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This article is about the city. For other uses, see Chittagong (disambiguation).

Chittagong
চট্টগ্রাম
Chottogram
Metropolis
Chittagong Metropolitan Area
File:Chittagong Bangladesh montage.png
Nickname(s): 
Queen of the East, Commercial Capital of Bangladesh
Country Bangladesh
DivisionChittagong Division
DistrictChittagong District
Establishment1340[1]
Granted city status1863[2]
Government
 • TypeMayor–Council
 • BodyChittagong City Corporation
 • City MayorA J M Nasir Uddin
Area
[3]
 • Metropolis168.07 km2 (64.89 sq mi)
Population
 (2011)
 • Metropolis6,500,000
 • Metro
4,009,423
 • Demonym
Chittagongians
Time zoneUTC+6 (BST)
Postal code
4000
Calling code31
WebsiteChittagong City Corporation

Template:Contains Bangla text Chittagong /tʃɪtəɡɒŋ/ (Bengali: চট্টগ্রাম Bengali pronunciation: [tʃɔʈʈɔgram]; Porto Grande De Bengala; Mughal Islamabad) is a major coastal seaport city and financial center in southeastern Bangladesh. The Chittagong Metropolitan Area has a population of over 6.5 million,[4] making it the second largest city in the country. It is the capital of an eponymous district and division. Straddling between the Bay of Bengal and the Chittagong Hill Tracts, the city is located on the north bank of the Karnaphuli River. It is also one of the fastest-growing metropolises in the world.[5]

The natural harbor of Chittagong has been a gateway to the historic region of Bengal for centuries.[6] The port was the terminus of many historic trade routes, including the Grand Trunk Road, the Tea Horse Road[7] and the Assam Bengal Railway. It was a prominent mercantile hub in ancient Indian Ocean trade. Since the 14th century, it was ruled by the Sultanate of Bengal, the Kingdom of Mrauk U, the Portuguese Empire, the Mughal Empire and the British Empire. Becoming a part of East Pakistan in 1947, the city was the site of the declaration of Bangladesh's independence during the Liberation War in 1971.

Modern Chittagong is a major hub of trade and industry. The Port of Chittagong is the largest international seaport on the eastern seaboard of the Bay of Bengal.[8] The city is home to many of Bangladesh's oldest and largest companies, as well as the Chittagong Stock Exchange, the Chittagong Tea Auction and the eastern division of the Bangladesh Railway. The Chittagong Naval Area is the largest base of the Bangladesh Navy. Despite having a high and growing urban per capita GDP in South Asia,[9] the city has a poverty rate of 11.3% (2010) and a substantial infrastructure deficit. It continues to face challenges of water logging, congestion, noise and air pollution and other problems faced by an expanding developing world city.

Etymology

Chittagong is the romanized name of the city. The city has various recorded Bengali names, including Chattagram, Chattagaon, Chattala, Chativavo, Chaityabhumi and Chatgaon. To the Arabs, who had frequented the port for centuries, it was long known as Shetgang, a term that evolved from the Arabic words Shatt (delta) and Ganga (Ganges). Ma Huan, a Chinese treasure voyager in the 14th century, transliterated it into Mandarin as Cheh-ti-gan. Many scholars contend that Chittagong is the legendary city of Bengala, that was written in European chronicles during the Age of Discovery. The Arakanese refer to the city with the phrase tsi tsi gong, which means "the war that should never be fought". According to legend, an invading Arakanese king refrained from attacking the city after he was impressed by its nature.

The term "Chati" refers to the calling of the adhan by Muslim imams from hilltops with lamps. The hills are at the core of Chittagonian heritage and identity, and the city's recorded name of Chati-gaon is derived from this tradition.[10]

History

Early history

See also: Bengal Sultanate, Portuguese settlement in Chittagong, Kingdom of Mrauk U, Mughal Bengal, and British East India Company

The excavation of stone age fossils and tools in Sitakunda indicate the presence of Neolithic settlements in Chittagong District as early as the third millennium BCE.[11] The region was chronicled by Greek and Roman geographers. In the 2nd century, Claudius Ptolemy mentioned the port on his map as one of the finest harbours in the Eastern World.[12] Xuanzang, an ancient Chinese traveler, visited the region in the 7th century, describing it as "a sleeping beauty arising from mists and water".[13] The region formed part of the ancient Bengali Buddhist kingdoms of Harikela and Samatata. According to Tibetan chronicles, the Buddhist king Govindachandra established his capital in Chittagong. He also built a great Buddhist monastery. According to several historical records, the Buddhist sage Tilopa was born in Chittagong. In 1231, the region was seized by the Deva dynasty under the reign of Damodaradeva.[14]

Islam spread to the Bengal as early as the 8th century, brought by the earliest Muslim missionaries traversing the Silk Road. Arab and Persian merchants established trading posts in Chittagong during the 9th century. Arab historians named the port as Shetgang and described it as the gateway of Bengal. Writing in 1154, Al-Idrisi recorded that merchants from Baghdad and Basra regularly traveled to the region.[15] In the following centuries, Sufism played an instrumental role in the rooting of Islam in Chittagong.[16]

Dutch VOC ships in Chittagong, 1702

Sultan Fakhruddin Mubarak Shah of Sonargaon conquered Chittagong in 1340.[17] The settlement of Muslim merchants, bureaucrats and soldiers led the historic Port of Chittagong to flourish in trade. The region was an important trading center of pearls, rice, silk, muslin, spices and ivory. Chittagong was the southeastern terminus of the Grand Trunk Road. It was a major port on the Maritime Silk Road.[15] The Moroccan explorer Ibn Battuta visited the city in 1443 and sailed from the port to Canton in China.[18] The Italian merchant Niccolò de' Conti visited the city around the same time as Battuta.[19] In the mid-15th century, the Chinese Treasure Fleet of Admiral Zheng He anchored in the port during numerous imperial missions to the Sultanate of Bengal.[20] The Ottoman Empire utilized the shipyards of Chittagong to build its naval forces.[21] After the defeat of Mahmud Shah at the hands of Sher Shah in 1538, the Arakanese Kingdom of Mrauk U conquered Chittagong. The Portuguese established merchant communities on the banks of the Karnaphuli in 1528. In collusion with Magh pirates and the Arakanese, Portuguese traders dominated the area for more than a century.[22][23] The Mughal commander 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, economically progressed. This can mainly be attributed to an efficient system of land-grants to selected diwans or faujdars 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.[clarification needed] What is called Chittagong today also began to have improved connections with the rest of Mughal Bengal.[19][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29]

In 1685, the British East India Company sent out an expedition under Admiral Nicholson with instructions to seize Chittagong and fortify it on behalf of the English but the expedition proved abortive. Two years later, the Court of Directors, determined to make Chittagong the headquarters of their Bengal trade, sent out a fleet of ten or eleven ships to seize it under Captain Heath. However, after reaching Chittagong in early 1689, they found the city too strongly held and abandoned the attempt. The city remained under the possession of the Mughals until 1760 when it was ceded to the East India Company by Mir Qasim, the Nawab of Bengal.[30][31]

There were a number of rebellions in Chittagong against British rule, notably on 18 November 1857 when the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th companies of the 34th Bengal Infantry Regiment stationed at Chittagong rebelled and released all the prisoners from jail but were suppressed by the Kuki scouts and the Sylhet Light Infantry (10th Gurkha Rifles).[32]

Chittagong Airport during the Burma Campaign in World War II

The Port of Chittagong was developed from the 19th-century, alongside the development of the Assam Bengal Railway. The port was jointly administered with railway authorities, and it became an important trading point for the exports of jute, rice, tea and oil.

Modern

See also: Chittagong armoury raid, Burma Campaign, Partition of British India, and Bangladesh Liberation War

Chittagong grew at the beginning of the twentieth century after the partition of Bengal and the creation of the province of Eastern Bengal and Assam.[33] 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.

In 1930, the Bengali revolutionary Surya Sen led an armed uprising against the British Raj in Chittagong. Sen formed the Indian Republican Army and attacked the European Club, the Telegraph Office and military garrisons in the city. The uprising is known as the Chittagong armoury raid. Sen and his followers were later captured by colonialists, indicted by a court martial and executed.

During World War II, Chittagong cantonment, as well as the airport and the Port of Chittagong, served as important military camps for Allied Forces fighting in the Burma Campaign. The Japanese Air Force raided the city in April and May 1942.[34][35] The war had a major negative impact on the city, with the growth of refugees and unevenness in fortune, reflected in the Great Famine of 1943.[32]

After the war, rapid industrialization saw the city grow beyond its previous municipal area, particularly in the southwest up to Patenga, where the Chittagong International Airport is now located. The former villages of Halishahar, Askarabad, and Agrabad became integrated into the city. The Chittagong Development Authority was established in 1959 and drew up master plans for the city's urban expansion.[32] However, the Pakistani central government focused more on the development of Karachi in West Pakistan and long neglected the development of Chittagong in East Pakistan; despite the East being more populous than western regions and generating the largest share of foreign exchange earnings.[36]

In 1971, during the Bangladesh Liberation War, Chittagong was under sector 1, which 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.[32]

Geography

Topography

Foy's Lake

The city of Chittagong lies at 22°22′0″N 91°48′0″E / 22.36667°N 91.80000°E / 22.36667; 91.80000. It straddles the coastal foothills of the Chittagong Hill Tracts in southeastern Bangladesh. The Karnaphuli River runs along the southern banks of the city, which includes the central business district. The river enters the Bay of Bengal in an estuary located 12 km west of downtown Chittagong. Mount Sitakunda is the highest peak in Chittagong District, with an elevation of 1,152 feet.[37] Within the city itself, the highest peak is Batali Hill at 280 feet. Chittagong has many lakes created under Mughal rule. In 1924, an engineering team of the Assam Bengal Railway established the Foy's Lake.[38]

National parks and beaches

The Chittagong Division is known for its rich biodiversity. Over 2000 of Bangladesh's 6000 flowering plants grow in the region.[39] Its hills and jungles are laden with waterfalls, fast flowing river streams and elephant reserves. St. Martin's Island is the only coral island in the country. The fishing port of Cox's Bazaar is home to one of the world's longest natural beaches. In the east are the three hill districts of Bandarban, Rangamati, and Khagrachari- home to the highest mountains in Bangladesh. The region has numerous protected areas, including the Teknaf Game Reserve and the Sitakunda Botanical Garden and Eco Park.[40]

Patenga beach in the main seafront of Chittagong, located 14 km west of the city.

Climate

Under the Köppen climate classification, Chittagong has a tropical monsoon climate (Am).[41]

Chittagong faced the deadliest cyclone of 1991 which killed 138,000 people and left as many as 10 million homeless.[42]

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
(95) 		34.4
(93.9) 		34.9
(94.8) 		31.1
(88.0) 		38.9
(102.0)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 26
(79) 		28
(82) 		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
(81) 		30.2
(86.4)
Daily mean °C (°F) 20
(68) 		22.1
(71.8) 		25.5
(77.9) 		27.6
(81.7) 		28.5
(83.3) 		28.4
(83.1) 		28
(82) 		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
(75) 		20.3
(68.5) 		15.6
(60.1) 		21.6
(70.9)
Record low °C (°F) 5.2
(41.4) 		6.6
(43.9) 		10.2
(50.4) 		13.6
(56.5) 		14.3
(57.7) 		18.1
(64.6) 		19.4
(66.9) 		19.9
(67.8) 		17.2
(63.0) 		12.7
(54.9) 		10.0
(50.0) 		7.5
(45.5) 		5.2
(41.4)
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
(28.6) 		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)[43][unreliable source]
Source 2: Sistema de Clasificación Bioclimática Mundial (extremes),[44] BBC Weather (humidity and sun)[45]

Administration

Chittagong is the home port for most of the Bangladesh Navy fleet

The Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) is responsible for governing municipal areas in the Chittagong Metropolitan Area. It is headed by the Mayor of Chittagong. The Mayor and ward councilors are elected every five years. The current mayor is Awami League leader A. J. M. Nasiuruddin.[46] The city corporation's mandate is limited to basic civic services. The corporation however is credited for keeping Chittagong as one of the more cleaner and green cities in Bangladesh.[47][48] Its principal source of revenue are municipal taxes and conservancy charges.[49] The autonomous Chittagong Development Authority is responsible for implementing the the city's master plan.

Law enforcement is performed by the Chittagong Metropolitan Police and the Rapid Action Battalion-7. The District and Sessions Judge is the head of the local judiciary on behalf of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh.[50] The Divisional Special Judge's Court is located in the colonial-era Chittagong Court Building.

Military

Chittagong is a strategically important military port on the Bay of Bengal. The Chittagong Naval Area is the principal base of the Bangladesh Navy, including the home port of most Bangladeshi warships.[51] The Bangladesh Naval Academy and the navy's elite special forces are based in the city.[52] The Bangladesh Army's 24th Infantry Division is based in Chittagong Cantonment. The Bangladesh Air Force maintains the BAF Zahurul Haq Air Base in Chittagong.[53] The city is also home to the Bangladesh Military Academy, the premier training institute for the country's armed forces.

Economy

Main article: Economy of Chittagong
Top publicly traded
companies in Chittagong,
in 2014[54]
Jamuna Oil Company
BSRM
Padma Oil Company
Meghna Petroleum
GPH Ispat
Aramit Cement
Western Marine Shipyard
RSRM
Hakkani Pulp & Paper
Source:
Chittagong Stock Exchange
Port of Chittagong

Chittagong generates for 40% of Bangladesh's industrial output, 80% of international trade and 50% of government revenue.[55][56] The Chittagong Stock Exchange has more than 700 listed companies, with a market capitalization of US$32 billion in June 2015.[57] The city is home to many of the country's oldest and largest corporations.

The Port of Chittagong handled US$60 billion in annual trade in 2011.[58] The Agrabad area is the main central business district in the city. Major Bangladeshi conglomerates headquartered in Chittagong include M. M. Ispahani Limited, BSRM, A K Khan & Company, the PHP Group, James Finlay Bangladesh, the Habib Group, the S. Alam Group of Industries, KDS Group and the T. K. Group of Industries. Major state-owned firms include Pragati Industries, the Jamuna Oil Company, the Bangladesh Shipping Corporation and the Padma Oil Company. The Chittagong Export Processing Zone was ranked by the Financial Times as one of the leading special economic zones in the world.[59] Other SEZs include the Karnaphuli Export Processing Zone and Korean EPZ. The city's key industrial sectors include petroleum, steel, shipbuilding, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, textiles, jute, leather goods, vegetable oil refineries, glass manufacturing, electronics and motor vehicles. The Chittagong Tea Auction sets the price of Bangladesh Tea. The Eastern Refinery is Bangladesh's largest oil refinery. GlaxoSmithKline has operations in Chittagong since 1967.[60] Western Marine Shipyard is a leading Bangladeshi shipbuilder and exporter of medium-sized ocean going vessels. In 2011-12, ready-made garments from Chittagong registered exports of US$4.5 billion.[61] The Karnaphuli Paper Mills were established in 1953. International banks operating in Chittagong include HSBC, Standard Chartered and Citibank NA.

Chittagong is often called Bangladesh's commercial capital due to its diversified industrial base and seaport. The port city has ambitions to develop as a global financial center and regional transshipment hub, given its proximity to North East India, Burma, Nepal, Bhutan and Southwest China.[62][63]

Culture

Further information: Culture of Bangladesh

An inhabitant of Chittagong is called Chittagonian in English. For centuries, the port city has been a melting pot of people from across Bengal and parts of Burma and the Middle East. Its historic trade networks have left a lasting impact on its language, culture and cuisine. The urban Chittagonian dialect of Bengali has many Arabic, Persian, English and Portuguese loanwords. The local traditional feast of Mezban features the cooking of a special beef curry. Dried fish, an influence of Arakanese cuisine from neighbouring Burma, is widely consumed.

Chittagong was a flourishing center of medieval Bengali literature, particularly during the Bengal Sultanate's Hussain Shahi dynasty. The city was home to prominent poets like Abdul Hakim, Daulat Qazi and Shah Muhammad Sagir. The greatest of Bengal's medieval writers, Alaol Ali Abbas Husaini, also lived in the region during the reign of the Kingdom of Mrauk U. Under the patronage of Sultan Alauddin Husain Shah's governor in Chittagong, Paragal Khan, Kabindra Parameshvar wrote his Pandabbijay, a Bengali adaptation of the Mahabharata. Similarly, under the patronage of Paragal's son and successor Chhuti Khan, Shrikar Nandi wrote another Bengali adaptation of the Mahabharata.[64] When the Mughals conquered Chittagong in 1666, Emperor Aurangazeb issued directives to the Mughal viceroy of Bengal Shaista Khan to rename the port as Islamabad (City of Islam). Chittagong was the easternmost imperial district of the Mughal Empire.

Chittagong is known as the Land of the Twelve Saints due to the prevalence of major Sufi shrines in the district. Historically, Sufism played an instrumental role in the spread of Islam in the region. Prominent dargahs include the mausoleum of Hazrat Shah Amanat and the shrine of Bayazid Bastami. Many shrines date back to the 8th and 9th centuries.

Major cultural organizations include the Theatre Institute Chittagong and the Chittagong Performing Arts Academy. The city has a vibrant scene of contemporary art. Being home to the pioneering rock bands in the country like Souls[65] and LRB,[66] Chittagong is regarded as the "birthplace of Bangladeshi rock music".[67][68][69]

Demographics

Religions in Chittagong City
Religion Percent
Islam
 
 83.92%
Hinduism
 
 13.76%
Buddhism
 
 2.01%
Christianity
 
 0.11%
Others
 
 0.2%

Chittagong has a population of 6.5 million.[70] with the Metropolitan Area having a population of 4,009,423.[71] By gender, the population was 54.36 male and 45.64 percent female.[70] The literacy rate in the city is 60 percent.[70] Muslims form 83.92 percent of the population. Other major religions are Hinduism (13.76 percent), Buddhism (2.01 percent), Christianity (0.11 percent), and others (0.2 percent).[32]

Bengalis constitute the largest ethnic group, followed by adivasi ethnicities such as the Chakmas and Marmas.[citation needed] The Bengali-speaking Theravada Buddhists, known as Baruas, are one of the oldest communities in Chittagong and one of the last remnants of Buddhism in the sub-continent.[72][73][74][75] Many Ismailis and Indo-Iranians settled in the city during the 1940s and 1950s. The descendants of Portuguese settlers, who are often known as Firingis, also live in Chittagong, as Catholic Christians, in the old Portuguese enclave of Paterghatta.[32] There is also a small Urdu-speaking Bihari community living in the ethnic enclave known as Bihari Colony.[76][77]

Chittagong has experienced a rapid reduction in urban poverty. In 2005, the poverty rate was estimated at 27.8 percent. In 2010, the rate dropped to 11.8 percent, as compared to the national average of 31.5 percent.[78] Like other major urban centers in South Asia, Chittagong has also experienced a steady growth in its slum settlements as a result of the increasing economic activities in the city and emigration from rural areas. A study conducted by CUS in 2005 stated that there were 1,814 slums within the city corporation area, inhabited by about 1.8 million slum dwellers, the second highest in the country after the capital Dhaka.[78] The slum dwellers often face eviction by the local authorities, charging them with illegal abode on government lands.[79][80]

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,[81] Peoples View,[82] The Daily Suprobhat Bangladesh, 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 centres 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[83] where Abhishek Bachchan played the lead role.[84][85]

Utilities

The southern zone of Bangladesh Power Development Board is responsible for supplying electricity to city dwellers.[86][87] The fire services are controlled by the Bangladesh Fire Service & Civil Defense department under the Ministry of Home Affairs.[88]

The water supply and sewage system is managed by the Chittagong Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (Chittagong WASA).[89][90] Water is primarily sourced from Karnaphuli river before being purified in the Mohra Purification Plant.[91]

Chittagong has extensive GSM and CDMA coverage, served by all the major mobile operators of the country including Grameenphone, Banglalink, Citycell, Robi, TeleTalk and Airtel Bangladesh. The fixed line telephone services are done by the state owned Bangladesh Telegraph and Telephone Board (BTTB), as well as some private operators. BTTB also provides broadband Internet services, along with some private ISPs, including the 4G service providers Banglalion[92] and Qubee.[93]

Education

See also: List of universities in Chittagong and List of colleges in Chittagong
Chittagong University of Engineering & Technology, one of the four public engineering universities in Bangladesh

The education system of Chittagong is similar to that of rest of Bangladesh. There are mainly four forms of schooling. The general education system, conveyed in both Bangla and English versions, follows the curriculum prepared by the National Curriculum and Textbook Board under the education ministry.[94] Students have to go through four major board examinations, Primary School Certificate (PSC), Junior School Certificate (JSC), Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and Higher Secondary School Certificate (HSC) before moving to higher education. The Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education, Chittagong is responsible to govern the SSC and HSC examinations in the city.[95][96] The Madrasah education system is primarily based on Islamic studies but other subjects are also taught. Students are prepared to qualify Dakhil and Alim examinations, controlled by the Bangladesh Madrasah Education Board, which are equivalent to SSC and HSC examinations of the general education system respectively.[97] There are also several private schools, usually referred to as English medium schools[94] which follow the General Certificate of Education.

The British Council supervises the O Levels and A levels examinations under Cambridge International and Edexcel examination boards, which are conducted twice a year.[98][99] The Technical and Vocational education system is governed by the Directorate of Technical Education (DTE) and follow the curriculum prepared by Bangladesh Technical Education Board (BTEB).[100][101] Chittagong College, established in 1869, is the earliest modern institution for higher education in the city.[102] 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. Chittagong University of Engineering & Technology is the only public Engineering University in Chittagong division and one of the four public engineering universities in Bangladesh, established in 1968. The city also hosts several other private universities and medical colleges. Chittagong Independent University (CIU), Asian University for Women, Begum Gulchemonara Trust University, East Delta University, International Islamic University, Premier University, Southern University, University of Information Technology and Sciences and the University of Science & Technology Chittagong are some of them. 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 Chittagong Education Board. Chittagong has government and non-government primary schools, international schools and English medium schools.

Health

The Chittagong Medical College Hospital is the largest state-owned hospital in Chittagong. The Chittagong General Hospital, established in 1901, is the oldest hospital in the city.[103] The Bangladesh Institute of Tropical and Infectious Diseases (BITID) is based the city. Other government medical centers include the Family Welfare Centre, TB Hospital, Infectious Disease Hospital, Diabetic Hospital, Mother and Children Hospital and Police Hospital. Private hospitals include the Chittagong Metropolitan Hospital, Surgiscope Hospital, CSCR, Centre Point Hospital, National Hospital, Mount Hospital Ltd are some of the private hospitals and clinics.[104][105][106]

Transport

See also: Transport in Bangladesh
Shah Amanat International Airport

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. As the population of the city began to grow extensively, the Chittagong Development Authority (CDA) has undertaken some transportation master plans to ease the traffic congestion in Chittagong. Under this plan the CDA along with the Chittagong City corporation have constructed some flyovers and expanded the existing roads within the city. There are also some other major expressways and flyovers under-construction, most notably the Chittagong City Outer Ring Road along the coast of Chittagong city. This ring road includes a marine drive along with five feeder roads and is also meant to strengthen the embankment of the coast.[107][108][109][110][111] The government has also approved the construction of a 3.4 km under-water expressway tunnel under the Karnaphuli river to ensure better connectivity between the northern and southern parts of Chittagong, which is going to be the first of its kind in Bangladesh.[112][113][114][115][116] 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.[117]

Regent Airways is a subsidiary of the Chittagong-based Habib Group

Chittagong can also be accessed by rail. It has a station on the metre gauge eastern section of the Bangladesh Railway. The headquarters of this railway are located here. There are two main railway stations in Station road and in Pahartali Thana. Trains are available traveling to the Bangladeshi cities of Dhaka, Sylhet, Comilla, and Bhairab. The Chittagong Circular Railway was introduced in 2013 to ease the traffic congestion as well as to ensure better public transport service to the commuters within the city. The railway includes high-speed DEMU trains with a carrying capacity of 300 passengers. These DEMU trains also ply on the Chittagong-Laksham route which connects the city with Comilla.[118][119]

Shah Amanat International Airport serves as Chittagong's only airport, located at South Patenga. It is the second busiest airport in Bangladesh, having international services to Asian destinations such as Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Jeddah, Muscat, Kuala Lampur and Kolkata. At present, Middle Eastern low-cost carriers like Flydubai, AirArabia, Oman Air operate flights to this destinations. It was formerly known as MA Hannan International Airport, but was renamed on 2 April 2005 by the Government of Bangladesh.

Sports

File:Zohur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium at night.png
Zohur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium is the main cricket venue of the city. It hosted two matches of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011.

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, Taskin Ahmed 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.[120] MA Aziz Stadium was the stadium where Bangladesh achieved its first ever Test cricket victory—which came against Zimbabwe in 2005.[121] 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.[122] 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.

Twin towns and sister cities

Chittagong's twin towns and sister cities are:

See also

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