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This article's factual accuracy may be compromised due to out-of-date information. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. (November 2024)

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v t e

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.

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. Dhaka is the only megacity in Bangladesh according to this definition. Together, Dhaka and the port city of Chittagong account for 48% of the country's urban population.

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. 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.

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%. 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). The number of municipalities tripled from 104 municipalities in 1991 to 318 municipalities in 2011.

Major cities

This section needs to be updated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. (November 2024)

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(km)	Population (2022)	District	Division	Photos
1	Dhaka	306	10,295,786	Dhaka	Dhaka
2	Chittagong	168.07	3,230,507	Chittagong	Chittagong
3	Gazipur	330	2,677,715	Gazipur	Dhaka
4	Narayanganj	33.57	967,951	Narayanganj	Dhaka
5	Khulna	45	719,557	Khulna	Khulna
6	Bogura	69	945000	Bogura	Rajshahi	[[File:Bogura city
7	Rangpur	69	708,570	Rangpur	Rangpur
7	Mymensingh	91.315	577,000	Mymensingh	Mymensingh
9	Rajshahi	120.98	553,288	Rajshahi	Rajshahi
10	Sylhet	58	532,839	Sylhet	Sylhet
11	Comilla	53	440,233	Comilla	Chittagong
12	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:

Towns

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

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.

See also

• List of city corporations in Bangladesh
• List of municipal corporations in Bangladesh
• List of villages in Bangladesh
• List of cities in Asia

References

1. ^ About Us, Local Government Engineering Department, Ministry of Local Government, Bangladesh, archived from the original on 9 October 2018, retrieved 9 October 2018
2. ^ Statistical Pocketbook Bangladesh 2017 (PDF), Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, 2018
3. ^ Population and Housing Census 2011 - Volume 3: Urban Area Report (PDF), Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, August 2014, pp. ix, xi, 24–26, 167
4. ^ Elisa Muzzini; Gabriela Aparicio (11 April 2013), Bangladesh: The Path to Middle-Income Status from an Urban Perspective, World Bank Publications, p. 51
5. Population and Housing Census 2022: National Report (PDF). Vol. I. Dhaka: Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics. November 2023. p. 56.
6. "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.

1. 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

• Principal cities and municipalities in Bangladesh
• International city telephone codes for Bangladesh
• Bangladesh postal codes
• List of Bangladesh cities
• The Paurashava Ordinance 1977

v t e Local government in Bangladesh
Ministry of Public Administration Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives
Divisions	Divisional Commissioner
Districts	Deputy commissioner District Councils
Subdistricts	Subdistrict Executive Officer Subdistrict Councils
Local Councils	Village Councils Town Councils City Councils
Lowest level units	Elective Villages Wards Ceremonial Mouzas Mahallas

v t e Cities and towns in Bangladesh
Ministry of Public Administration Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives
Major cities (11) (city corporations)	Dhaka Chittagong Khulna Mymensingh Rajshahi Sylhet Barisal Cumilla Narayanganj Rangpur Gazipur
Cities (32) (municipal corporations)	Bogra Brahmanbaria Cox's Bazar Dinajpur Faridpur Feni Jamalpur Jessore Kushtia Noakhali Pabna Sirajganj Tangail
Towns	Bhola Patuakhali Pirojpur Jhalokati Barguna Amtali Bakerganj Char Fasson Gaurnadi Swarupkati Kuakata Bandarban Khagrachhari Rangamati Rangunia Sandwip Fatikchhari Nazir Hat Baroiyarhat Mirsharai Sitakunda Hathazari Raozan Patiya Chandanaish Lohagara Satkania Boalkhali Akhaura Sarail Chandpur Chaumuhani Laksam Hatiya Maijdee Lakshmipur Burichong Feni Sadar Upazila Ghorashal Monohardi Shibpur Raipura Madhabdi Mirzapur Dhanbari Madhupur Gopalpur Ghatail Kalihati Sakhipur Bhuapur Elenga Karatia Aricha Basail Bhairab Kishoreganj Manikganj Munshiganj Narsingdi Gopalganj Shariatpur Madaripur Rajbari Bagherhat Chuadanga Darshana, Chuadanga Jhenaidah Magura Meherpur Narail Nowapara Shatkhira Shambhuganj Muktagachha Bhaluka Gouripur Phulpur Trishal Nandail Gaffargaon Ishwarganj Haluaghat Fulbaria Netrokona Sherpur Joypurhat Kalai Khetlal Akkelpur Panchbibi Mundumala Naogaon Natore Shahjadpur Ullapara Iswardi Santhia Sherpur, Bogra Tanore Pabna Gaibandha Kurigram Lalmonirhat Nilphamari Panchagarh Thakurgaon Saidpur Golapganj Habiganj Moulvibazar Sreemangal Sunamganj (town) Beanibazar Barlekha Zakiganj Chhatak Santahar City

• Populated places in Bangladesh
• Lists of cities in Asia
• Cities in Bangladesh
• Towns in Bangladesh
• Lists of cities by country
• Bangladesh geography-related lists