Exploring Kishoreganj and its exclusive features

Kishoreganj is one of the nice and important districts for the visitors in Bangladesh. It is about 145 km far from Dhaka. The district has 8 municipals, 13 upazilas, 108 unions, 1745 villages. The name Kishoreganj came from the old landlord known as Brojakishore Pramanik or Nandakishore Pramanik. The area of Kishoregonj Municipality is about 10 square kilometers. The river Narasunda flows through the city.

It is a small town, but there are many tourist spots in the city and around it. These are: Sholakia Eid Ground, Isha Khan Fort, Kishoregonj Polytechnic Institute, Chandravati Temple, President's Home, Haors, President Abdul Hamid Medical College and Hospital, Government Gurudayal College, Pagla Mosque, Shah Muhammad Mosque at Egaroshindhur, Fuleshwari River etc. 

Chandravati

There are two nice temples namely Poet Dizbangsi Das and Poet Chandravati at the bank of Fuleswari River at the Kacharipara area of Maizkhapon union. This place is situated at 5 km far from at the east-north side from the Kishoregonj district city. Both poets have many memories here.

Dizbangsi Das, father of eminent poet Chandravati in the middle age, built the temples by the request of Chandravati. Chandravati was born in this village. The terracotta design on the walls of temple made it impressive. Chandravati was born in 1550 AD and died in 1600 AD. She is the successful and great woman poet in the Bengali Literature.

Birth history of Chandravati was narrated in Chandravati pala/poem. 'Monsa Mongol' poetry's writer Dizbagsi Das and Sulochona are the parents of Chandravati. Chandravati wrote poems like-Molua, Dossu Kena-ramer Pala, Ramayan (incomplete).

Dr Dinesh Chandra Sen published Chandravati's Ramayan in 1932. This Ramayan poem has achieved a special status due to adding of some elements of logic, humanitarian and basic. Chandravati contributed a lot in the poems during middle age though she was born in a very poor family. We came to know about Chandravati's grandfather name Jadbanand, father name Dizbangsi Das and mother name Sulochona by studying her composed poems.

Now frightened building has got familiarity the home of Chandravati which situated at Kacharipara area. Actually, the home got familiarity in the name of Chandravati's subordinate male Nilkantha Roy in course of time.  Archeology Department under Cultural Affairs Ministry of People's Republic of Bangladesh has preserved the two temples in 1987.

Kishoregonj Sadar Upazila Administration has built a rest house and an open stage for the facility of visitors who come from far places. Archetype is a state property. So, it is our responsibility to protect it.

Isha Khan Fort at Jangal Bari Isha Khan was a great ruler in this Indian Sub-continent. His father name was Sulaiman Khan. His reign was 1576-1599. He married in 1586 to Fatema Khan (Sona Bibi). He established this mosque at Jangalbari in 1519. There are four eye-catching and beautiful minars of the mosque. There are five graves nearby of the mosque.

Museum/library

Isha Khan Memorial Museum and Library is also situated at Jangalbari in Kishoregonj and it was built newly on June 12, 2005. KM Ruhul Amin, Kamruzzaman Khan, ABM Sirajul Islam, Dewan Amin Daad Khan contributed a lot to build this museum. Kishoregonj UNO has taken initiatives to preserve the using materials of Isha Khan in the museum. He will keep all the ruined things in the museum. Some materials like shield, sword, chopper etc are collected. 

Historical Sholakia Eid Gah Ground

The largest Eid fairgrounds, called Solakia Eid ground where People from many districts come to this place to celebrate Eid. This traditional Edigah was built in 1818. Its length is around 1500 feet and width is around 500 feet. Kishoregonj DC Siddikur Rahman and Kishoregonj Municipal Mayor Majharul Isma Bhuiyan jointly laid the foundation stone of boundary wall of this Eidgah on June 8, 2011.

At least 500 lines (katar) jamat are held in every Eid celebration. It is remembered that 1.25 lakh people obtained eid jamat at the beginning time in this Eidgah and that's why,  this Eidgah was named 'Sholakia'. On the other hand, Sholakia was a name of village and the Eidgah was also named by that village's name.

 Lakhs of people participate to obtain Eid prayer in every year. 191-th Eid-ul-Adha  jamat was held in the last Eid celebration on September 3, 2017.. At present, its imam name is Mawlana Farid Uddin Masud. Kishoregonj district was established in February 1, 1984. Before that it was a subdivision under the Mymensingh from 1860.
Pagla Masjid

This mosque was established/began in 1730. This mosque was broken in a devastating flood in 1926. There was a rumor that a saint or mad or his disciples used to sit here or come here before building the mosque. Minars were floating on the river. Dewan Saheb built this mosque. Present imam is Mawlana Ali Khan Ashraf.  

Government Gurudayal College

Government Gurudayal College is one of the oldest college in Bangladesh. It was built on September 20, 1943. There are 26 subjects for BA, MA here. Prof Md Iman Ali is the current principal of this college. Current President Abdul Hamid was the student of this college. Original name of Gurudayal Sarkar is Koibarta Raj who donated Tk 50 thousand to this college. He was influential businessman during that time andwas a citizen of Itna upazila in Kishoregonj. The first principal was Dr Dhirendra Das of this college. 

Haors

At least 35 haors in Kishoregonj district. The majors are Joysiddi, Adampur, Marichkhali, haors etc. Sweet water are available for six months (Bangla: Baishakh-Aswin). Native fishes are gotten a lot there. Boro paddy are cultivated due to available water of the haors. Robbers are seen in the haors. Ground water can easily be found at 20-25 feet's under. Farmers cultivate crops by the haor water.

Medical Colleges   

There are three medical Colleges in Kishoregonj district. These are: (1) Shaheed Syed Nazrul Islam Medical College, (2) Jahurul Islam Medical College & Hospital (3) President Abdul Hamid Medical College & Hospital.  
Narashunda River

This river is also a beautiful scenery for visitors situated in the city. There is a watch tower to look over the river's nice scenery. There are 13 bridges on the river. The river is now fallen as a lake. Its length is around 13 km.

Famous persons

Sukumar Roy, Upendra Kishore Roy Choudhury, Zainul Abedin, Syed Nazrul Islam,  Bansidas Bhattacharya, Chandravati, Nirad C Chaudhuri, Prabodh Chandra Goswami, Dr Osman Gani, Satyajit Ray, Abul Fateh, Jahurul Islam,  Zillur Rahman, Abdul Hamid, Syed Ashraful Islam, Rakib Mosabbir, Ananada Mohan Bose, Shaheed Dr AFM Abdul Alim Chowdhury,  Kedarnath Majumder, Momin Uddin Yusuf, Mohan Kishore Namodas, Humayun Hami Uddin Ahmed, Nihararanjana Roy, Debabrata Biswas, Jahurul Islam, Ivy Rahman, Abdul Qasim Fazlul Huq, Kaji Abdul Bari, Raveti Mohan Barman, Prof Dr. Alauddin Ahmed, Shah Abdul Hannan Professor Dr Habibur Rahman, Dr Osman Farooq, Guru Das,  Dr Sitara Begum, Tauhidul Islam Sharif,  General Abdul Mubeen, Ilias Kanchan, and many others.

So visit this beautiful to enjoy and see all these tourist spots to gather experience and broaden your knowledge. Travelling is also a part of education and career in our life. We should travel more and more during our vacation.

How to go

You can easily go to the district by 'Egarosindur' (7.15 am without Tuesday) and Kishoregonj Express (10.20 am without Friday) trains from Kamlapur Railway Station, Dhaka. Egarosindur train starts at 6:50 am from Kishoregonj.  And Kishoregonj Express starts at 2.40 pm from Kishoregonj Station. There are also available buses from Syedabad and Mohakhali bus stations of Dhaka.  

The writer is Sub Editor, The Asian Age