city, west-central Bangladesh, lying just south of the upper Padma (Padma River) River (Ganges 【Ganga】 River (Ganges River)). The city is connected by rail with Saidpur and Kolkata (Calcutta) (Calcutta) and is a trade centre containing cotton-textile and sugar mills and a pottery cottage industry. Kushtia has several government colleges, among which Kushtia Government University College (1947) is prominent.

The surrounding area is a wide, fertile alluvial plain situated at the head of the Padma delta. Heavy trade is carried out on its network of waterways, including the Bhagirathi (Bhagirathi River) and Matabhanga rivers. The region's chief crops are rice, wheat, jute, sugar, potatoes, tobacco, and betel. Pop. (2001) 83,658.