According to the historian Radharaman Saha, Pabna is named after Paboni, a branch of the Ganges (Originated from Himalayan).
Archeologist Cunningham wrote that the name came from "Poth", a totem folk who lived long ago in this region (Poundrabardhan). A survey map from 10 depicts a Mouza (medium-size village) named Padeh Pabna in the Nazirpur Pargana (pargana can be considered as a cluster of villages).[3]
Haraprasad Shastri, the author and historian, regarded the name Pabna as originating from Podubomba, a small feudal kingdom, which was established by a king named Shom, during the Pal Dynasty period.
Historian Durgadas Lahiri, in his book Prithibir Itihash, used a map from the ancient period where a village named Pabna can be seen.
A legend: There was a robber (like Robin Hood) named Pobana who lived here long ago. He became a legendary hero for his good deeds. People honoured him by giving his name to the river Pabna.
The name comes from the Persian word "Panmbah", which means cotton. At one time, a number of inhabitants here were weavers.
Pabna Municipality comprises a mayor and 15 councillors and 5 female councillors. Each councillor represents a ward of the town. All of them are elected by people's vote.
According to the 2011 Bangladesh census, Pabna city had 33,217 households and a population of 144,442. 24,391 (16.89%) were under 10 years of age. Pabna had a literacy rate (age 7 and over) of 76.22%, compared to the national average of 51.8%, and a sex ratio of 951 females per 1000 males.[4]
River crossing (ferry ghaat) at Nagarbari on the Jamuna River is the old route to Dhaka and the eastern part of Bangladesh. It took three to four hours to cross only the Jamuna from Nagarbari to Aricha river port in Manikgonj District. Nowadays, The ferry terminal as well as launch terminal shifted from Nagarbari to Kazirhat. It takes approximately 1 hour to cross Jamuna River through ferry from Kazirhat to Aricha Port.There are several ferry and launch services in operation from Kazirhat to Aricha. Najirganj river crossing on the Padma River connects Pabna city with neighbouring Rajbari District as well as Faridpur, Madaripur, Shariatpur and Gopalganj, and Barisal Division.
Pabna is well connected to all the districts and towns of Bangladesh by road.
The nearby airport is at Ishwardi Upazila. Biman Bangladesh Airlines used to operate twice-weekly services to Ishwardi from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, Dhaka. However, no airlines are operating to and from Ishwardi at the moment.
Several Dhaka-bound private bus services are available such as Pabna Express, Shyamoli, Sarkar Travels, Raja Badsha, Badol, Mohanagar, C-line, Arif, Ishurdi Express, Night Star, Kings, Esha, Capital Service, Al-Hamra, Silver Line, etc. Government-owned Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) provides bus services to Rajshahi and Bogra city.
Water transport is important, as the Padma and other rivers, and Chalan Beel wetland are in Pabna. In Pabna district, rides by Nosimon, rickshaw-van, and Korimon are pleasure worthy.
Pabna has fledgeling knitted fabric and handloom related textile industries. There are consumer and pharmaceutical producing factories. Square Pharmaceuticals is the largest pharmaceutical company in Bangladesh. A majority of its factories are at Shalgaria near Jubilee Tank area of the town.
Pabna has the largest mental hospitalinBangladesh.[8] It also has a big general hospital, numerous medical centres, and small private clinics. Pabna Medical College and Hospital was established in 2008.
In healthcare, Pabna Community Clinic, a division of Dhaka Community Clinic, established and led by Professor Dr. Quazi Qumruzzaman, has made a great contribution in development and mitigation of arsenicosis.[9] The nine upazilas under Pabna District holds an upazila health complex each. Government doctors get appointment through Bangladesh Civil Service commission.
A 250-bed government-owned general hospital is at Shaalgaariya and a 450-bed mental hospital is at Hemayetpur. Recently the government-owned Pabna Medical College has been set up near the mental hospital, Pabna premise.
There is a mosque at Chatmohar Upzilla named Shahi Mosque which built by Masum Khan kabuli at 15th century.[10]AMughal-era mosque 'Varara Moshjid' (Bengali: ভাঁড়াড়া মসজিদ) is some 10 km southeast of the town.There is a rumour that the mosque built in one night.
The remains of Hindu temple Jor Bangla (recently renovated) is in Jor Baangla Paara of the town. Jagannath TempleatChatmohar Upazila is considered one of the most beautiful Hindu temples in northern Bangladesh.[11]
Rassundari Devi, a Bengali writer who is identified as the author of first full-fledged autobiography in modern Bengali literature, was born in Pabna in 1809 or 1810.[12]
Mohammed Fazle Rabbee, cardiologist, intellectual, murdered in the intellectual killing during the 1971 genocide in Bangladesh by Pakistani army and its local collaborators, the Jamaat-affiliate
Bangladesh
