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Chittagong

Chittagong is the capital of Chittagong Division in south-eastern Bangladesh.

Culture and History

Chittagong is a fairly big, spread out town, and the largest international seaport in the country. Like Dhaka the streets are filled with masses of rickshaws, though the city puts in a little more effort to keep its streets and sidewalks clean. Foreigners will notice a distinct increase in nuisance from beggars and the people are slightly less friendly than in other parts of the country.

The busiest part of town is the area around the train station and Station Road, while things get a little more bearable as you move further north. GEC Circle is the intersection of Zakir Hossain Rd, O. R. Nizam Rd and CDA Avenue, about 3 km north of the train station, and is the center of middle to upper class life with a variety of good restaurants and shopping.

Chittagong is a conservative place. Local women tend to dress in modest clothing and don't like to shake hands with men. This does not apply to the upper class who are very westernised. Local people aren't offended when foreigners don't comply with the expectations of local people. Foreigners drinking alcohol or foreign women wearing skirts which show their bare legs aren't going to upset people. This is true in other parts of Bangladesh and reflects the tolerant and gentle nature of the Bangladeshi people.

In the more affluent neighborhoods like Khulshi and Nasirabad local women are more westernised. The parties that let women have fun are mostly indoors, and Chittagong Club or Hotel Agrabad are fairly happening places at that.

The Chittagonian enthusiasm for inviting people to massive feasts is a bit of legend both locally and elsewhere in Bangladesh. Known as mezbani these feasts feature a tremendously hot curry, usually of beef. If you're not used to it, approach with caution.

Travel to Chittagong & Visa Requirements

By air

Shah Amanat International Airport (ICAO: CGP) is modern and clean and serves as Chittagong's international airport besides domestic services to and from Dhaka and Sylhet. It is the 2nd busiest in Bangladesh. Situated in Patenga, it has international services to destinations such as Dubai, Kolkata, Yangon, Muscat and Bangkok. Formerly known as MA Hannan International Airport, but was renamed on April 2, 2005 by the Government of Bangladesh. Major airlines that serve the airport include Biman Bangladesh Airlines, GMG Airlines, Thai Airways International, Oman Air, United Airways, Best Air and Royal Bengal Airlines.

By train

Trains run to Dhaka, Sylhet and other cities. The main route out of Chittagong runs north to Comilla and Akhaura, from where the routes to Dhaka and Sylhet diverge. The train station is on Station Road just west of Jubilee Rd. Chittagong is a terminal station on the metre gauge eastern section of the Bangladesh Railway. The headquarters of this railway are located here. Train journeys are, in general, cheaper than bus journeys.

Buses to Chittagong

There are 2 spots in the city where the major private companies operate from and have offices - just to the south of GEC Circle on CDA Ave, and on Station Rd near Hotel Golden Inn. Greenline, Silkline and Shohag are the nicest and have frequent services to Dhaka (6 hours) and Cox's Bazar (3 hours). Greenline also offers the only direct bus to Sylhet (Tk 550, 6 hours).

Local buses to Cox's Bazar (Tk 140, 3 hours) run frequently throughout the day from Cinema Palace Bus Station, about 1km north of the Station Rd area.

By boat

  • BIWTC has an office and launches its ferries from Sadarghat, about 1km south of the train station down Sadarghat Rd. Barisal is the main destination, from where you can continue to Dhaka.

Tours & Getting around Chittagong

Transport in Chittagong is similar to that of the country's capital Dhaka. There are various bus systems, taxis, and as well as smaller 'Baby' or 'CNG' taxis which are basically tricycle-structured motor vehicles. Also, there are the traditional manual rickshaws which are very common.

  • Cycle-rickshaws are the natural choice, and cost around Tk 5 per kilometer.
  • Walking is also a possibility as the town isn't too confusing, but keep and eye out as the streets can be very busy, especially around Station Rd and Jubilee Rd.

Chittagong attractions and sightseeing

  • Hazrat Shah Sufi Amanat Khan (R):

Hazrat Shah Sufi Amanat Khan (R) (capital R is used to show respect) a very famous saint of Chittagong, Bangladesh. Hazrat Shah Sufi Amanat Khan (R) came from Bihar Sharif, India. At Chittagong he lived in a cottage and accepted service as a pankha wala (hanging fan puller) in the Judge's Court. From the circumstantial evidence it appears that he was a great man of the late 18th century. The family that lives in the compound of Hazrat Shah Amanat Khan's (R) mausoleum and looks after it are Hazrat Shah Sufi Amanat Khan's descendants. They have got in their possession a Persian waqfnama (deed of endowment) of Anwar Khan, the son of Hazrat Shah Sufi Amanat Khan (R).

Hazrat Shah Sufi Amanat Khan (R) lived a very simple life. His daily routine was to attend to his duties in the Court and to engage in prayers. No one knew that he was spiritually endowed nor did he pose to be such. His spiritual greatness was revealed through a Karamat (spiritual power with magical elements recieved from The Almighty Allah) which brought him to the limelight and people came to know that he was a Wali (saint) of the highest rank. When his spiritual attainments became known, he resigned from his job and remained busy with spiritual religious act and meditation. He is ranked among the greatest saints of Chittagong. People visit his mausoleum specially to seek blessings in matters of litigation. Hazrat Shah Sufi Amanat Khan (R) lies buried in a mausoleum to the east of the Laldighi of Chittagong*Patenga Beach: Sandy beach at the meeting place of the roaring sea and the river Karnaphuli. It looks more beautiful from Naval Academy Road which is just beside the Shah Amanat International Airport.

  • Foy's Lake: Set amidst panoramic surroundings, this ideal spot for outings and picnics is thronged by thousands of visitors. This Lake has been created in the natural environment in 1924 by the initiative of the then Assam-Bengal Railway. This lake has been created by building a dam based on a plan by an English engineer Mr. Foy. Now an amusement park is established there. The zoo is next door.
  • Shrine of Baizid Bostami: This holy shrine attracts a large number of visitors and pilgrims. At its base there is a large pond with several hundred tortoises floating in the water. According to tradition, these turtles are descendants of evil spirits (djinns) who were cast into this shape because they incurred the wrath of the great saint who visited the place about 1100 years ago.
  • World War II Cemetery: In this well-preserved cemetery at quiet and picturesque place lie buried over 700 soldiers from Commonwealth countries and Japan. The War Cemetery is located in a hillside sloping place, in the south-western corner of Chittagong Medical College Hospital, beside the Badshah Mia Road of the city. The total area of this cemetery is eight acres, which is protected and supervised by the Commonwealth Graves Commission.
  • Ethnological Museum: Shows a mix of tribal artifacts. The Ethnological Museum of Chittagong was established in the first half of nineteen sixties. The museum contains four galleries and a small hall. It is a little dark. Some sections contain mock ups of 'village life' for the different tribal areas with life size dolls. These are reminiscent of the museum in the film 'Planet of the Apes'.
  • Baitul Falah The largest mosque in Chittagong.
  • Chandanpura Mosque: Situated in the old city, the multi-domed mosque is an architectural sight to behold.
  • Chittagong College: Situated in the old city, is one of the oldest colleges in Bangladesh (estd 1869) and also one of the prestigious academies.
  • Mohsin College:Situated beside Chittagong college. The College area covers almost 31 acres of land decked with beautiful landscape. The college Campus wears a garb of natural panoramic beauty. It is housed in eight metalled/pucca buildings on an extensive beautiful campus in the lap of nature. A beautiful play ground a stretches to the south of college gate, supplying the students a great scope to participate in different games and sports. The college campus upholds the ancient architectural beauty in the shape of a building built by the Portuguese.
  • Court Building: Situated on the Fairy Hill, this building commands a magnificent bird's eye view of Chittagong city, particularly at night. The Court building was built immediately after the East India Company conquered and declared Chittagong as a separate administrative area in 1773. The building is huge, over 250 thousand square feet and has hundreds of rooms.

Nearby

  • The shipbreaking yards near the Indian Ocean are Chittagong's international claim to fame, but for the wrong reasons; these are considered one of the most polluted places on Earth with highly dangerous practices and hazardous working conditions. Green Peace is actively campaigning against them and trying to bring this issue further into the light. Tourists are not usually welcome, but some travelers have been able to sweet talk the gate-keeper and get amazing photos of massive ships being dismantled for parts and steel. There are many breaking yards stretching for miles, so start at one end and try your luck until you have success. Keep your wits about you, safety practices leave something to be desired. It's also wise to keep your camera hidden until you're out of view of the officials, lest you be mistaken for a journalist out to do them harm. Bus #6 runs from Station Road, or you could hire an auto-rickshaw. (See also Alang, India).

Chittagong city tours

There are a few amusement parks and paublic parks in Chittagong:

  • Karnafully Sishu Park (Agrabad,Chittagong)
  • Zia Sishu Park (Circuit House,Chittagong)
  • Mini Bangladesh (Chandgaon,Chittagong)
  • Biplobi Uddan (2 number gate,Chittagong)
  • Jatisongho Park (Panchlaish, Chittagong)

Chittagong souvenirs & shopping

  • Aarong Handicrafts has a large branch on CDA Ave just north of GEC Circle. It is well stocked with men's and women's clothing and housewares at medium to expensive prices.

Chittagong Restaurants: cheap, moderate and expensive

The people of Bangladesh love oily food. This can be a problem for foreigners and lead to upset stomachs. If you are a foreigner you should consider sticking with better restaurants and eating in large hotels. Never eat salad which comes with your meal as you will not know if it has been washed in pure water. All but a couple of restaurants in town use tap water to wash salad and this is a recipe for explosive diarrhoea.

One oddity in Bangladesh is that restaurants advertise themselves as, for example, "Zaman Hotel and Restaurant" but do not operate a hotel. Where you eat at one of these establishments you can tease them by demanding a room. NB: one room stores also have signboards advertising themselves as 'Department stores'.

  • Ambrosia, Jiban Bima Bhaban (Ground Floor), 1053, Sk. Mujib Road(Next to Radio Station & Opposite to Standard Chartered Chittagong Main Branch), ☎ +880 31 2513576(fax: +880 31 2513460), [1]. Buffet Lunch: 12-4PM; Dinner: 6-11PM. The largest and the latest international standard restaurant in town with a Karaoke corner, seats up to 500 people across 2 floors. Has a huge menu of Continental, Indian, Thai, Chinese, Indonesian and Bangladeshi dishes.
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    This page was last edited at 01:18, on 10 December 2008 by Peter Fitzgerald. Based on work by Rokon Uddin Mamun, David and Ajai Banerji, Wikitravel user(s) Cacahuate, Texugo and Morph, Anonymous user(s) of Wikitravel and others.

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