List of cities and towns in Bangladesh

This article presents a list of cities and towns in Bangladesh. According to the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics and the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives of Bangladesh, there are 532 urban centres in Bangladesh.^[1]^[2]

Dhaka

Location of major cities in Bangladesh

The bureau defines an urban centre with a population of 100,000 or more as a "city". Altogether, there are 43 such cities in Bangladesh. 11 of these cities can be considered major cities as these are governed by City Corporations. All of the City Corporation-governed cities currently have a population of more than 200,000, which is not a criterion for the status, because currently 17 cities in Bangladesh have a population of more than 200,000. Besides the 9 major cities, there are 32 other cities in Bangladesh that are not governed by "City Corporations", rather by "Municipal Corporations". A city with a population of more than 10,000,000 is defined by the bureau as a megacity.^{[failed verification]} Dhaka is the only megacity in Bangladesh according to this definition.^[3] Together, Dhaka and the port city of Chittagong account for 48% of the country's urban population.^[4]

An urban centre with a population of less than 100,000 is defined as a "town". In total, there are 490 such towns in Bangladesh.^[3] Among these, 287 towns are governed by "Municipal Corporations". These are called "Paurashava"s in the local Bengali language. Altogether, including the ones governing the 32 other non-major cities, there are 318 Municipal Corporations.

In addition, there are another 203 towns which are Upazila centres (and other urban centres) and not governed by any Municipal Corporation or "Paurashava". These are the non-Municipal Corporation or "non-Paurashava" towns.^[3]^[2]

In 1951, Bangladesh was mostly a rural country and only 4% of the population lived in urban centres. The urban population rose to 20% in 1991 and to 24% by 2001. In 2011, Bangladesh had an urban population of 28% and the rate of urban population growth was estimated at 2.8%.^[3] At this growth rate, Bangladesh's urban population would reach 79 million or 42% of the population by 2035. The urban centers of Bangladesh have a combined area of about 10600 square kilometers, which is 7% of the total area of Bangladesh. As such, Bangladesh has a very high urban population density: 4028 persons per square kilometer (2011), whereas the rural density is significantly lower: 790 persons per square kilometer (2011).^[1] The number of municipalities tripled from 104 municipalities in 1991 to 318 municipalities in 2011.^[4]

Major cities

There are 11 major cities in Bangladesh that are governed by twelve city corporations, which include Dhaka North, Dhaka South, Narayanganj, and Gazipur (which all lie in Greater Dhaka), Chattogram, Khulna, Comilla, Sylhet, Rajshahi, Rangpur, Barisal, Mymensingh.

Rank	City	Area(km²)^[3]	Population (2022)^[5]^[a]	District	Division
1	Dhaka	306	10,295,786	Dhaka	Dhaka
2	Chittagong	155	3,230,507	Chittagong	Chittagong
3	Gazipur	330	2,677,715	Gazipur	Dhaka
4	Narayanganj	13	967,951	Narayanganj	Dhaka
5	Khulna	45	719,557	Khulna	Khulna
6	Rangpur	69	708,570	Rangpur	Rangpur
7	Mymensingh	91	577,000	Mymensingh	Mymensingh
8	Rajshahi	42	553,288	Rajshahi	Rajshahi
9	Sylhet	58	532,839	Sylhet	Sylhet
10	Comilla	53	440,233	Comilla	Chittagong
11	Barisal	58	419,484	Barisal	Barisal

Metropolitan areas

All eleven of the aforementioned major cities are designated as metropolitan areas: Dhaka, Chittagong, Rajshahi, Khulna, Barisal, Sylhet, Rangpur, Comilla and Mymensingh. Metropolitan areas can be loosely defined as a major city combined with some of its adjacent municipalities and peri-urban areas.

Cities

In addition to the 9 major cities governed by City Corporations, there are many minor cities which are governed by Municipal Corporations (pourashava). Area figures come from the 2011 census or Paurashava websites. Those with populations of over 100,000 (as of 2022 census) are given below:^[6]

City	Area (km²)	Population (2022)	District	Division
Brahmanbaria	20.49	264,341	Brahmanbaria	Chattogram
Chandpur	26.82	203,451	Chandpur
Cox's Bazar	24.45	196,385	Cox's Bazar
Feni	22	234,357	Feni
Lakshmipur	19.4	132,230	Lakshmipur
Chowmuhani	20.70	100,065	Noakhali
Maijdee	23.79	132,198	Noakhali
Rangamati	64.75	106,069	Rangamati
Savar	14.08	384,105	Dhaka	Dhaka
Faridpur	66.24	237,283	Faridpur
Kaliakair	27.16	249,111	Gazipur
Sreepur	47.25	258,973	Gazipur
Gopalganj	16.9	108,523	Gopalganj
Bhairab	15.71	156,297	Kishoreganj
Kishoreganj	11.3	138,063	Kishoreganj
Tarabo	19.39	197,672	Narayanganj
Ghorashal	26.50	101,690	Narsingdi
Narsingdi	20.95	180,711	Narsingdi
Tangail	29.8	212,887	Tangail
Jashore	20.56	209,352	Jashore	Khulna
Jhenaidah	32.42	140,271	Jhenaidah
Kushtia	42.78	221,806	Kushtia
Magura	44.36	114,249	Magura
Satkhira	32.39	138,411	Satkhira
Jamalpur	53.25	158,889	Jamalpur	Mymensingh
Netrakona	29.40	122,299	Netrakona
Sherpur	24.75	123,516	Sherpur
Bogura	69.56	486,016	Bogura	Rajshahi
Chapai Nawabganj	24.70	201,005	Chapai Nawabganj
Naogaon	38.36	178,649	Naogaon
Pabna	27.27	176,005	Pabna
Sirajganj	28.49	188,549	Sirajganj
Dinajpur	22.8	212,288	Dinajpur	Rangpur
Saidpur	30.04	143,538	Nilphamari
Thakurgaon		100,462	Thakurgaon

Towns

The following is a list of towns in Bangladesh governed by Municipal Corporations.

Division	Number	Towns
Dhaka Division	23	Ghorashal Monohardi Shibpur Raipura Madhabdi Mirzapur Dhanbari Madhupur Gopalpur Ghatail Kalihati Sakhipur Bhuapur Elenga Karatia Aricha Basail Bhairab Kishoreganj Pakundia Manikganj Munshiganj Shariatpur Madaripur Rajbari Baliakandi Pangsha Tongi Sreepur
Chattogram Division	28	Barura Chhagalnaiya Daganbhuiyan Parshuram Sonagazi Debidwar Bandarban Khagrachhari Rangamati Rangunia Lohagara Sandwip Fatikchhari Nazir Hat Baroiyarhat Mirsharai Sitakunda Hathazari Raozan Patiya Brahmanpara Chandanaish Satkania Boalkhali Akhaura Sarail Chowmuhani Laksam Hatiya
Sylhet Division	20	* Municipalities of Maulvibazar District Sreemangal Kulaura Barlekha Kamalganj Maulvibazar Municipalities of Sylhet District Beanibazar Golapganj Zakiganj Kanaighat Bishwanath Municipalities of Sunamganj District Sunamganj Chhatak Jagannathpur Derai Municipalities of Habiganj District Habiganj Nabiganj Ajmiriganj Chunarughat Madhabpur Shaistaganj
Khulna Division	24	Bagerhat Alamdanga Darshana Meherpur Magura Narail Keshabpur Kalaroa Satkhira Mongla Noapara Paikgacha Benapole Bheramara Mujibnagar Manirampur Lohagara Kaliganj Chaugacha Maheshpur Chalna Shalikha
Barishal Division	23	Bhola Patuakhali Pirojpur Jhalokati Barguna Amtali Bakerganj Char Fasson Gournadi Swarupkati Kuakata Muladi Bhandaria Mathbaria Lalmohan Borhanuddin Daulatkhan Banaripara Mehendiganj Nalchity Patharghata Kalapara Betagi
Mymensingh Division	25	Shambhuganj Muktagachha Bhaluka Gouripur Phulpur Trishal Nandail Gaffargaon Ishwarganj Haluaghat Fulbaria Netrokona Dewanganj Islampur Janannathganj Jamalpur Sarishabari Melandaha Shyamganj Nakla Mohanganj Madan Kendua Durgapur Sherpur
Rajshahi Division	15	Joypurhat Rohanpur Kalai Khetlal Akkelpur Panchbibi Mundumala Naogaon Natore Shahjadpur Ullahpara Belkuchi Ishwardi Santhia Dhunat Sherpur Tanore Santahar
Rangpur Division	16	Gaibandha Kurigram Lalmonirhat Nilphamari Panchagarh Thakurgaon Saidpur Palashbari Birampur Ulipur Bhurungamari Nageshwari Parbatipur Badarganj Pirganj Patgram Fulbari

Urban areas by population

Dhaka is by far the largest urban area as well as the largest metropolitan area in Bangladesh. Chittagong is the second largest city and urban area in Bangladesh as well as the second largest metropolitan in Bangladesh.

Khulna is the third largest city and second largest port city of the country after Chittagong. Also, the adjoining areas of Khulna are abided by port-related business, industry, governmental foreign investment, and some well-known mega projects. This city also has a rich history of industrialization through the British period. Khulna has also a significant number of tourism industries centered on the largest mangrove forest of the world, the Sundarbans. Cumilla city is also the third developed city after Khulna and Rajshahi. Cumilla is also marked as an economically stronger city compared to other cities after Dhaka and Chittagong. Cumilla city also got a richer regional economy for remittances and the tourism industry. Rajshahi is also a big city and is known as the educational city of Bangladesh due to its well-marked educational institutions with better results and better educational performances. So we can say that the best 5 cities in Bangladesh are Dhaka, Chittagong, Cumilla, Khulna, and Rajshahi. Other major cities with a stronger economy and developer infrastructure after these five best cities are Sylhet, Bogra, Rangpur, Barishal, Jessore, Kushtia, Feni, Cox's Bazar, Mymenshing, Dinajpur, Pabna, Brahmanbaria, Narsingdi, Bholo, Gopalganj, etc.

The following table shows the largest populated area within a local government area.

References

^ ^a ^b About Us, Local Government Engineering Department, Ministry of Local Government, Bangladesh, archived from the original on 9 October 2018, retrieved 9 October 2018
^ ^a ^b Statistical Pocketbook Bangladesh 2017 (PDF), Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, 2018
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Population and Housing Census 2011 - Volume 3: Urban Area Report (PDF), Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, August 2014, pp. ix, xi, 24–26, 167
^ ^a ^b Elisa Muzzini; Gabriela Aparicio (11 April 2013), Bangladesh: The Path to Middle-Income Status from an Urban Perspective, World Bank Publications, p. 51
^ Population and Housing Census 2022: National Report (PDF). Vol. I. Dhaka: Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics. November 2023. p. 56.
^ "Table 01: Household and Population by Type of Dwelling by Paurashava, Union and Location, 2022". Population & Housing Census 2022. District Reports. Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics. 2024.

^ Population is for City Corporation. For Dhaka, which was split into Dhaka North and Dhaka South City Corporations after 2011, the combined figures for both are given.

External links

[LGED-1] About Us, Local Government Engineering Department, Ministry of Local Government, Bangladesh, archived from the original on 9 October 2018, retrieved 9 October 2018

[BDSTATYBK2017-2] Statistical Pocketbook Bangladesh 2017 (PDF), Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, 2018

[BDCensus2011-3] Population and Housing Census 2011 - Volume 3: Urban Area Report (PDF), Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, August 2014, pp. ix, xi, 24–26, 167

[Muz-4] Elisa Muzzini; Gabriela Aparicio (11 April 2013), Bangladesh: The Path to Middle-Income Status from an Urban Perspective, World Bank Publications, p. 51

[BDCensus2022-5] Population and Housing Census 2022: National Report (PDF). Vol. I. Dhaka: Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics. November 2023. p. 56.

[2022census-7] "Table 01: Household and Population by Type of Dwelling by Paurashava, Union and Location, 2022". Population & Housing Census 2022. District Reports. Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics. 2024.

[6] Population is for City Corporation. For Dhaka, which was split into Dhaka North and Dhaka South City Corporations after 2011, the combined figures for both are given.

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