Chittagong is a major coastal seaport city and financial centre in southeastern Bangladesh. The city is located on the banks of the Karnaphuli River between the Chittagong Hill Tracts and the Bay of Bengal. Much of Chittagong Division is located within the ecological Indo-Burma zone on the boundary of the India Plate and Burma Plate. This makes Chittagong the crossroads of the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. The port city has been known by various names in history, including Chattigaon, Chattigam, Chattagrama, Islamabad, Chattala, Chaityabhumi and Porto Grande De Bengala. The natural harbour of Chittagong is an ancient gateway to the region of Bengal. It was noted as one of the largest Eastern ports by the Roman geographer Ptolemy in the 1st century. The Chittagong Division is known for its rich biodiversity. Chittagong generates for 40% of Bangladesh’s industrial output, 80% of its international trade and 50% of its governmental revenue.
History: Stone age fossils and tools unearthed in the region indicate that Chittagong has been inhabited since Neolithic times. It is an ancient port city, with a recorded history dating back to the 4th century BC. Its harbour was mentioned in Ptolemy’s world map in the 2nd century as one of the most impressive ports in the East. The region was part of the ancient Bengali Samatata and Harikela kingdoms. The Candra dynasty once dominated the area and was followed by the Varman dynasty and Deva dynasty. Two decades after Vasco Da Gama’s landing in Calicut, the Bengal Sultanate gave permission for the Portuguese settlement in Chittagong to be established in 1528. It became the first European colonial enclave in Bengal. In 1666, the Mughal government of Bengal led by viceroy Shaista Khan moved to retake Chittagong from Portuguese-Arakanese control.
The city remained under the possession of the Nawab of Bengal until 1793 when East India Company took complete control of the former Mughal province of Bengal. The First Anglo-Burmese War in 1823 threatened the British hold on Chittagong. There were a number of rebellions against British rule, notably during the Indian rebellion of 1857, when the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th companies of the 34th Bengal Infantry Regiment revolted and released all prisoners from the city’s jail. The Chittagong armoury raid by Bengali revolutionaries in 1930 was a major event in British India’s anti-colonial history. The Chittagong armoury raid, also known as the Chittagong uprising, was an attempt on 18 April 1930 to raid the armoury of police and auxiliary forces from the Chittagong armoury in the Bengal Presidency of British India (now in Bangladesh) by armed Indian independence fighters led by Surya Sen. The Partition of British India in 1947 made Chittagong the chief port of East Pakistan. During the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971, Chittagong witnessed heavy fighting between rebel Bengali military regiments and the Pakistan Army. After the independence of Bangladesh Chittagong soon regained its status as a major port.
*(All the above information are from Wikipedia.)
Transport:
Airport: The Shah Amanat International Airport in Chittagong is connected to many airports across the world. International services fly to major cities of the Middle East as well as to Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur and Kolkata. All Bangladeshi airlines operate regular domestic flights to Dhaka.
Rail: There are two major railway stations in Chittagong. Trains to Dhaka, Sylhet, Comilla, and Bhairab are available from Chittagong.
Road: The N1 (Dhaka-Chittagong Highway), a major arterial national highway, is the only way to access the city by motor vehicle from most other parts of the country. Major transport services operate buses to Chittagong.
Ferry: There are ferry services from Chittagong to Dhaka and many other places.
Local: Auto Rickshaws, manual rickshaws, buses and cars are available to move within the city.
Tourist Interest: The places of interest in Chittagong are Patenga Beach, Foy’s Lake, Banshkhali Sea Beach, Parki Sea Beach, Risang Waterfall, Alutila Cave Khagrachari and others.
Hotels: There are many hotels in Chittagong and online booking facilities are available for most of them. Some of the hotels in Chittagong are Well Park Residence Boutique Hotel & Suites, Hotel Agrabad, White Inn, Meridian Hotel, The Peninsula Chittagong Limited and more.