslim theophoric names.The letter a of the al- is...
was a renowned bodybuilder in the 1960s who became Mr. East Pakistan in a nationwide competition. Farhad Ahmed Kanchon, who later became a Member of the Parliament in late 1970s, was also a regular.
Education
Bangladesh Agricultural University
Bangladesh Agricultural University or BAU was established as the only university of its kind in Bangladesh in 1961. The scheme for the establishment of BAU was finalized on 8 June 1961 and its ordinance was promulgated on 18 August 1961...
, Agricultural University College, Mymensingh
Agricultural University College, Mymensingh
Agricultural University College is a higher secondary college. It is renowned college in greater Mymensingh district. Former name K.B Intermediate College. It was also known K.B.I. College. It was established in 1985...
, Shahid Syed Nazrul Islam College
Shahid Syed Nazrul Islam College
Shahid Syed Nazrul Islam college is a college in Mymensingh, Bangladesh founded in 1996. The college was named after Shahid Syed Nazrul Islam, who was the temporary President in 1971 when Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had been captured by Pakistanies...
, Mymensingh Medical College
Mymensingh Medical College
Mymensingh Medical College is a government medical college in Bangladesh. It is located in the Mymensingh District of the Dhaka Division. Mymensingh Medical Journal, which is Index Medicus/MEDLINE listed, is the official journal of Mymensingh Medical College.-History:During the later part of...
, Muminunnesa Women's College
Muminunnesa Women's College
Muminunnesa Women's College , or Muminunnesa College in short, is a public university-college located opposite Town Hall of Mymensingh near the Brahmaputra river in Bangladesh. It was established in 1946 and was named after Muminunnesa Khan, mother of a reputed businessman M. R. Khan...
, Jatiya Kabi Kazi Nazrul Islam University
Jatiya Kabi Kazi Nazrul Islam University
Jatiya Kabi Kazi Nazrul Islam University is a government financed public university of Bangladesh. It is located at Nama para Battala, 1.5 kilometers from Trishal Upazila, some 22 kilometers from Mymensingh district and 100 kilometers from Dhaka....
, Mymensingh Girls' Cadet College, Mymensingh Engineering College, Mymensingh Zilla School
Mymensingh Zilla School
Mymensingh Zilla School is a boys-only school in Bangladesh established in 1853. The school is located within 10 minute of rickshaw ride from the center of the town. In a residential area, the school is quiet without significant noise from the main street. This school has the facility for study...
, Mukul Niketon School
Mukul Niketon School
Mukul Niketon High School is a private school in Mymensingh District, Dhaka, Bangladesh. Lately, new administration and academic high rise buildings have been developed to increase lab facility and to improve classroom environment....
, Ananda Mohan College
Ananda Mohan College
Ananda Mohan College is a national university affiliated university college of Bangladesh situated in the town of Mymensingh. It is one of the old educational premises of Bangladesh also.-History:...
, Katlashen Kaderia Kamil Madrashah, and Al-Arabia Dakhil Madrashah.
For computer education is the best institute is
- RANA COMPUTER INSTITUTE
Transportation
The distance from Mymensingh to DhakaDhaka
Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka Division. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia. Located on the banks of the Buriganga River, Dhaka, along with its metropolitan area, had a population of over 15 million in 2010, making it the largest city...
is about 120 km (75 mi) from the Mohakhali
Mohakhali
Mohakhali is one of the busiest places in Dhaka, Bangladesh.Mohakhali is an important and busy area of Dhaka city. Many important offices and institutions are based in mohakhali. Mohakhali Bus terminal is one of the most important terminals of Dhaka city...
bus stop.The city was linked with Dhaka after the railway lines were connected around 1865. The road link to Dhaka was via Tangail
Tangail
Tangail is a town in Tangail District located in central region of Bangladesh. It consists of 5 corporations, 8 municipalities, 72 wards, 211 mahallas. It is located on the banks of Louhajang River, and is part of the Dhaka Division.-Education:...
until 1979 when president Ziaur Rahman
Ziaur Rahman
President Ziaur Rahman, Bir Uttam, was a Bangladeshi politician and general, who read the declaration of Independence of Bangladesh on March 26, 1971 on behalf of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. He later became the seventh President of Bangladesh from 1977 until 1981...
ordered the completion of the half-finished highway between Dhaka and Mymensingh via Bhaluka. In 2006, the bus fare in the city was around TK.105 (US$1.5) per person, and around Tk.120 ($1.71) in January 2010. However, rickshaw
Auto rickshaw
An auto rickshaw or three-wheeler is a usually three-wheeled cabin cycle for private use and as a vehicle for hire. It is a motorized version of the traditional pulled rickshaw or cycle rickshaw...
is the main mode of transportation within the city area and the growth of the number of cars is relatively slow. Three-wheelers started to ply toward the end of 1990s.
Train is by far the cheapest means to get to Mymensingh. Apart from a number of local trains, Ekota Express, Aghnibina Express, Tista Express, Bhrammaputra Express, Jamuna Express and Balaka Express connect the town with the capital of Dhaka. Train fares range from 40 tk to 120 tk ($0.57 to $1.71) per person depending upon the class and the train itself. It takes almost 3 hours to reach Mymensingh from Dhaka by train. All intercity trains connect the city with Jamalpur town as well. Several local trains run between Mymensingh town to Kishorganj and Netrokona.
Health care and cemeteries
Maharaja Suryakanata set up the first public hospital in Mymeninsingh along the river Brahmaputra. This is now a leprosyLeprosy
Leprosy or Hansen's disease is a chronic disease caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium leprae and Mycobacterium lepromatosis. Named after physician Gerhard Armauer Hansen, leprosy is primarily a granulomatous disease of the peripheral nerves and mucosa of the upper respiratory tract; skin lesions...
hospital. Mymensingh Medical College
Mymensingh Medical College
Mymensingh Medical College is a government medical college in Bangladesh. It is located in the Mymensingh District of the Dhaka Division. Mymensingh Medical Journal, which is Index Medicus/MEDLINE listed, is the official journal of Mymensingh Medical College.-History:During the later part of...
hospital is now serving the local people as well the people of surrounding districts.It is one of the oldest and biggest hospitals in Bangladesh.Since end of 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 (161,874.4 m²) 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 MihirBharat Mihir
Bharat Mihir was an Indian publishing company and newspaper published in Bengal during the colonial British Raj. It had branches in Calcutta and Mymensingh ....
was one of the oldest newspaper ever 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 Aker Khabar. Newspapers published from Dhaka came by train and was available around the noon till 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 0f 1959. Literary circles of note were Sahitya Sava and Troyodaosh Sammilini. Earlier, in 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. Poets Musharraf Karim and Farid Ahmed Dulal and writer Iffat Ara
Iffat Ara
Shamsun Nahar Iffat Ara , known as Iffat Ara, is a woman writer, social activist and literary organizer of Bangladesh. Her literary career began in late 1950s when she started to write short stories and publish them in the leading newspaper of the country including the Azad...
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 personalities
Reference to Mymensingh has multiple meaning. It may refer to the original Mymensingh district comprising Netrokona, Jamalpur and Kishoreganj as well as Tangail. It may also refer to Mymensingh town per se in a narrow sense.An Indian scientist of the last century, Sir Jagadish Chandra Bose was born in Mymensingh on 30 November 1858. The name of Mymensingh is associated with people like anti-British leader Mahadev Sannyal, writer Upendra Kishore Roychowdhury, Sukumar Roy and Leela Majumder, musician and a disciple of Rabindranath Tagore
Rabindranath Tagore
Rabindranath Tagore , sobriquet Gurudev, was a Bengali polymath who reshaped his region's literature and music. Author of Gitanjali and its "profoundly sensitive, fresh and beautiful verse", he became the first non-European Nobel laureate by earning the 1913 Prize in Literature...
Sailaja Ranjan Majumder, Maharaja Surya Kanta Acharyya, Maharaja Soshi Kanta Acharya, Maharajkumar Sitangshu Kanta Acharya, Maharajkumar Snehangshu Kanta Acharya, Maharaja Brojendra Kishore Roy Chaudhuri, painter Shilpacharya Zainul Abedin
Zainul Abedin
Zainul Abedin was nitially a painter of India and became famous in 1944 with his Famine Series paintings of 1943; and after partition he moved to Pakistan; and finally when Bangladesh was created in 1971, he was rightly considered the founding father of Bangladeshi Art...
, ballad collector Sirajuddin Kashimpuri, noveslist Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay
Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay
Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay is a Bengali author who writes Bengali books. He has written stories for both adults and children.-Life:Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay was born in Bikrampur , now in Bangladesh. He spent his childhood in Bihar and many places in Bengal and Assam accompanying his father, who worked...
who received early education in Mymensingh town, Humayun Ahmed
Humayun Ahmed
Humayun Ahmed is a Bangladeshi author, dramatist and director of film and television. He broke through since the publication of his first novel, Nandita Naraké...
who is arguably the most popular Bengali writer, acting president
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
of Bangladesh during the war of liberation Syed Nazrul Islam
Syed Nazrul Islam
Syed Nazrul Islam was a Bangladeshi politician and a senior leader of the Awami League. During the Bangladesh Liberation War, he served as the acting President of Bangladesh in the absence of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.-Early life:...
in addition to three other presidents of the country, namely, Justice Abu Sayeed Chowdhury, Ahsanuddin Ahmed Chowdhury. Names of renowned politician and author Abul Mansur Ahmed
Abul Mansur Ahmed
Abul Mansur Ahmed was a Bangladeshi littérateur. Was also a politician and journalist. He was born in Mymensingh. Renowned journalist and editor of The Daily Star Mahfuz Anam is his son.-Student life:...
, the-then Governor of East Pakistan
East Pakistan
East Pakistan was a provincial state of Pakistan established in 14 August 1947. The provincial state existed until its declaration of independence on 26 March 1971 as the independent nation of Bangladesh. Pakistan recognized the new nation on 16 December 1971. East Pakistan was created from Bengal...
Abdul Monem Khan, educationist principal Ibrahim Khan, president Shahabuddin Ahmed
Shahabuddin Ahmed
Shahabuddin Ahmed is a former president and Chief Justice of Bangladesh. Justice Shahabuddin Ahmed took over the office of President after a popular uprising against President Hossain Mohammad Ershad in 1991. After the resumption of democracy, he returned to his duties as the Chief Justice...
, Language Hero and veteran Politician Khaleque Nawaz Khan, poets Nirmalendu Goon
Nirmalendu Goon
Nirmalendu Goon is a Bangladeshi poet, and one of the most popular poets in Bangladesh, lauded by many for his accessible verse in an age where Bangla poetry has become increasingly complex.- Early life :...
, Helal Hafiz, Musharraf Karim, and Abid Azad, singer Mitali Mukherjee, writers Jatin Sarker
Jatin Sarker
Jatin Sarker is an Bengali intellectual, researcher and biographer of Bangladesh. Reputed for his Marxist lineage, he was awarded the prestigious Bangla Academy Award in 2008 for 'research and essays'.-Life:...
, Ghulam Rabbani
Ghulam Rabbani
Ghulam Rabbani may refer to:* Abdul Al-Rahim Ghulam Rabbani, Pakistani citizen held by the US military at the Guantanamo camps in Cuba* Mohammed Ahmad Ghulam Rabbani, Pakistani citizen held by the US military at the Guantanamo camps in Cuba...
an Urdu speaking Bangladeshi, author of first Urdu-Bangla and Bangla-Urdu dictionary, played important role to maintain communal harmony during 1964 riots and 1971 liberation war.
Golam Samdani Quraishy, writer, founder GS-BCUTA; Shahid Akhand
Shahid Akhand
Shahid Akhand , , an author of Bengali literature, living in Bangladesh, is a famous novelist.-Novels:*Panna Holo Sobuj *Pakhir Gaan Boner Chhaya *Dudondo Shanti...
, Helena Khan, and Iffat Ara
Iffat Ara
Shamsun Nahar Iffat Ara , known as Iffat Ara, is a woman writer, social activist and literary organizer of Bangladesh. Her literary career began in late 1950s when she started to write short stories and publish them in the leading newspaper of the country including the Azad...
and several national and international cricketers like Prabir Kumar (Khokan) Sen, one of the few wicketkeeper to stump Don Bradman and football players, Jahurul Islam
Jahurul Islam
Mohammad Jahurul Islam is an international cricketer from Bangladesh. He was born on 12 December 1986 in Rajshahi and made his debut for Rajshahi Division in 2002/03 playing through the 2006/07 season. He also played for Bangladesh A in 2006/07, scoring 87 against England A. A right-handed...
one of the wealthiest persons of Bangladesh of 1970s are associated with Mymensingh: The Oscar-winning Indian filmmaker Satyajit Ray
Satyajit Ray
Satyajit Ray was an Indian Bengali filmmaker. He is regarded as one of the greatest auteurs of 20th century cinema. Ray was born in the city of Kolkata into a Bengali family prominent in the world of arts and literature...
and Bollywood
Bollywood
Bollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai , Maharashtra, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the total Indian film industry, which includes other production centers producing...
actress Rani Mukherjee's family hail from this district. Taslima Nasreen, the feminist writer and critic of Islam, and a well-known and revered physician of Jhansi, India, Dr. Sudhangsu Mohan Bhowmick of Lytton Medical School and his late wife Ina were born and brought up here. Dr. Subhrangshu Kanta Acharya, the Director General of Geological Survey of India and the renowned chemist and engineer, Satrughna Kanta Acharya originated from the district. Bhola is from the house across the street from the fire station.
Jalchap-A Vedio Documentary on Mymensingh
For Watching this Vedio Please click the below links:Jalchap-Part 1
Jalchap-Part 2
Jalchap-Part 3
Jalchap-Part 4
Further reading
- Khan Mohammad Abdullah, Moymonsigh-er Etihash, 1966, Mymensingh, Bangladesh.
- Darji Abdul Wahab, Moymonsigh-er Choritavidhan, 1986, Mymensingh, Bangladesh.
- F. A. Sachse, Mymensingh Gazeteer, BENGAL SECRETARIAT BOOK DEPOT, 1917, Calcutta.
- Asoke Mitra, Towards Independence - 1940-1947", 1997, New Delhi.
- Kedarnath Mojumder, Moymonsingh-er Biboron, 1987, Mymensingh.
- Kedarnath Mojumder, Moymonsingh-er Etihash, 1987, Mymensingh.