Jessore District, officiallyJashore District (Bengali: যশোর জেলা; Bengali pronunciation:[Jaw-shorJela]), is a district in southwestern Bangladesh. It is bordered by India to the west, Khulna and Satkhira districts to the south, Khulna and Narail to the east, and Jhenaidah and Magura districts to the north. Jessore is the capital of the district. Jessore is the home to the ancestors of Rabindranath Tagore. Jashore was the first independent district of Bangladesh in 1971.
The district produces a variety of crops. Date sugar, called patali, is made from the sap of locally grown date trees. It is cooked, thickened and crystallised using a traditional method. Patali is mainly produced in Khajura, but many date trees are cultivated in the Keshabpur Upazila and Manirampur Upazila areas.
Jessore district once belonged to the ancient Janapada of Vanga (বঙ্গ) Janapada. In the 15th century, Jessore was a part of the kingdom of Pratapaditya. It was then conquered by the Mughals.
British administration was fully established in Jessore district in 1781 when the governor-general ordered the opening of a court at Murali near Jessore. In 1947, Jessore was divided between India and Pakistan. Except for the Bangaon and Gaighata thanas, the district became part of East Pakistan.
The Bengali soldiers stationed at Jessore Cantonment and mutinied against the Pakistan Army on 29 March 1971. They were led by Captain Hafiz Uddin and Lieutenant Anwar in an uprising where 300 soldiers were killed. The rebels killed 50 Pakistani soldiers at Chanchara.
According to the 2022 Census of Bangladesh, Jessore District had 798,032 households and a population of 3,076,144 with an average 3.79 people per household. Among the population, 510,121 (16.58%) inhabitants were under 10 years of age. The population density was 1,180 people per km2. Jessore District had a literacy rate (age 7 and over) of 56.5%, compared to the national average of 74.80%, and a sex ratio of 1,018 females per 1,000 males. Approximately, 23.39% of the population lived in urban areas. The ethnic population was 5,386.
The Muslim population is the majority religion, while Hindus, the largest minority, have been growing much more slowly. There is a community of around 5,300 Christians in the district, mainly in Jhikargachha and Jessore Sadar upazilas.
The main occupations are agriculture 39.84%, agricultural labour 24.13%, other wage labour 2.68%, commerce 11.99%, service 8.66%, industry 1.41%, transport 3.11% and others 8.18%.
Jessore District's administrative framework was established in 1781. It consists of the following eight upazilas
The upazilas are further divided into nine municipalities, 36 wards, 92 unions, 1,329 mouzas, 1,434 villages and 120 mahallas.
Economy
The economy of Jessore District is traditionally agrarian, but in recent decades it has diversified into industry, trade, services, and communications. Due to its geographical position, Jessore is considered a commercial gateway to the south-western region of Bangladesh. The district is home to the country's largest land port Benapole Land Port, the domestic Jessore Airport, railway and road networks, and the Noapara River Port.
Agriculture
Agriculture remains the backbone of Jessore’s economy. Major crops include rice, wheat, jute, maize, potatoes, vegetables, and a variety of fruits. Jessore is especially known for its flower cultivation; flowers grown in Godkhali, Jhikargacha and Sharsha are supplied across the country. The district was once famous for its date juice and molasses, which are still produced during winter. Aquaculture is another significant sector; numerous ponds and hatcheries in the district produce fish and fry (spawn) that are supplied nationwide.
Industry
Jessore has a growing light engineering and mechanical workshop industry. Small factories and workshops produce and repair vehicles, motorcycles, agricultural machinery, and other equipment. Traditional industries include wooden furniture, bamboo and cane products, and handmade combs. The government has also approved the establishment of an Export Processing Zone (EPZ) and an economic zone in Jessore, which are expected to attract both local and foreign investment.
Trade and communication
Benapole Land Port is the largest land port in Bangladesh and serves as the principal gateway for trade with India. Many local residents are engaged directly or indirectly in port-related businesses. The Noapara River Port facilitates trade in goods such as coal, fertilizers, and industrial raw materials. Jessore has road and rail links with Dhaka and other districts, supporting the transport of agricultural and industrial products. Jessore Airport, the only operational domestic airport in the south-western region, plays a vital role in business and tourism.
Infrastructure and services
Almost every union in the district now has access to electricity, which has boosted irrigation, cottage industries, and service activities. Rural roads, bridges, and culverts have improved the marketing of agricultural products. Jessore is also emerging in the field of information technology. A Hi-Tech Park is under construction in the district headquarters, which is expected to become a future hub for the IT industry.
Challenges and prospects
Despite progress, many agricultural and industrial sectors in Jessore lag behind in modern technology and quality control. Climate change and natural disasters pose challenges to agricultural activities. However, sectors such as flower cultivation, fruits and vegetables, aquaculture, date-based products, light engineering, and information technology hold great potential to make Jessore one of the most promising economic regions of Bangladesh.
Arts and culture
Monihar is the last remaining cinema hall in the city of Jessore.
There were 21 cinema halls in the district in 2000. As of 2021, only six survive: four in smaller towns, and two in the city of Jessore. One of the latter, Tosbir Mohol, once the country's second oldest theater with a revolving stage, is being restored for stage productions. The other, Monihar, the largest cinema hall in Bangladesh when it was built in 1983, with 1400 seats, reported record revenues in 2022.
Jessore-based theater troupe Bibartan has staged more than 4,000 performances (stage plays, street theater, and works for children) since their founding in 1989.
1968 East Pakistan National Football Championship runners-up Jessore District football team.
Football and cricket are the two most popular sports in Jessore. Cricketers from the district represent the South Zone in the Bangladesh Cricket League. In football, Jessore most notably won the National Football Championship in 1976. Notable footballers from the district includes Mannaf Rabby, Kowsar Ali, and Rabby Hossen Rahul. Lutfor Rahman, a member of the Shadhin Bangla football team, also hailed from the district. In 1973, the Jessore Zonal football team hosted a historic game against Dinamo Minsk from the Soviet Union, which ended in a 0–9 defeat. The Shamsul Huda Stadium, formerly known as the Jessore Stadium, serves as the district's main venue for football and cricket. The stadium notably hosted the Pakistan National Football Championship in 1968. The Shams-Ul-Huda Football Academy, operated by the Jessore District Sports Association (JDSA), is one of the most notable football academies in the country.
Points of interest
Sagardari is the birthplace of the poet Michael Madhusudan Dutta. His large villa consists of a huge garden, a small museum and houses. The front gate has a solid sculpture work. The Kobodak River is at a stone's throw away
Bharat Bhaina (locally called Bharter Dewl) is the relics of ancient Buddhist Temple of the 6th century at Keshabpur
A terracotta plaque bearing the image of Mallinath, a female tirthankar (saint) of the Jain religion, was found at the Mound of Dam Dam Peer in Manirampur Upazila. Mound of Dam Dam Peer in Manirampur Upazila. It is believed to be the most ancient relic discovered from this part of the world. The Department at Khulna said that the plaque is at least 1800 years old. It is currently kept at the Khulna Museum.
Grave of Birshrestho Lance Nayek Noor Muhammad Sheikh
Khatura Baor
Moktarpur Lalu Babu Jamidar Bari
Solo Khada Jamidar Bari
Transport
Jessore has well connected road, rail and air transport links to other major cities and water transport links to Khulna and Mongla of Bangladesh. It boasts one of the first rail networks established in the Indian subcontinent.
Road
Jessore is located 183km south west from Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh by road and 60km north from Khulna. It is also connected with the Indian city of Kolkata which is 120km west through Benapole land port via AH1. The road from Jessore to Kolkata is a part of the historic Jessore Road.
Railway
Jessore Junction railway station is a major junction on the broad gauge-based network of the Western Railway. The network has links extended into Indian territory. Service linking the capital Dhaka and Kolkata April 2008. As well as in 2019, Both India And Bangladesh government agreed to 4 minute stop in Jessore Junction railway station through Bandhan Express which connect Khulna to Kolkata.
Air
Jashore Airport
The Jessore Airport, near the city, is an airfield for the Bangladesh Air Force. One of the oldest airfield in Bangladesh and the subcontinent. Alongside military service, its runway caters to seven commercial flights daily which includes US Bangla, Novo and Biman Bangladesh Airlines, for domestic flights.
↑1941 figures are for Sadar subdivision and Sarsa thana of Bongaon subdivision of erstwhile Jessore district, which roughly corresponds to the present district.
↑"List of Colleges". Bangladesh Bureau of Education Information and Statistics. Archived from the original(Excel) on 5 July 2022. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
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