Chittagong

Chittagong ( Bengali: চট্টগ্রাম, Chaṭṭagrām) is the major sea-port and second largest city of Bangladesh. It is located in Chittagong District in the south-eastern portion of the country near Myanmar (Burma). The city was built on the banks of the Karnaphuli River, which ends nearby, in the Bay of Bengal. Chittagong has a population of over 3.5 million, and is continuing to grow. One of the cleanest cities of Bangladesh, it has had an ancient reputation of great mystique and beauty.

The largest sea port of the country, a coveted post which it has held for thousands of years, Chittagong is the main route for almost all of Bangladesh's import and export, and thus generates a huge amount of revenue each year, attracting many investors, both foreign and national. Its harbour also contains extensively developed port facilities, and is particularly suitable for ocean steamers.

The people of the city are diverse and multi-ethnic, and the majority has originated from the Arabs, Afghans, and Mughals, all of whom had travelled and settled in the city after arriving on its shores many hundreds of years ago. The descendents of Portuguese settlers, known as the Firingi, also continue to live in Chittagong, as Catholic Christians, in the old Portuguese enclave of Paterghatta.

The city is also Bangladesh's commercial and manufacturing centre, and home to the country's largest companies, for example M.M. Ispahani, A.K. Khan & Co. Ltd, and the P.H.P. Group. There are large factories located just outside the northern part of the city, and a large eco-park catering to ecologists and forestry-related genetic science has been opened recently in neighbouring Sitakunda.

Chittagong is also home to a few of the most renowned universities of Bangladesh, Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (CUET), the International Islamic University of Chittagong, the Chittagong University, established in 1966, the Chittagong College being notable examples. It is the hub of knowledge in the South and many madrassahs (Islamic educational centres) of excellent stature adorn its borders.

The city has also continued to be an influential centre of Islamic ideology, theology, art, architecture, and influence in Bengal, ever since Islam's introduction in the region over 1,200 years ago. Islamic centres and institutions of interest include the Anderkella Jameh Masjid, a beautiful and vast Mosque predating to the Mughal period, the colourful and multi-domed Chandanpura Masjid, the 17th-century Shahi Jameh Masjid of Mughal origin, and the modern and magnificent Jamaat-ul-Falah Masjid, soon to be Bangladesh's largest mosque and Islamic centre.

People and Culture

The inhabitant of Chittagong use a coloquial language which is quite different from Bangla. It has no written form, the language not understood by the people of other districts of Bangladesh.

The majority of the people are Muslims, though there are a sizeable number of Hindus as well as Buddhists. In fact the majority of the Buddhists of Bangladesh do live in Chittagong. There is a small community of Christians. Anglo Indians were predominant during the British Colonial Period working mostly in the Railways. Gradually they have left after the independence of Bangladesh.

Administration

In 1994, the City had elected its First Elected Mayor, Alhaj A.B.M. Mohiuddin Chowdhury. He had been in charge for almost a decade, winning one re-election, un-opposed. During his tenure, he was able to proceed with various development projects despite lack of official funding from successive Central Governments. He had also suffered from lack of jurisdiction in terms of implementing development projects since all the projects undertaken by the City Corporation have to be permitted by the Ministry of Local Government in Dhaka (LGRD Ministry) (see paragraph on limited mandate above). His effort has turned the city into the cleanest and most planned cosmopolitan urban area of Bangladesh with wide roads, improved sewerage system, etc. Unlike other City Corporations of Bangladesh, Chittagong City Corporation is financially self sufficient and runs schools, colleges, madrashas (religious schools), mosque complex, hospitals, primary health care clinics, and most importantly, a private University, Premier University. The most notable achievement of Mohiuddin was, implementing his development projects without raising any tax. Many of his development projects have been vetoed by the government in Dhaka due to political disagreement with him. Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) candidate Mir Nasir Uddin challenged the incumbent mayor Mohiuddin Chowdhury in Chittagong City Corporation Election on 9 May 2005. Mr Mohiuddin won a landslide victory for a third term with an increased majority of over 90,000 votes, despite widespread allegation that the ruling party Candidate Mr Nasir Uddin had help from the Government in the run up to the election. A massive crowd of at least 20 thousand people kept the election control room beseized over night, to stop any attempt to steal their mandate to Mohiuddin.