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]

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 11 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 eleven major cities in Bangladesh that are governed by twelve city corporations, which include Dhaka North, Dhaka South, Chattogram, Khulna, Sylhet, Rajshahi, Mymensingh, Rangpur, Barisal, Cumilla, Gazipur and Narayanganj. Among these, Dhaka is a megacity, governed by two city corporations, and has a population of more than 10 million.^[5] It was formerly governed by the Dhaka City Corporation, until it was split into North and South in 2011. The populations of the cities in the table below are from the 2022 census.^[6]^{: 386–387}

Rank	City	Area(km²)^[3]	Population (2022)^[7]	District	Division
1	Dhaka	306	10,295,786	Dhaka	Dhaka Division
2	Chattogram	155	3,230,507	Chattogram	Chattogram Division
3	Gazipur	47	2,677,715	Gazipur	Dhaka Division
4	Narayanganj	13	967,951	Narayanganj	Dhaka Division
5	Khulna	51	909,557	Khulna	Khulna Division
11	Rangpur	69	408,570	Rangpur	Rangpur Division
8	Mymensingh	90	577,000	Mymensingh	Mymensingh Division
6	Rajshahi	42	753,288	Rajshahi	Rajshahi Division
7	Sylhet	58	702,839	Sylhet	Sylhet Division
9	Cumilla	53	550,233	Cumilla	Chattogram Division
10	Barisal	58	419,484	Barisal	Barisal Division

Metropolitan areas

All eleven of the aforementioned major cities are designated as metropolitan areas: Dhaka, Chittagong, Khulna, Sylhet, Rajshahi, Mymensingh, Barisal, Rangpur, Cumilla, Narayanganj and Gazipur. 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 11 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]^{: 388–394}

City	Area (km²)	Population (2022)	District	Division
Brahmanbaria	20.49	264,326	Brahmanbaria	Chattogram
Chandpur	26.82	203,436	Chandpur
Cox's Bazar	24.45	196,374	Cox's Bazar
Feni	22	234,350	Feni
Lakshmipur	19.4	132,220	Lakshmipur
Chowmuhani	20.70	100,048	Noakhali
Maijdee	23.79	132,185	Noakhali
Rangamati	64.75	106,060	Rangamati
Savar	14.08	384,093	Dhaka	Dhaka
Faridpur	66.24	237,266	Faridpur
Kaliakair	27.16	249,100	Gazipur
Sreepur	47.25	258,946	Gazipur
Gopalganj	16.9	108,508	Gopalganj
Bhairab	15.71	156,293	Kishoreganj
Kishoreganj	11.3	138,051	Kishoreganj
Tarabo	19.39	197,658	Narayanganj
Ghorashal	26.50	101,689	Narsingdi
Narsingdi	20.95	180,699	Narsingdi
Tangail	33.8	212,858	Tangail
Jashore	28.56	209,330	Jashore	Khulna
Jhenaidah	32.42	140,256	Jhenaidah
Kushtia	66.00	221,804	Kushtia
Magura	44.36	114,240	Magura
Satkhira	32.39	138,397	Satkhira
Jamalpur	55.25	158,873	Jamalpur	Mymensingh
Netrakona	29.40	122,279	Netrakona
Sherpur	24.75	123,513	Sherpur
Bogura	71.56	485,944	Bogura	Rajshahi
Chapai Nawabganj	24.70	201,000	Chapai Nawabganj
Naogaon	38.36	178,635	Naogaon
Pabna	27.27	175,982	Pabna
Sirajganj	28.49	297,230	Sirajganj
Dinajpur	22.8	212,275	Dinajpur	Rangpur
Saidpur	30.04	143,536	Nilphamari
Thakurgaon		100,459	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 Upazila Bhairab Kishoreganj Pakundia Manikganj Munshiganj Shariatpur Madaripur Rajbari Baliakandi Pangsha Tongi Sreepur
Chattogram Division	31	Raipur Chhagalnaiya Daganbhuiyan Parshuram Sonagazi Debidwar Bandarban Khagrachhari Rangamati Rangunia Lohagara Sandwip Fatikchhari Nazir Hat Baroiyarhat Mirsharai Sitakunda Hathazari Raozan Patiya Brahmanpara Upazila 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 Dirai 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 Sagardari Lohagara Kaliganj Sharsha Maheshpur Chalna Shalikha
Barishal Division	23	Bhola Patuakhali Pirojpur Jhalokati Barguna Amtali Bakerganj Char Fasson Gournadi Swarupkati Kuakata Muwallad, Bangladesh 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 Melandah Shyamganj Nakla Mohanganj Madan Kendua Durgapur Sherpur
Rajshahi Division	15	Joypurhat Rahanpur Kalai Khetlal Akkelpur Panchbibi Mundumala Naogaon Natore Shahjadpur Ullapara Iswardi Santhia Dhunat Sherpur, Bogra Tanore Santahar City
Rangpur Division	14	Gaibandha Kurigram Lalmonirhat Nilphamari Panchagarh Thakurgaon Saidpur Ulipur 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. Sylhet city is also the third developed city within Khulna and Rajshahi. Sylhet is also marked as an economically stronger city compared to other cities after Dhaka and Chittagong. Sylhet 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, Sylhet, Khulna, and Rajshahi. Other major cities with a stronger economy and developer infrastructure after these five best cities are Cumilla, Bogra, Rangpur, Tangail, Faridpur, Barishal, Gazipur, Narayanganj, Jessore, Kushtia, Patuakhali, Feni, Cox's Bazar, Mymenshing, Dinajpur, Pabna, Brahmanbaria, Narsingdi, Bholo, Gopalganj, Thakurgao, Chuadanga, Madaripur, 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
^ "Dhaka polulace crosses 1 crore". 27 July 2022. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
^ ^a ^b Population and Housing Census 2022 National Report (PDF). Vol. 1. Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics. November 2023.
^ POPULATION & HOUSING CENSUS 2022 - PRELIMINARY REPORT (PDF), BANGLADESH BUREAU OF STATISTICS, STATISTICS AND INFORMATICS DIVISION, MINISTRY OF PLANNING, POPULATION & HOUSING CENSUS 2022, GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF BANGLADESH