One of the world's oldest ports with a functionalnatural harbor for centuries,[12] Chittagong appeared on ancientGreek andRoman maps, including onPtolemy's world map. It was located on the southern branch of theSilk Road. In the 9th century, merchants from theAbbasid Caliphate established a trading post in Chittagong.[13][14] The port fell to the Muslim conquest of Bengal during the 14th century. It was the site of aroyal mint under theDelhi Sultanate,Bengal Sultanate andMughal Empire.[15] Between the 15th and 17th centuries, Chittagong was also a centre of administrative, literary, commercial and maritime activities inArakan, a narrow strip of land along the eastern coast of the Bay of Bengal which was under strong Bengali influence for 350 years. During the 16th century, the port became aPortuguese trading post andJoão de Barros described it as "the most famous and wealthy city of the Kingdom of Bengal".[16] The Mughal Empire expelled the Portuguese and Arakanese in 1666.
Theetymology ofChittagong is uncertain.[17] The port city has been known by various names in history, includingChatigaon,Chatigam,Chattagrama,Islamabad,Chattala,Chaityabhumi andPorto Grande De Bengala.[18]
The Bengali word for Chittagong,Chattogram (চট্টগ্রাম), has the suffix- "Chatto" (চট্ট/আদর্শ) "Gram" (গ্রাম) meaning village inStandard Bengali. The earliest records, before Islam reached the region, state that it was a place of chaitya or Buddhist monasteries. The city had a very large Buddhist population before Islam. The city was renamedIslamabad (City of Islam) during the Mughal era. The name continues to be used in the old city. In April 2018, theCabinet Division of theGovernment of Bangladesh decided to change the city's name to Chattogram,[8][19] based on its Bengali spelling and pronunciation; the move was criticized in the Bangladeshi media.[20]
One explanation credits the first Arab traders forshatt ghangh (Arabic:شط غنغ) whereshatt means "Delta" andghangh stood for the Ganges.[17][21][22] TheArakanese chronicle that a king named Tsu-la-taing Tsandaya (Sula Taing Chandra), after conquering Bengal, set up a stone pillar as a trophy/memorial at the place since calledTst-ta-gaung as the limit of conquest.[23]
A Dutch map in 1638 showing Bengal, Chittagong andArakanDutch VOC ships in Chittagong, 1702
Stone Age fossils and tools unearthed in the region indicate that Chittagong has been inhabited sinceNeolithic times.[24] It is an ancient port city, with a recorded history dating back to the 4th century BC.[25] Its harbour was mentioned inPtolemy's world map in the 2nd century as one of the most impressive ports in theEast.[12] The region was part of the ancient BengaliSamatata andHarikela kingdoms. TheChandra dynasty once dominated the area and was followed by theVarman dynasty andDeva dynasty.
Chinese travellerXuanzang described the area as "a sleeping beauty rising from mist and water" in the 7th century.[26]
ManySufi missionaries settled in Chittagong and played an instrumental role in thespread of Islam.[27]
SultanFakhruddin Mubarak Shah ofSonargaon conquered Chittagong in 1340,[28] making it a part of Sultanate of Bengal. It was the principal maritime gateway to the kingdom, which was reputed as one of the wealthiest states in theIndian subcontinent. Medieval Chittagong was a hub for maritime trade with China,Sumatra, theMaldives,Sri Lanka, the Middle East, and East Africa. It was notable for its medieval trades in pearls,[29] silk, muslin, rice, bullion, horses, and gunpowder. The port was also a majorshipbuilding hub.
Dhaniya Manikya conquered Chittagong in 1513. Hossain Shah sent his noble commander Gorai Mallik to attack Tripura. Gorai Mallik recaptured the territories lost. But the following year Dhaniya Manikya again conquered Chittagong.[34]
TheArakanese ruled over Chittagong spanned from the late 16th century to 1666, marking a significant yet turbulent era in the region's history. TheKingdom of Mrauk U, centered in present-day Myanmar, expanded into south-eastern Bengal, with Chittagong becoming a strategic part of its domain. The Arakanese maintained their power through alliances with the Portuguese, who were instrumental in fortifying their control. Chittagong evolved into a centre of trade and piracy during this time, with Portuguese and Arakanese forces frequently raiding Mughal territories. The blending of Bengali, Buddhist, and Portuguese influences made the region a unique cultural and administrative frontier.[35]
The decline of Arakanese rule was triggered by political conflicts, including their involvement in theMughal succession struggle. The assassination of Mughal princeShah Shuja in Arakan strained relations with the Mughal Empire, prompting a decisive campaign led bySubahdar Shaista Khan in 1666. The Mughals recaptured Chittagong, ending nearly a century of Arakanese dominance. This period left a lasting legacy on the region, highlighting the interplay of trade, politics, and cultural exchange between Bengal and Arakan.[36]
Painting of Chittagong in 1822Hilltop mansions andbungalows historically dominated Chittagong's skylineShips from Chittagong along the coast of Bengal andArakan in the northeast Bay of Bengal. Traders from Chittagong played an important role in Arakan andBritish Burma.A ship built in Chittagong near the coast of Hong Kong in 1890
During the 13th and 16th centuries,Arabs andPersians heavily colonized the port city of Chittagong, initially arriving for trade and to spreadIslam. Most Arab settlers arrived from the trade route betweenIraq and Chittagong and were perhaps the prime reason for the spread of Islam toBangladesh.[13] The first Persian settlers also arrived for trade and religious purposes, with the possible goal ofPersianisation as well. Persians and otherIranic peoples have deeply affected the history of the Bengal Sultanate, with Persian being one of the main languages of the Muslim state, as well as also influencing theChittagonian language and writing scripts.[37][38] It has been affirmed that much of the Muslim population in Chittagong are descendants of the Arab and Persian settlers.[39]
Two decades afterVasco Da Gama's landing inCalicut, the Bengal Sultanate permitted the Portuguese settlement in Chittagong to be established in 1528. It became the first European colonial enclave in Bengal. The Bengal Sultanate lost control of Chittagong in 1531 after Arakan declared independence and the established Kingdom of Mrauk U. This altered geopolitical landscape allowed the Portuguese unhindered control of Chittagong for over a century.[40]
Portuguese ships from Goa andMalacca began frequenting the port city in the 16th century. Thecartaz system was introduced and required all ships in the area to purchase naval trading licenses from the Portuguese settlement.[41]Slave trade and piracy flourished. The nearby island ofSandwip was conquered in 1602. In 1615, thePortuguese Navy defeated a jointDutch East India Company and Arakanese fleet near the coast of Chittagong.
Colonial architecture in Chittagong
In 1666, the Mughal government of Bengal led by viceroyShaista Khan moved to retake Chittagong from Portuguese and Arakanese control by launching the Mughal conquest of Chittagong. The Mughals attacked the Arakanese from the jungle with a 6,500-strong army, which was further supported by 288 Mughal naval ships blockading the Chittagong harbor.[27] After three days of battle, theArakanese surrendered. The Mughals expelled the Portuguese from Chittagong. Mughal rule ushered a new era in the history of Chittagong territory to the southern bank of Kashyapnadi (Kaladan River). The port city was renamed Islamabad. The Grand Trunk Road connected it withNorth India and Central Asia. Economic growth increased due to an efficient system of land grants for clearing hinterlands for cultivation. The Mughals also contributed to the architecture of the area, including the building of Fort Ander and many mosques. Chittagong was integrated into the prosperous Bengali economy, which also includedOrissa andBihar.[33][42] Shipbuilding increased dramatically under the Mughal rule, and the Ottoman Sultans had many Ottoman warships built in Chittagong during this period.[43]
In 1685, the British East India Company sent out an expedition under Admiral Nicholson with the instructions to seize and fortify Chittagong on behalf of the English; however, the expedition proved abortive. Two years later, the company's Court of Directors decided to make Chittagong the headquarters of their Bengal trade and sent out a fleet of ten or eleven ships to seize it under Captain Heath. However, after reaching Chittagong in early 1689, the fleet found the city too strongly held and abandoned their attempt at capturing it. The city was possessed by the Nawab of Bengal until 1793 when East India Company took complete control of the former Mughal province of Bengal.[44][45]
Arakan was annexed in 1829 and incorporated into theBengal Presidency. Agriculturalists from Chittagong played a key role in the development of therice economy in Arakan.[46] The economy of northern Arakan was integrated with the Chittagong economy. During this period,Arakan Division became one of the top rice exporters in the world.[47][48] Bengalis from Chittagong were vital to the success of Arakan's rice industry.
During World War II, Chittagong became a frontline city in theSoutheast Asian Theater. It was a critical air, naval and military base for Allied Forces during theBurma Campaign against Japan. TheImperial Japanese Army Air Force carried outair raids on Chittagong in April and May 1942, in the run-up to the aborted Japanese invasion of Bengal.[50][51]
After theBattle of Imphal, the tide turned in favour of the Allied Forces. Units of the United States Army Air Forces'4th Combat Cargo Group were stationed in Chittagong Airfield in1945.[52] Commonwealth forces included troops fromBritain,India,Australia, andNew Zealand. The war had major negative impacts on the city, including the growth of refugees and theGreat Famine of 1943.[21] Many wealthy Chittagonians profited from wartime commerce.
715 soldiers are buried at theChittagong War Cemetery, which is maintained by theCommonwealth War Graves Commission. Allied soldiers constitute the bulk of burials in the cemetery. A few Japanese soldiers are also buried. Remembrance Day services are held each year at the cemetery, with diplomats from Commonwealth countries like theUK,Bangladesh, Australia, India andPakistan, as well as theUnited States andJapan, usually in attendance.[53]
Jamuna Bhaban on Sheikh Mujib Road was home to achamber of commerce forBritish businesses.Port of Chittagong in 1960
ThePartition of British India in 1947 made Chittagong the chief port ofEast Pakistan. By March 1948, the Chittagong harbour became a bustling port for international shipping.[citation needed] TheChittagong Tea Auction was set up in 1949. The port city had branches of theChartered Bank of India, Australia and China,Burmah Oil (known locally asBurmah Eastern), and theJames Finlay shipping business. Wealthy Muslim families from British India and British Burma shifted their corporate headquarters to Chittagong. TheIspahani family shifted the head office ofM. M. Ispahani Limited from Calcutta to Chittagong.[54] The Ispahanis also relocated the Eastern Federal Insurance Company from Calcutta to Chittagong.[54] The Ispahanis set up the Victory Jute Mills, the Chittagong Jute Manufacturing Company, and the Pahartali Textile Mills.[54] The Africawala brothers set up the first steel re-rolling mills in Chittagong in 1952, which eventually becameBSRM.[55][56] Banks, shipping companies and insurance firms proliferated the city. ManyBritish-owned businesses in East Pakistan were based in Chittagong. Britain's former flag carrierBOAC operated flights to the city. TheAgrabad area emerged as thecentral business district in the 1950s and 1960s, with many corporate offices. The Ispahani Building and Jamuna Bhaban are some of the corporate buildings from this period. TheKarnaphuli Paper Mills were built in 1959. The project to build theEastern Refinery was started in 1963;[57] and was partly funded by the lastShah of Iran. The Agrabad Chamber of Commerce was formed in 1963. It later became the Foreign Investors' Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Bangladesh.[58] The Chittagong Development Authority (CDA) was created by the government to promote urban planning; while wealthy families like the Ispahanis contributed to social welfare by setting up schools and hospitals.[21]
The lawyer and industrialistA K Khan, who set upA K Khan & Company in the aftermath of World War II, represented Chittagong in the federal cabinet of East and West Pakistan. However, East Pakistanis complained of a lack of investment in Chittagong in comparison toKarachi inWest Pakistan, even though East Pakistan generated more exports and had a larger population. TheAwami League demanded that the country's naval headquarters be shifted from Karachi to Chittagong.[59]
During theBangladesh Liberation War in 1971, which was waged under the leadership ofSheikh Mujibur Rahman, Chittagong witnessed heavy fighting between rebel Bengali military regiments and the Pakistan Army. It coveredSector 1 in theMukti Bahini chain of command. MajorZiaur Rahman was the sector commander. The Bangladeshi Declaration of Independence was broadcast fromKalurghat Radio Station and transmitted internationally through foreign ships in Chittagong Port.[60] Ziaur Rahman andM A Hannan announced the independence declaration from Chittagong. A K Khan drafted the English version of Zia's broadcast.[61] These radio broadcasts began the journey ofSwadhin Bangla Betar Kendra, which contributed heavily towards the Liberation. The Pakistani military, and supportingRazakar militias, carried out widespread atrocities against civilians in the city. Mukti Bahini naval commandos drowned several Pakistani warships during Operation Jackpot in August 1971.[62] In December 1971, theBangladesh Air Force and theIndian Air Force carried out the heavy bombing of facilities occupied by the Pakistani military. Anaval blockade was also enforced.[63]
After the war, theSoviet Union offer to clear mines in Chittagong Port at free of cost, whileSweden offered to clear mines inMongla port.[64] 22 vessels of theSoviet Pacific Fleet sailed fromVladivostok to Chittagong in May 1972.[65] The process of clearing mines in the dense water harbor took nearly a year and claimed the life of Soviet marine Yuri V Redkin.[66][67] Chittagong soon regained its status as a major port, with cargo tonnage surpassing pre-war levels in 1973. In the immediate aftermath of 1971, many industries were nationalized. But in Chittagong, factories and business properties were given back to their private owners. The Ispahani family had to write only one letter in order to get back all their properties from theAwami League government of Prime Minister Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.[54]
Infree market reforms launched by President Ziaur Rahman in the late 1970s, the city became home to the firstexport processing zones in Bangladesh. Zia wasassassinated during an attempted military coup in Chittagong in 1981. The1991 Bangladesh cyclone inflicted heavy damage on the city. The Japanese government financed the construction of several heavy industries and an international airport in the 1980s and 1990s. Bangladeshiprivate sector investments increased since 1991, especially with the formation of the Chittagong Stock Exchange in 1995. A new airport opened in 2000. The port city has been the pivot of Bangladesh'semerging economy in recent years, with the country's rising GDP growth rate. Chittagong has seen several infrastructure projects taken up by the government of Prime MinisterSheikh Hasina, including the Chittagong Elevated Expressway, the first underwater tunnel in South Asia, the expansion of its port, and new parks, power plants and flyovers.[68][69]
Mohammad Yusuf Chowdhury Road in the Tigerpass area, an example of the city's hilly landscape
Chittagong lies at22°20′06″N91°49′57″E / 22.33500°N 91.83250°E /22.33500; 91.83250. It straddles the coastal foothills of the Chittagong Hill Tracts in south-eastern Bangladesh. TheKarnaphuli River runs along the southern banks of the city, including its central business district. The river enters the Bay of Bengal in anestuary located 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) west of downtown Chittagong. Mount Sitakunda is the highest peak in Chittagong District, with an elevation of 351 metres (1,152 ft).[70] Within the city itself, the highest peak is Batali Hill at 85.3 metres (280 ft). Chittagong has many lakes that were created under the Mughal rule. In 1924, an engineering team of the Assam Bengal Railway established theFoy's Lake.[70]
TheChittagong 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 councillors are elected every five years. The mayor isShahadat Hossain, as of December 2024.[80] The city corporation's mandate is limited to basic civic services, however, the CCC is credited for keeping Chittagong one of the cleaner and most eco-friendly cities in Bangladesh.[81][82] Its principal sources of revenue are municipal taxes and conservancy charges.[21] TheChittagong Development Authority is responsible for implementing the city's urban planning.
A substantial share of Bangladesh's national GDP is attributed to Chittagong. As of the early 2000s, the port city contributed 12% of the nation's economy.[96] Chittagong generates for 40% of Bangladesh'sindustrial output, 80% of itsinternational trade and 50% of its governmentalrevenue.[97][98] TheChittagong Stock Exchange has more than 700 listed companies, with amarket capitalisation of US$32 billion in June 2015.[95] 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, ranking 3rd in South Asia after thePort of Mumbai and thePort of Colombo.[9][98] The port is part of the MaritimeSilk Road that runs from the Chinese coast via theSuez Canal to theMediterranean and on to the Upper Adriatic region ofTrieste with rail connections toCentral andEastern Europe.[99][100][101]
International banks operating in Chittagong includeHSBC,Standard Chartered andCitibank 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 centre and regionaltransshipment hub, given its proximity toNorth East India,Burma,Nepal,Bhutan and Southwest China.[105][106]
By 2024, the Chittagong-basedS Alam Group emerged as one of Bangladesh's most powerful conglomerates, with interests in energy,commodities, infrastructure, economic zones, healthcare, textiles andfintech.[107] S Alam's projects include a $640 million steel plant, a $2.6 billion power plant and a $3 billion renewable energy plant.[107] It is investing 580 billionBDT in two industrial zones in Chittagong.[108] S Alam also has substantial offshore assets, including a billion dollars worth of real estate inSingapore.[109] Its portfolio in Singapore includes the city-state's Hilton Garden Inn Serangoon hotel.[110] The S Alam Group enjoys close ties with the rulingAwami League party in Bangladesh. The group has been subjected to intense media scrutiny.
The old Circuit House was originally built in the style ofTudor revival architecture. The Chittagong Court Building exhibits influence ofneoclassical architecture from the late 19th century. JM Sen Hall was a town hall built in 1920.[113] One of the grand old mansions of Chittagong is the PK Sen Bhaban.[114][115] The FirstKarnaphuli Bridge, which was a steel bridge, was built in 1930.[116] TheKalurghat Bridge was completed in 1931.[117]Stripped Classicism and elements ofart deco can be seen inAgrabad.M. M. Ispahani Limited relocated its head office to Chittagong fromCalcutta after thepartition of India;[118] the Ispahani building in Agrabad was influenced by the art deco style. Another building with 1930s classical and art deco elements is the headquarters of theJamuna Oil Company. The building has a dome and modernist columns inspired by the style of the 1930s and 1940s.
An inhabitant of Chittagong is calledChittagonian in English.[119] For centuries, the port city has been amelting pot for people from all over the world. Its historic trade networks have left a lasting impact on its language, culture, and cuisine. TheChittagonian language, although identified as a nonstandard dialect of Bengali, is considered to be a separate language by many linguists. The Chittagonian language has many Arabic, Persian, English and Portuguese loanwords.[21] The popular traditional feast ofMezban features the serving of hot beef dish with white rice.[119] Another dish namedkala-bhuna of Chittagong, made with traditional spices, mustard oil, and beef through a special cooking style, is also renowned all over Bangladesh. The cultivation of pinkpearls is a historic activity in Chittagong. Its Mughal-era name,Islamabad (City of Islam), continues to be used in the old city. The name was given due to the port city's history as a gateway for early Islamic missionaries in Bengal. Notable Islamic architecture in Chittagong can be seen in the historic Bengal Sultanate-era Hammadyar Mosque and the Mughal Fort of Anderkilla. Chittagong is known as theLand of the Twelve Saints[120] due to the prevalence of major Sufi Muslim shrines in the district. Historically,Sufism played an important role in the spread of Islam in the region. Prominentdargahs include the mausoleums of Shah Amanat, Badr Auliya, Miskin Shah, Garibullah Shah and the shrine ofBayazid Bastami among many others. The Bastami shrine hosts a pond ofblack softshell turtles, a critically endangered species of freshwater turtle.
During the medieval period, many poets thrived in the region when it was part of the Bengal Sultanate and the Kingdom of Mrauk U. Under the patronage of SultanAlauddin Husain Shah's governor in Chittagong, Kabindra Parameshvar wrote his Pandabbijay, a Bengali adaptation of theMahabharata.[121]Daulat Qazi lived in the region during the 17th-century reign of the Kingdom of Mrauk U. Chittagong is home to several importantHindu temples, including theChandranath Temple on the outskirts of the city, which is dedicated to the Hindu goddessSita.[122] The city also hosts the country's largestBuddhist monastery and council of monks. TheRoman Catholic Diocese of Chittagong is the oldest catholic mission in Bengal.[123]
At the 2022 Census, Chittagong had a population of 3,230,507. By gender, the population was 50.89% male and 49.11% female, and the literacy rate in the city was approximately 84.49% percent.
Muslims, numbering approximately 2,841,595, form the overwhelming majority of the city's population, with the rest being 329,566 Hindus, 53,181 Buddhist and 4793 Christian.
Chittagong was amelting pot of ethnicities during theBengal Sultanate andMughal Bengal periods. Muslim immigration started as early as the seventh century, and significant Muslim settlements occurred during the medieval period. Muslim traders, rulers, and preachers from Persia and Arabia were the early Muslim settlers, and their descendants are the majority of the current Muslim population of the city. The city has a relatively wealthy and economically influentialShia Muslim community, includingIsmailis andTwelver Shias. The city also has many ethnic minorities, especially members ofindigenous groups from the frontier hills of Chittagong Division, includingChakmas,Rakhines andTripuris; as well asRohingya refugees. The Bengali-speakingTheravada Buddhists of the area, known asBaruas, are one of the oldest communities in Chittagong and one of the last remnants of Buddhism in Bangladesh.[129][130][131] Descendants of Portuguese settlers, often known asFiringis, also live in Chittagong, as well asCatholics, who largely live in the old Portuguese enclave of Paterghatta.[21] There is also a small Urdu-speakingBihari community living in the ethnic enclave known asBihari Colony.[132][133]Like other major urban centres in South Asia, Chittagong has experienced steady growth in itsinformal settlements as a result of the increasing economic activities in the city and emigration from rural areas. According to a poverty reduction publication of theInternational Monetary Fund, there were 1,814slums within the city corporation area, inhabited by about 1.8 million slum dwellers, the second highest in the country after the capital,Dhaka.[134] The slum dwellers often face eviction by the local authorities, charging them with illegal abode on government lands.[135][136] In the early 1990s, Chittagong had a population of just over 1.5 million, of which there were an estimated 66,676squatters living in 69 areas.[137]
Various newspapers, including daily, opposition, and business newspapers, are based in Chittagong. Daily newspapers includeDainik Azadi,[138] Peoples View,[139]The Daily Suprobhat Bangladesh,Daily Purbokone, Life, Karnafuli, Jyoti, Rashtrobarta and Azan. Furthermore, there are several weekly and monthly newspapers. These includeweeklies such as Chattala, Jyoti, Sultan, Chattagram Darpan, and the monthlies such as Sanshodhani, Purobi, Mukulika, and Simanto. The only press council in Chittagong is the Chittagong Press Club. Government-ownedBangladesh Television, with itsChittagong station, andBangladesh Betar have transmission centres in the city. Privately-ownedEkushey Television formerly broadcast on VHF channel 9 in Chittagong during its existence on terrestrial television.[140]
Chittagong has been featured in all aspects of Bangladeshi popular culture, including television, movies, journals, music, and books. Nearly all televisions and radios in Bangladesh have coverage in Chittagong. RenownedBollywood film directorAshutosh Gowariker directed a movie based on the 1930s Chittagong Uprising, Movie's name isKhelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey[141] in whichAbhishek Bachchan played the lead role.[142][143]
The southern zone of theBangladesh Power Development Board is responsible for supplying electricity to city dwellers.[144][145] The fire services are provided by theBangladesh Fire Service & Civil Defence department, under the Ministry of Home Affairs.[146]Total Electricity Consumption is approximately 1000 megawatts in the city proper. But in the whole Chittagong urban and city proper, it will be 1300 megawatts plus-minus. The power plant will be in production next year and its production power is 1320 megawatts and it creates Chittagong City as the energy production hub of Bangladesh
The water supply and sewage systems are managed by the Chittagong Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (Chittagong WASA).[147][148] Water is primarily drawn from Karnaphuli River and then purified in the Mohra Purification Plant.[149]
University of Chittagong is located 22 kilometres (14 miles) north andChittagong University of Engineering and Technology is located 25 kilometres (16 miles) north of the Chittagong city. The University of Chittagong, established in 1966 is one of the largest universities in Bangladesh. Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology, established in 1968, is one of the five public engineering universities in Bangladesh and the only engineering university in the Chittagong Division.
TheChittagong Medical College Hospital is the largest state-owned hospital in Chittagong. TheChittagong General Hospital, established in 1901, is the oldest hospital in the city.[162] The Bangladesh Institute of Tropical and Infectious Diseases (BITID) is based the city. Other government-run medical centers in the city include the Family Welfare Centre, TB Hospital, Infectious Disease Hospital, Diabetic Hospital, Mother and Children Hospital, and the Police Hospital. Among the city's private hospitals are theBangabandhu Memorial Hospital (BBMH), Chittagong Metropolitan Hospital, Chevron Clinic, Surgiscope Hospital, CSCR, Centre Point Hospital, Park View Hospital, Max Hospital & diagnosis, Imperial Hospital LTD., Evercare Hospital Ltd.,[163] National Hospital and Mount Hospital Ltd.[164][165][166]
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 and taxi services, as well as smaller 'baby' or 'CNG' taxis, which are tricycle-structured motor vehicles. Foreign and localridesharing companies likeUber andPathao are operating in the city.[167] There are also traditional manual rickshaws, which are very common.
As the population has risen extensively, the Chittagong Development Authority (CDA) has undertaken some transportation initiatives aimed at easing the traffic congestion in Chittagong. Under this plan, the CDA, along with the Chittagong City Corporation, has 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, which runs along the coast of Chittagong City. Thisring road includes a marine drive along with fivefeeder roads and is also meant to strengthen the embankment of the coast.[168][169][need quotation to verify][170][171][172] The authority has also began the construction of a 9.3 kilometres (5.8 mi)underwater expressway tunnel through the Karnaphuli river to ensure better connectivity between the northern and southern parts of Chittagong. This tunnel will be the first of its kind inSouth Asia.[173][174][175]
TheN1 (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. It is considered a crowded and dangerous highway. This highway is also part ofAH41 route of theAsian Highway Network. It has been upgraded to 4 lanes.[176] TheN106 (Chittagong-Rangamati Highway) is another major national highway that connects the Chittagong Hill Tracts with theOxygen Square.
Chittagong can also be accessed by rail. It has a station on themetre gauge, the eastern section of the Bangladesh Railway, whose headquarters are also located within the city. There are two main railway stations, on Station Road and in thePahartali Thana. Trains to Dhaka,Sylhet,Comilla, andBhairab are available from Chittagong. TheChittagong Circular Railway was introduced in 2013 to ease traffic congestion and to ensure better public transport service for commuters within the city. The railway includes high-speedDEMU trains with a carrying capacity of 300 passengers. These DEMU trains also travel on the Chittagong-Laksham route which connects the city with Comilla.[177][178]
TheShah Amanat International Airport (IATA:CGP,ICAO:VGEG), located at SouthPatenga, serves as Chittagong's only airport. It is the second busiest airport in Bangladesh. The airport is capable of annually handling 1.5 million passengers and 6,000 tonnes of cargo.[179] Known asChittagong Airfield during World War II, the airport was used as a supply point by the United States Army Air Forces'Tenth Air Force during theBurma Campaign 1944–45.[52] It officially became a Bangladeshi airport in 1972 after Bangladesh's liberation war.[180] International services fly to major cities of theArabian Peninsula as well as to Indian city ofKolkata.[181] At present, Middle Eastern airlines likeAir Arabia,Flydubai,Jazeera Airways,Oman Air andSalamAir operate flights from the city to these destinations along withairlines of Bangladesh.[181] All Bangladeshi airlines operate regular domestic flights to Dhaka. The airport was formerly known asMA Hannan International Airport but was renamed after a famous Sufi saintShah Amanat on 2 April 2005 by the Government.[182]
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