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Coordinates: 22°22′N 91°48′E / 22.367°N 91.800°E / 22.367; 91.800
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This article is about Chittagong as a city in Bangladesh. For other uses, see Chittagong (disambiguation).
Chittagong
চট্টগ্রাম
Metropolis
Colonial Circuit House, Commonwealth War Cemetery, Foy's Lake, Patenga Beach
Colonial Circuit House, Commonwealth War Cemetery, Foy's Lake, Patenga Beach
Nickname: 
Port City
CountryBangladesh
DivisionChittagong Division
DistrictChittagong District
Establishment1340[1]
Granted city status1863[2]
Government
 • City MayorM Manjur Alam
Area
[3]
 • Metropolis168 km2 (65 sq mi)
Population
 (2008)[4]
 • Metropolis2,579,107
 • Density15,351/km2 (39,760/sq mi)
 • Metro
5 680 000 (2,011e)
 • Demonym
Chittagongian
Time zoneUTC+6 (BST)
Postal code
4000
GDP (2008)$25.5 billion[5]
Calling code31
WebsiteChittagong City Corporation

Chittagong (Bengali: চট্টগ্রাম, Chôţţogram) is the main seaport and second largest city of Bangladesh. Located in southeastern Bangladesh, it straddles the hilly terrain at the mouth of the Karnaphuli River , and is bounded by the Bay of Bengal to the west. The city has an estimated population of over 6.5 million people, and is the administrative capital of Chittagong Division.[6].

An ancient and historic gateway to Bengal, Chittagong was a major port on the silk route. For centuries, the region was frequented by Arab, Persian, Chinese, Southeast Asian and Portuguese merchants; and attracted numerous explorers such as Ibn Battuta and Admiral Zheng He. After the fall of the last independent Nawab of Bengal, the port was ceded to the British East India Company in the 18th century.[7] The modern city developed under the British Raj, and grew after the construction of the Assam Bengal Railway. During World War II, it served as an important base for Allied Forces fighting in the Burma Campaign. After the partition of British India, it became part of East Bengal (later East Pakistan). In 1971, as the Pakistan Army launched military operations against Bengali nationalists and civilians, the declaration of Bangladesh's independence was announced from the city.[8]

Chittagong is a major commercial and industrial hub, generating 12% of Bangladesh's GDP; 40% of industrial output and 80% of maritime trade (see Port of Chittagong).[9] It is home to many of Bangladesh's largest and oldest corporations, including those involved in textiles, shipping, petroleum, steel, tea, commodities, shipbuilding, pharmaceuticals, automotive industry, chemicals and logistics. It is also one of the fastest growing cities in the world.[5][10][11] In recent years, neighboring countries of Bangladesh have looked to the port city as a future regional gateway to landlocked southern Asia, including northeast India, Bhutan, Nepal, southwest China and parts of Burma.[12][13][14] Chittagong intends to emerge as a regional economic hub in South and East Asia, and is undertaking various megaprojects, such as a deep sea port.[15][16]

Etymology

Jean Bernoulli, in his book Description Historique et Geographic de L'Inde (1786), explains that the anglicized name Chittagong came from the Arabic word "Shetgang", which evolved from the term Shatt-Al Ganga, meaning "Mouth of the Ganges". For centuries, Arab traders referred to the region as the main port of the Ganges delta.[17]

The Bengali names of the city are Chattagram and Chatgaon. The origins of these words are unclear, however several theories do exist. More than six hundred years ago an Islamic preacher Hazrat Badar Aawlia arrived in this city from the seas and chose Cheragi Pahar as his vantage point to spread the message of Islam among the locals. It was at the apex of this hill that the he lit a chati (lamp) and called out (ajaan) for people to join him in saying prayer to God. Chittagong's etymology can then be traced unmistakably back to "chati." And the hills are at the core of Chittagong's mythology.[18] Another theory is that the first group of brahmins to have settled in this region were 'chatt-upadhyays'. Hence this region came to be known as chatto-gan or Chattan Gaon (Chatto/Chattan=Rock or stone)(gan or gaon is the prakrit/Bengali term for village). A fact confirming this theory is that the majority of the kayastha of this region were of the kashyap gotra, which is also the gotra of the Chattopadhyays.

During the 16th century, the Portuguese named the area as Porto Grande de Bengala (Grand Port of Bengal), while noting the local name "Chatigaon".[19]

History

Ships moored off Chittagong in the late 1820s.

Chittagong has been a seaport since ancient times. It was the site of the Harikela and Samatata janapadas, and came under the rule of the Mauryan Empire and the Pala Empire. Muslim missionaries and merchants arrived in the 8th century[20]. An account by historian Lama Taranath has revealed a Buddhist king Gopichandra had his capital at Chittagong in the 10th century, and according to Tibetan tradition, Chittagong was the birthplace of 10th century Buddhist Tantric Tilayogi.[21] In the Fourteenth Century, explorer Ibn Battuta passed through Chittagong during his travels.

Sultan Fakruddin Mubarak Shah of Sonargaon conquered Chittagong in 1340. Sultan Giasuddin Mubarak Shah constructed a highway from Chittagong to Chandpur and ordered the construction of many lavish mosques and tombs. After the defeat of Mahmud Shah in the hands of Sher Shah in 1538, the Arakanese Kingdom of Mrauk U regained Chittagong. From this time onward, until its conquest by the Mughals, the region was under the control of Portuguese merchant communities, which established settlements along the Karnaphuli River and at Satgaon. The Kings of Arakan dispatched Magh pirates (a notorious name for Arakanese) to region, who in collusion with the Portuguese, dominated trade in the region for the next 128 years.

The Mughal commandar Shayestha Khan and his son Buzurg Umed Khan expelled the Arakanese from the area in 1666 and established Mughal rule there. After the Arakanese expulsion, Islamabad, as the area came to be known, made great strides in economic progress. This can mainly be attributed to an efficient system of land-grants to selected diwans or faujdars in order to clear massive areas of hinterland and start cultivation. The Mughals, similar to the Afghans who came earlier, also built mosques having a rich contribution to the architecture in the area. What is called Chittagong today also began to have improved connections with the rest of Mughal Bengal. The city was occupied by Burmese troops shortly in First Anglo-Burmese War in 1824 and the British increasingly grew active in the region and it fell under the British Empire. The people of Chittagong made several attempts to gain independence from the British, notably on 18 November 1857 when the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th companies of the 34th Bengal Infantry Regiment stationed at Chittagong rose in rebellion and released all the prisoners from jail but were suppressed by the Kuki scouts and the Sylhet Light Infantry (10th Gurkha Rifles).[21]

Chittaong grew at the beginning of the twentieth century after the partition of Bengal and the creation of the province of Eastern Bengal and Assam.[22] The construction of the Assam Bengal Railway to Chittagong facilitated further development of economic growth in the city. However, revolutionaries and opposition movements grew during this time. Many people in Chittagong supported Khilafat and Non-Cooperation movements.

1930 Chittagong Uprising

Main article: Chittagong Armoury Raid

Revolution was never far from the surface and one group of Bengali youths under the leadership of Surya Sen formed the secret Republican Army. He set up camps for revolutionary youths to train in guerilla tactics against the British occupation of India. The members of the revolutionary groups believed in armed uprisings for Indian independence to liberate India from the oppressive and exploitative British colonial rule. Their leader was Masterda Surya Sen. The group included Ganesh Ghosh, Lokenath Bal, Nirmal Sen, Ambika Chakrobarty, Naresh Roy, Sasanka Datta, Ardhendu Guha, Harigopal Baul, Tarakeswar Dastidar, Ananta Singh, Jiban Ghoshal, Anand Gupta, Pritilata Waddedar, Kalpana Dutta and Suresh Dey. Also among them was 14-year-old Subodh Roy (d. 27 August 2006). He too was jailed in the Andaman Islands but released in 1940.

Surya Sen devised the strategy of capturing the two main armouries in Chittagong and then destroying the telegraph and telephone office, followed by capital punishment of the notorious members of the "European Club", the majority of whom were government or military officials involved in maintaining British Raj in India. Firearms retailers were also to be raided; and rail and communication lines were scheduled to be disrupted. The plan was put into action at 10 o'clock on 18 April 1930. As per plan, the armoury of the police was captured by a group of revolutionaries led by Ganesh Ghosh and another group of ten, led by Lokenath Baul took over the Auxiliary Force armoury. Unfortunately they could not locate the ammunition. The revolutionaries also succeeded in dislocating telephone and telegraph communications and disrupting the movement of the trains. Total sixtyfive revolutionaries took part in the raid, which was undertaken in the name of the Indian Republican Army, Chittagong branch. After the successful raids, all the revolutionary groups gathered outside the police armoury where Surya Sen took a military salute, hoisted the National Flag and proclaimed a Provisional Revolutionary Government. The revolutionaries left Chittagong town before dawn and marched towards the Chittagong hill ranges, looking for a safe place[23]

After a few days, the police traced some of the revolutionaries. They were surrounded by several thousand troops while taking shelter in the Jalalabad hills on the outskirts of Chittagong on the afternoon of 22 April 1930. Over 80 British troops and 12 of the revolutionaries were killed in the ensuing gunfight. Surya Sen decided to disperse into neighbouring villages in small groups and the revolutionaries escaped accordingly. Very few revolutionaries fled to Calcutta while some revolutionaries were arrested in Chittagong.

Many of the revolutionaries managed to reorganize the broken group. On 24 September 1932, 8 young rebels led by Pritilata Waddedar attacked the European Club. Twenty-two officials and 220 non- officials were killed by the revolutionarists in separate incidents during 1930-32.

The so-called "first armoury raid case" (i.e. The Great Chittagong Uprising) concluded in January 1932 and the judgement was delivered on 1 March 1932. The sentences were deportation for life for 12, three years' imprisonment for 2 and the rest of a total of 32 persons on trial were acquitted. The Chittagong revolutionaries suffered a fatal blow when Masterda Surya Sen was arrested on 16 February 1933 from Gairala village, because of a tip-off from a traitor in the group. The traitor, Netra Sen, was stabbed to death at his home by the revolutionaries before he could collect his Rupee 10,000 reward. Masterda Surya Sen was tried and was hanged on 12 January 1934[24] after immense torture. His body was not cremated but thrown into Bay of Bengal by the British.

A Bengali movie Chattagram Astragar Lunthan was made on the Great Chittagong Uprising of 1930 or Chittagong armoury raid in 1949. It was directed by Nirmal Chowdhury. A Hindi movie, Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey was made on the Chittagong armoury raid in 2010. It was directed by Ashutosh Gowarikar starring Abhishek Bachchan and supported by Deepika Padukone. It was based on the book Do and Die: The Chittagong Uprising 1930-34 by Manini Chatterjee. Another Hindi film, Chittagong was made in 2010 and released in October 2012. It was directed by Dr. Bedabrata Pain, a former scientist in NASA who resigned from NASA to make this film. Manoj Bajpai was the lead actor and played the role of Surya Sen.

World War II

RAF bombers in Chittagong airport during World War II.
US Navy sailors in Chittagong, 1944

During World War II, Chittagong's cantonment as well as air and sea ports served as important military bases for Allied Forces fighting in the Burma Campaign. The city was struck with several air raids by the Japanese Air Force in April and May 1942.[25][26] The war had a major negative impact on the city, with the growth of refugees and uneveness in fortune, reflected in the Great Famine of 1943.[21]

Post WWII and Bangladesh

After the war, rapid industrialisation and development saw the city grow beyond its previous municipal area, particularly in the southwest up to Patenga, where Chittagong International Airport is now located.[21] The former villages of Halishahar, Askarabad and Agrabad became integrated into the city. The Chittagong Development Authority (CDA) was established by the government of East Pakistan in 1959 to manage this growth and drew up a master plan to be reviewed every five years to plan its urban development. By 1961 the CDA had drawn up a regional plan covering an area of 212 square miles (550 km2) and a master plan covering an area of 100 square miles (260 km2).[21] Over the decades, especially after the losses of 1971, the master plan developed into several specific areas of management, including the Multi-Sectoral Investment Plan for drainage and flood-protection of Chittagong City and a plan for easing the traffic congestion and making the system more efficient.[21]

In 1971, during the Bangladesh Liberation War, Chittagong suffered massive losses in people and buildings given that they denied the occupation army access to the port. The first public announcement was made over the radio from the Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra located at Kalurghat, Chittagong. Following the independence of Bangladesh, the city underwent a major rehabilitation and reconstruction programme and regained its status as an important port within a few years.[21]

Geography and climate

Under the Köppen climate classification, Chittagong has a tropical monsoon climate.[27] Chittagong is located at 22°22′0″N 91°48′0″E / 22.36667°N 91.80000°E / 22.36667; 91.80000 on the banks of the Karnaphuli River. It has a total area of 157 square kilometres (61 sq mi). The city is known for its vast hilly terrain that stretches throughout the entire district and eventually into India. Chittagong does not contain any natural lakes, but it does have artificial lakes.

Climate data for Chittagong
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 31.7
(89.1) 		33.9
(93.0) 		37.2
(99.0) 		38.9
(102.0) 		36.7
(98.1) 		36.7
(98.1) 		34.4
(93.9) 		33.9
(93.0) 		35.0
(95.0) 		34.4
(93.9) 		33.9
(93.0) 		31.1
(88.0) 		38.9
(102.0)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 26.0
(78.8) 		28.0
(82.4) 		30.6
(87.1) 		31.8
(89.2) 		32.3
(90.1) 		31.5
(88.7) 		30.9
(87.6) 		31.1
(88.0) 		31.5
(88.7) 		31.5
(88.7) 		29.8
(85.6) 		27.0
(80.6) 		30.2
(86.4)
Daily mean °C (°F) 20.0
(68.0) 		22.1
(71.8) 		25.5
(77.9) 		27.6
(81.7) 		28.5
(83.3) 		28.4
(83.1) 		28.0
(82.4) 		28.1
(82.6) 		28.3
(82.9) 		27.8
(82.0) 		25.1
(77.2) 		21.3
(70.3) 		25.9
(78.6)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 13.9
(57.0) 		16.2
(61.2) 		20.3
(68.5) 		23.4
(74.1) 		24.7
(76.5) 		25.2
(77.4) 		25.1
(77.2) 		25.1
(77.2) 		25.1
(77.2) 		24.0
(75.2) 		20.3
(68.5) 		15.6
(60.1) 		21.6
(70.9)
Record low °C (°F) 7.2
(45.0) 		7.8
(46.0) 		10.6
(51.1) 		15.0
(59.0) 		18.3
(64.9) 		20.0
(68.0) 		19.4
(66.9) 		22.2
(72.0) 		21.7
(71.1) 		16.7
(62.1) 		11.1
(52.0) 		8.3
(46.9) 		7.2
(45.0)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 5.6
(0.22) 		24.4
(0.96) 		54.7
(2.15) 		147.4
(5.80) 		298.6
(11.76) 		607.3
(23.91) 		727.0
(28.62) 		530.6
(20.89) 		259.3
(10.21) 		184.8
(7.28) 		67.5
(2.66) 		11.9
(0.47) 		2,919.1
(114.93)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm) 0 1 2 6 11 17 19 17 13 7 2 1 96
Average relative humidity (%) 70 67 71 75 78 84 86 87 85 82 78 77 78
Source 1: Weatherbase (normals, 30 yr period)[28]
Source 2: Sistema de Clasificación Bioclimática Mundial (extremes)[29], BBC Weather (humidity and sun)[30]

Demographics

Chittagong city has a population of 4 million,[2] male 54.36% and female 45.64%. Population density per square km is 15276. Islam is the most common religion among the people. Muslims form 83.92% of the population. Other major religions are Hinduism (13.76%); Buddhism (2.01%), Christianity (0.11%) and others 0.2%.[21]

Civil administration

The Chittagong city areas are divided into several wards and mahallas, under the jurisdiction of the Chittagong City Corporation. Chittagong City Corporation is governed by the city mayor, who is an elected representative for a 5 years term along with 41 male general ward councilors and 14 female ward councilors. The 41 male ward councilors are elected from the 41 general wards in the city where the residents vote and elect their ward councilor as their elected representatives for a 5 year period. Moreover, 14 female ward councilors are also elected by only the female voters of the 14 female wards to represent the city's female dwellers.[2] The Chittagong Development Authority (CDA) is responsible for implementing the city's Master Plan.

Chittagong Metropolitan Police is the main law enforcing agency in the metropolis. Established in 1978, it employs around 5,000 personnel, having 30 police stations under it. Rapid Action Battalion-7 is present in Chittagong

People and Culture

Further information: Culture of Bangladesh
Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus

Chittagong has attracted people from around the world.[21] The various waves of settlements left a lasting impact on the language and culture of the city.[21] The origins of the people of the city are diverse and multi-ethnic. Bengalis constitute the largest ethnic group, followed by adivasi ethnicities such as the Chakmas and Marmas. Many Ismailis and Indo-Iranians settled in the city during the 1940s and 50s. and The descendants of Portuguese settlers, who are often Firingi, also continue to live in Chittagong, as Catholic Christians, in the old Portuguese enclave of Paterghatta. Here, majority of the urban people are involved in the import-export, trade-commerce and various industrial and business activities along with many other private and government sector occupations like other port Cities of the globe.[21]

Lungi or punjabi-pajama is the most common costume for men and Saree for women. Rice and fish is the staple food of the people. Because of close affinity to the sea, seafood is quite popular. Vegetables commonly found in the market are gourds, pumpkins, various legumes, etc. Fruits include jack fruits, ice-apples, coconuts, bananas, custard apple, etc.Shutki mach/dried fish is a specialty. Chatgaiya songs are one of the top local favorites. Dance is another famous cultural sector of Chitttagong.

Chittagong is the home town of Dr. Mohammad Yunus, founder of Grameen Bank, the pioneer of Microcredit, who won Nobel Prize in Peace in 2006.

Architecture

Further information: Architecture of Bangladesh
Anderkilla mosque, a historical mosque

The architectural features of Chittagong can be found in mosques, shrines, dargah, buildings and other masonry. The most revered place in Chittagong is the Shrine of Bayazid Bostami, a saint born in Bostam, Iran. The dargah sharif of Hazrat Shah Sufi Amanat Khan is one of the most renowned dargahs of Chittagong. The Shahi Jama-e-Masjid and Qadam Mubarak Mosque are two of the most impressive buildings in the city. The mosques features unique mosque architecture. The Anderkilla Zame Mosque and Jamia Tul Falah Mosque, two largest mosques of Chittagong are conspicuous as the they represent beautiful mosque architecture with numerous arches. The 18th century Chatteshwari Temple is a prominent Hindu place of worship. The Chittagong Circuit house was built by the British in 1913. Many old Portuguese structures are seen in different parts of the city which reminds it's multi-cultural and multi-ethnic heritage. Under British rule, The eastern railway Headquarters was set up in Chittagong. Many Victorian style structures in the city still reminds of the British presence in this city. Zia Memorial Museum, situated in the port city of Chittagong and housed in the old circuit house building, represents beautiful architectural features of South Asia. The building was constructed on a small hill in 1913. These structures show that the architectural history of Chittagong can be traced back to hundreds of years ago.

Economy and development

Main article: Economy of Chittagong
See also: Economy of Bangladesh, Port of Chittagong, and Chittagong Stock Exchange

The sea-borne exports consist chiefly of ready made garments, knitwear, frozen food, jute and jute products, leather and leather products, tea, and chemical products. There is also a large trade by country boats, bringing chiefly cotton, rice, spices, sugar and tobacco. Sailing ships built in Chittagong include the Betsey, the Argo, and the Mersey. Ship breaking was introduced to the area in 1969. This industry is concentrated at Faujderhat, a 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) long beach 20 kilometres (12 mi) north-west of Chittagong. Chittagong is also home to a large number of industries from small to heavy.

Around 40% of the heavy industrial activities of the country is located in Chittagong city and adjacent areas, which include drydocks, dock yards, an oil refinery, steel mills, power plants, cement clinker factoriess, automobile industry, pharmaceutical industry, chemical plants, Cable manufacturing, textile manufacturing, jute mill, urea fertilizer factory along with other private sector medium size industrial developments and activities.[2]

Currently, there are three export processing zones (EPZ) in Chittagong, two state owned and another private. The main Chittagong Export Processing Zone, operated by the Bangladesh Export Processing Zone Authority (BEPZA), is the largest export processing zone in Bangladesh with 453 acres of land, located in South Halishahar. In June 2010, the London-based magazine The Financial Times ranked it the 3rd Best Cost Competitive Zone in the world and the 4th in the Best Economic Potential for Fiscal Year 2010-11.[31] Karnaphuli Export Processing Zone, also operated by BEPZA, is located in North Patenga, with an area of 222 acres. The other private EPZ Korean Export Processing Zone was established and operated by a South Korean company Youngone Corporation. The Korean Export Processing Zone and is expected to attract foreign direct investment worth $1 billion.[32]

The city of Chittagong had been long neglected by the Bangladeshi government, until around 2000 when exports grew by 21.13% to an all time high of $8.02 billion.[33] Chittagong is the site of Bangladesh's busiest port which handles 80% of all Bangladeshi imports and exports. The strategic location of the port has allowed for interest by investors to help improve the city.

The city is home to many of the largest and oldest corporations in Bangladesh, including M. M. Ispahani, the A. K. Khan Group, KDS Group, Habib Group, PHP Group, Jamuna Oil Company, Padma Oil Company, Meghna Petroleum, Bangladesh Shipping Corporation, BSRM, Kabir Steel, Western Marine Shipyard, Clewiston Group, T. K. Group, Intraco Group and etc. The Chittagong Tea Auction is one of two oldest tea auctions in the world, along with the the Calcutta auction. Most of the International trading are believed to be done from Khatunganj, Asadganj & Chaktai area. The Sawdagars (Traditional local merchants) of Chittagong still control the entire Bangladesh Market in this import oriented country. Agrabad is often known as Chittagong's chief commercial region. All major banks like HSBC, Standard Chartered, Citibank, Mercantile Bank Limited, Premier Bank, Dutch Bangla Bank, BRAC Bank, Dhaka Bank Limited, Bangladesh Bank, Eastern Bank, Sonali Bank, Rupali Bank and all other banks operating in Bangladesh have offices in and around the city. Numerous investments have allowed for a construction boom similar to Dhaka. Over the years, scores of hotels, shopping malls, and other modern buildings have sprung up to change the face of the city. Ongoing developments include various multi-story shopping malls and a Chittagong World Trade Centre.[34]

In 2000, manufacturing industry of Chittagong contributed 15% of the total GDP.[35] According to CityMayors Statistics[5] Chittagong registered a tremendous GDP of $25.5 billion in 2010 with an annual growth rate of 6.3%. It is estimated that in 2020 the GDP of Chittagong will be $39 billion.[36] T.K Group Of Industires is the one of the largest manufacturing group in Bangladesh.

The Chittagong Stock Exchange was established in 1995 as the second stock exchange in Bangladesh. It is located in the commercial area of Agrabad.

The Sangu field is located offshore Bangladesh, in the Bay of Bengal, approximately 40 km South West of Chittagong. The Sangu development comprises an offshore gas production platform, a subsea raw gas export pipeline, an onshore gas terminal and an LP pipeline. Coming onstream in June 1998 the Sangu development was the first offshore development for Bangladesh and provides gas for the national supplies grid where demand for gas is growing within the country’s major port, Chittagong.

Media and communications

Further information: Media of Bangladesh

There are several newspapers, including daily newspapers, opposition newspaper, business newspapers based in Chittagong. Daily newspapers include Dainik Azadi,[37] Peoples View,[38] Purbokon, Life, Karnafuli, Jyoti, Rashtrobarta and Azan. Furthermore, there are a number of weekly and monthly newspapers. These include weeklies are Chattala, Jyoti, Sultan and the monthlies are Sanshodhani, Purobi, Mukulika, Simanto. The only press council in Chittagong is the Chittagong Press Club. Government owned Bangladesh Television and Bangladesh Betar have transmission centers in Chittagong. Chittagong has been featured in all aspects of popular culture such as television, movies, journal, music and books. Almost all the TVs and radios of Bangladesh have coverage in Chittagong. Renowned Bollywood film director Ashutosh Gowariker directed a movie based on the 1930s Chittagong Uprising[39] where Abhishek Bachchan played the lead role.[40][41]

Tourism

File:Chittagong hill tracks.jpg
Chittagong Hill Tracts, one of the tourist attractions of Bangladesh

The city of Chittagong is a major tourist attraction in Bangladesh. Its green hills and forests, its broad sandy beaches and its fine cool climate always attract the holiday-makers. Described by the Chinese traveler poet, Huen Tsang (7th century AD) as "a sleeping beauty emerging from mists and water" and given the title of "Porto Grande" by the 16th century Portuguese seafarers. Chittagong is filled with dense green forests, endless rolling hills, a moderate climate and breathtaking beaches. Since the 7th century, Chittagong has been mentioned in many documents as a seaport of mystical beauty and magnificent charm. The bustling harbor stands in stark contrast to the tranquility and peaceful surroundings of the city.

The city has experienced many hotels and guesthouses coming in recent years. Many high end private hotels such as Hotel Agrabad, Hotel Well Park Residence, The Peninsula Chittagong, Hotel Harbour View, Hotel Meridian, Avenue Hotels and Suites etc.[42] In the recent years more than 20 hotels have launched operation in the port city to meet standards of foreign businessman, clients, dealers and tourists. Most of these hotels are located in Agrabad Commercial Area, Nasirabad, CDA Avenue etc.

No international chain hotels operate here but Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, which has a Raddison in Dhaka, plans to open another in the port city, and the tourist resort of Cox's Bazar.[43]

Chittagong Hill Tracts

Main article: Chittagong Hill Tracts
Patenga beach

The Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) comprising an area of 13,180 km2 in south-eastern Bangladesh, is the only hill intensive area of Bangladesh. CHT consisting Rangamati, Khagrachari and Bandarban districts is home to country's largest concentration of at least 11 different ethnic groups and is a unique part of the country both in terms of landscape and its people.[44] The ethnic groups are bound together by a shared history, years of peaceful cohabitation, and a common future. They differ from the majority Bengali population of Bangladesh in their physical features, culture and religion. However, nearly all the tribal peoples also include traditional tribal elements in their formal religious beliefs and practices.[45]

Patenga beach

Main article: Patenga
Foys lake
Zia Memorial Museum

Patenga Beach is one of the popular tourist spots for visitors in Chittagong. The beach lies approximately twenty-two kilometers away from the city of Chittagong, and is reachable by a straight, long road through a beautiful forest. It is located near fascinating landmarks which includes the Shah Amanat International Airport and the BNS Isha Khan Naval Base. Moreover, Patenga Beach is also located at the 'Karnaphuli' River mouth and stretches across the Bay of Bengal, which ensures a constant influx of travelers and visitors from home and abroad.

Foy's Lake

Main article: Foy's Lake
File:Chittagong Ethnological Museum.jpg
Chittagong Ethnological Museum

Foy's Lake is a human-made lake in Chittagong, Bangladesh. The lake was once just a lake and spillway constructed by Assam-Bengal Railway engineer. It was dug in 1924 and was named after the English engineer Mr. Foy.[citation needed] The lake is next to Batali Hill, the highest hill in Chittagong Metropolitan area. An amusement park, managed by the Concord Group, is located here which features usual theme park rides and attractions as well as boat rides on the lake, landscaping, restaurants, concerts with floating stages, scenic walking trails and many other fun activities. It also features a resort and a water park.[21]

Heritage Park

There is a heritage park called Shaheed Zia Memorial Complex and Mini Bangladesh at Chandgaon which reflects the most notable structures and instances of Bangladesh. This 71-metre tower in Mini Bangladesh in Chittagong has a restaurant on the top that rotates once every 90 minutes.[46] The museum includes a revolving restaurant. One can perceive of the country's architectural beauty, ethnic traditions and archaeological inheritance through having a glimpse of the heritage park. Replica of major structures of the country, includes Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban (parliament building), National Memorial of Savar, Ahsan Manzil, Curzon Hall of Dhaka University, Paharpur Monastery, Kantajew Temple of Dinajpur, Lalbagh Fort and Sona Masjid. The park also has different rides for children.[47]

Chittagong Ethnological Museum

The Chittagong Ethnological Museum located in Agrabad, established in 1965, is the only ethnological museum in the country. It offers the visitors the chance to acquaint with the lifestyles and heritage of various ethnic groups of the country. The museum authority had collected rare elements used in everyday lives of different ethnic groups, of which some had already become extinct while some were on the verge of extinction. The museum contains four galleries and a small hall. Three galleries of the museum feature diverse elements of twenty nine ethnic groups in Bangladesh, while the rest of the gallery displays the lifestyles of some ethnic groups of India, Pakistan and Australia.[48] The sculptures of the people of different ethnic communities and a piece of broken Berlin Wall attracts visitors, who can get impression of different festivals, livelihoods, and cultures of the communities from the murals set up at the hall room. These are reminiscent of the museum in the film Planet of the Apes. Around 200-300 people visit the museum everyday.

WWII cemetery and Circuit House

The War Cemetery on Badshah Mia Road contains the graves of 755 soldiers, and is protected and maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.[49] There are a number of museums in Chittagong. The most prominent is the Zia Memorial Museum which is housed in the old circuit house building. President Ziaur Rahman was assassinated there on 30 May 1981. This commemorative museum houses the Late President Ziaur Rahman's mementos and personal belongings. It was established in 1993 with 12 galleries.[50]

Education

See also: List of colleges in Chittagong
Chittagong University of Engineering & Technology (CUET), only public Engineering University in Chittagong

Chittagong University, Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology & Chittagong Veterinary and Animal Sciences University are three public universities in Chittagong. Chittagong Medical College is the only government medical college in Chittagong. Chittagong is home to two of the nation's most prominent public universities, and is the site of one of Bangladesh's largest universities, the University of Chittagong, established in 1966.

The Asian University for Women (AUW) is another higher education centre located in Chittagong.The cities also hosts private universities and medical colleges.

Chittagong has public, denominational and independent schools. Public schools, including pre-schools, primary and secondary schools and special schools are administered by the Ministry of Education and Board of Education. Chittagong has government and non-government primary schools, international schools and English medium schools.

Health

Chittagong Medical College and Hospital

Chittagong Medical College Hospital is the largest government-run health service provider. This huge medical has so many wards, cabins and units. At present this facility also provides medical treatment of ICU and CCU for the serious patients. Other medical service institutes include General Hospital, Upazila Health Complex, Family Welfare Center, TB Hospital, Infectious Disease Hospital, Diabetic Hospital, Mother and Children Hospital and Police Hospital. Notably, the total health service of Chittagong is intensificating day by day. At present, many non government hospitals and clinics also belong to the city. Chittagong Metropolitan Hospital, Surgiscope Hospital, CSCR, Centre Point Hospital, National Hospital . are some of the private hospitals and clinics.

Transport

See also: Transport in Bangladesh

Transport in Chittagong is similar to that of the capital, Dhaka. Large avenues and roads are present throughout the metropolis . There are various bus systems, taxis, and as well as smaller 'baby' or 'CNG' taxis, which are basically tricycle-structured motor vehicles. There are also traditional manual rickshaws, which are very common.

Shah Amanat International Airport

The Dhaka-Chittagong Highway, a major arterial highway, is the only way to get in the city through land. It is a very busy and a risky highway, currently it is a 2-lane highway, with upgrading to 4 lanes being implemented.[51]

Chittagong can also be accessed by rail. It has a station on the meter gauge eastern section of the Bangladesh Railway. The headquarters of this railway are located here. There are main two railway stations in Station road Chittagong. Trains are available traveling to the Bangladeshi cities of Dhaka, Sylhet, Comilla, and Bhairab.

Shah Amanat International Airport serves as Chittagong's sole international airport, and the only route to get in the city by air. It is the second busiest airport in Bangladesh. It has international service to destinations such as Middle Eastern like Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Jeddah, Ras Al Khaimah, Muscat and Kolkata. At present, Middle Eastern low-cost carriers like Flydubai, AirArabia, RAK Airways, Oman Air fly from here to international destinations in the Middle East. It was formerly known as MA Hannan International Airport, but was renamed on 2 April 2005 by the Government of Bangladesh.

Dialect

Many Chittagong natives speak Chittagonian (চাটগাঁইয়া Chaţgaiã), an Indo-European language of the Eastern Indo-Aryan group. A large number of Arabic words and transformed Arabic words are used in this dialect. This is due to the arrival of traders and missionaries from the Arabian Peninsula hundreds of years ago. Many speakers consider their language to be a dialect of standard Bengali, the official language of Bangladesh. However, the two languages are not mutually intelligible, meaning that those who only know how to speak Standard Bengali will not understand Chittagonian speakers, and vice versa - normally the metric for languagehood among linguists. There is, however, a dialect continuum between Chittagonian and neighboring dialects of Bengali, meaning that speakers of each neighboring dialect can largely understand each other, while speakers of more distant dialects cannot. Chittagonian has approximately 14 million speakers. According to the status of Top 100 Languages by Population by Ethnologue, Chittagong ranked in 67th Language of the world.[52]

Sports

File:Zohur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium.jpg
Zohur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium.

Chittagong has produced numerous cricketers, footballers and athletes who have performed in national level. Tamim Iqbal, Akram Khan, Minhajul Abedin, Aftab Ahmed, Nafees Iqbal, Nazimuddin, Faisal Hossain are some of the most prominent figures among them. Cricket is the most popular sport in Chittagong, while football, tennis, kabaddi are also popular. A number of stadiums are located in Chittagong with the main stadium being the multipurpose MA Aziz Stadium. It has a seating capacity of 20,000 and hosts football matches in addition to cricket.[53] MA Aziz Stadium was the stadium where Bangladesh achieved its first ever Test cricket victory—which came against Zimbabwe in 2005.[54] The stadium now focuses only on football, and is currently the main football venue of the city. Zohur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, is currently the main cricket venue of the city, which was awarded Test status in 2006, hosting both domestic and international cricket matches. The city hosted two group matches of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, both of them taking place in Zohur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium.[55] Other stadiums include Women's Complex Ground. Major sporting clubs such as, Mohammedan Sporting Club and Abahani Sporting Club are also located here.

Chittagong is also home to the Bangladesh Premier League franchise Chittagong Kings.

Sister cities

See also

  • Chittagong Medical College entrance
    Chittagong Medical College entrance
  • View from DC hill, Chittagong
    View from DC hill, Chittagong
  • Jafrabad shipbreaking yard, Chittagong
    Jafrabad shipbreaking yard, Chittagong
  • Potenga beach, Chittagong
    Potenga beach, Chittagong
  • Patenga beach in a cloudy weather
    Patenga beach in a cloudy weather
  • Biplob Udyan, Chittagong
    Biplob Udyan, Chittagong
  • Court Building of Chittagong
    Court Building of Chittagong
  • Andar Killa Mosque, Chittagong
    Andar Killa Mosque, Chittagong
  • Bostami Turtle, Shrine of Bayazid Bostami,Chittagong
    Bostami Turtle, Shrine of Bayazid Bostami,Chittagong
  • War cemetery, Chittagong
    War cemetery, Chittagong
  • Foy's Lake, Chittagong
    Foy's Lake, Chittagong
  • Cheragi Pahar Circle, Chittagong
    Cheragi Pahar Circle, Chittagong

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  53. ^ "MA Aziz Stadium". Cricinfo.com. Retrieved 200-12-20. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
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Chittagong travel guide from Wikivoyage

Public Domain This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. {{cite encyclopedia}}: Missing or empty |title= (help) 22°22′N 91°48′E / 22.367°N 91.800°E / 22.367; 91.800

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