Bangladesh (বাংলাদেশ)

Cities, towns, and villages

• Dhaka (formerly known as Dacca) (Bengali: ঢাকা) — is the capital and largest city of Bangladesh. It is the largest city by population in the historical region of Bengal and a major city in South Asia. It is a hub for trade and culture, with a long history as a Bengali capital. It has been called the City of Mosques and the Venice of the East, due to its Islamic architecture and a riverfront facing the Buriganga (Old Ganges). It is also known as the Rickshaw Capital of the World, as there are over 500,000 cycle rickshaws running on its roads. Although it is described as a concrete jungle, Dhaka has venerable green spaces, including many gardens and parks.

• Chittagong (officially Chattogram) — is the main international seaport and second largest city in Bangladesh, on the Bay of Bengal. The city is the headquarters of many Bangladeshi companies, including the Chittagong Stock Exchange. According to the British newspaper The Telegraph, Chittagong is one of the ten fastest-growing cities in the world.

• Khulna — is the main city in Khulna Division in Bangladesh. On the bank of Rupsha (and Bhairav) river, it is known as the industrial city and located in southern part of Bangladesh. A large part of the Sundarbans, a UNESCO world heritage is located in Khulna. It has many Jute mills, the only newsprint mill and hardboard mill of Bangladesh, the only state-owned match factory (Dada match, later Dhaka match), Oxygen company (BOL), Ship yard. Khulna is the 3rd largest city in Bangladesh after Dhaka and Chittagong. It is a fast developing,provided with many park,resorts and a peaceful city inhabited by almost 2 million people.

• Rajshahi — is the headquarters of both Rajshahi District and Rajshahi Division in northwestern Bangladesh. The Rajshahi municipality was established in 1876, one of the first in Bangladesh. There is a total population of about 850,000 people. One of the major rivers of the Indian subcontinent, the Padma, runs along the southern end of the city.
  The city is home to many educational institutions, leading to a large student population and the nickname of "education city". The city is in proximity to many ancient capitals of Bengal, notably 'Lakhnoiti' or 'Lokhnaboti', 'Gauda' and 'Pundra'. Rajshahi is famous for trading in many exotic items, including pure silk, mangoes, and lychees. Attractive silk products are cheaper in Rajshahi than anywhere else in the country, with the city often referred to as the 'silk city. There are also a number of ancient mosques, shrines, and temples in and around Rajshahi.

• Barisal (Barishal) — city in southern Bangladesh, rice and other crops producing centre of Bangladesh. Fish is also plentiful because Barisal stands on the Kirtankhola River and is surrounded by it. A Bengali saying states, Dhan, nadi, khal ai tine Barisal, which translates to "paddy, river and canal are the three things that make Barisal". It is a fast growing city, with nearly 0.38 million people and a divisional headquarters, university, medical college, engineering college, cadet college, some pharmaceutical industries, and textile industries. The city is sometimes called the "Venice of the East" or the "Venice of Bengal".

• Sylhet — city with a population of over 500,000 people that lies on the banks of Surma River in north-east Bangladesh. It is surrounded by tea estates, sub-tropical hills, rain forests and river valleys; the region is one of the leading tourist destinations in the country.

• Comilla — city in eastern Bangladesh, located along the Dhaka-Chittagong Highway, 97 kilometres from the capital city, Dhaka, which can also be reached by railway. Comilla is second-largest city of eastern Bangladesh after Chittagong and is one of the three oldest cities in Bangladesh.

• Rangpur City — 5th-largest city in Bangladesh, located in its north western part. Agricultural products such as rice, jute (called the golden fibre of Bangladesh), wheat, tobacco, and potato are the major driving power of the economy here.

• Narayanganj — city in central Bangladesh, located in the Narayanganj District, near the capital city of Dhaka. The city is on the bank of the Shitalakshya River and has a population of 220,000. The river port of Narayanganj is one of the oldest in Bangladesh. It is also a centre of business and industry, especially the jute trade and processing plants, and of the textile sector of the country.

• Gazipur City — city in central Bangladesh with a population of over 1.1 million.

• Mymensingh (pronounced moy-mon-shin-haw) — is situated on the river Brahmaputra and is the headquarters of the Mymensingh District. The city is known for educational institutions like Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh Medical College,Jatiya Kabi Kazi Nazrul Islam University, Teachers' Training College (Male & Female) and Mymensingh Girls' Cadet College. 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.

• Jessore (pronounced Josh-ore) — a bustling district town, and convenient transit point to or from Kolkata; famous for Gur, a form of cake-like molasses produced from the extract of the date tree.

• Saint Martins Island — The country's main coral island with friendly locals, a laid back vibe and coconuts to spare.

• Sundarbans — The largest mangrove forest in the world, with lots of bird life and the home of the very elusive but endangered Royal Bengal Tigers.