Chittagong



Chittagong (officially Chattogram) is the main international seaport and second largest city in Bangladesh, on the Bay of Bengal. The city is the headquarters of many Bangladeshi companies, including the Chittagong Stock Exchange. According to the British newspaper The Telegraph, Chittagong is one of the ten fastest-growing cities in the world.

Understand


Chittagong is one of the great port cities of Asia. It flourished on the Maritime Silk Road and was the eastern terminus of the Grand Trunk Road. It was visited by famous medieval explorers like the Venetians Niccolo de Conti and Caeser Frederick; the Arab traveller Ibn Battuta; and the Chinese admiral Zheng He. The Portuguese, Mughals and British controlled the port in successive periods until the 20th century. It became a major financial centre and the largest port in modern-day Bangladesh after the Partition of British India.

Today, Chittagong is a fairly large metropolitan area with a population of about 6.5 million. As in Dhaka, its streets are filled with masses of rickshaws. Rolling hills and greenery dot the landscape. The Karnaphuli River is a burgeoning hub of shipping. Chittagong puts in a little more effort than other Bangladeshi cities to keep its streets and sidewalks clean. The city's residents are called Chittagonians. Foreigners will notice a distinct increase in nuisance from beggars in certain intersections, like the Central Railway Station. Beggars come from different parts of Bangladesh because Chittagonians are more prone to charity than people in other parts of the country.

The old quarter of the city is home to several historic mosques and Sufi shrines. The Anderkilla Imperial Jame Mosque was built by the Mughals after they conquered Chittagong in 1666. It once formed part of a large hilltop fort. The Sufi Shrine of Bayazid Bostami has a pond full of turtles. The former Portuguese settlement is located in Patherghatta. It is home to the descendants of Portuguese traders, who are known locally as Firingis. The area has several churches, including the Roman Catholic Diocese of Chittagong. Chittagong is also the seat of the Bengali Buddhist priesthood.

The busiest parts of the city are Station Road, Strand Road, GEC Circle and O.R. Nizam Road. The affluent neighborhoods of Khulshi and Nasirabad are home to the city's middle and upper classes. Chittagong has many influential business families.

The city is home to prominent gentlemen's clubs, restaurants and golf courses.

The Chittagonian enthusiasm for inviting people to massive feasts is a bit of legend both locally and elsewhere. Known as mezbani these feasts feature a tremendously hot curry, usually of beef. If you're not used to it, approach with caution. You might also be able to find some of the world's best lobsters here, as Chittagong is the center of the Bangladeshi seafood industry.

Climate
Chittagong has a tropical monsoon climate: hot and very humid during the summer monsoon season (April-September) and drier and cooler in the winter (October-March). The city is vulnerable to North Indian Ocean tropical cyclones. The deadliest tropical cyclone to strike Chittagong was the 1991 Bangladesh cyclone, which killed 138,000 people and left as many as 10 million homeless.

Economy
The contribution of Chittagong to the national GDP of Bangladesh is about 12 per cent. Chittagong contributes 40% of Bangladesh's industrial output, 80% of international trade and 50% of government revenue. As of June 2015, Chittagong Stock Exchange had a market capitalization of $32 billion with over 700 listed companies. Major Bangladeshi companies such as M. M. Ispahani Limited, BSRM, AK Khan & Company, PHP Group, James Finley, Habib Group, S Alam Group of Industries, CMark Group, KDS Group and TK Group of Industries etc. have offices in Chittagong. State-owned companies include Pragati Industries, Jamuna Oil Company, Bangladesh Shipping Corporation and Padma Oil Company. The Special Economic Zones include the Karnaphuli EPZ and the Korean EPZ. Major industrial sectors include petroleum, steel, shipbuilding, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, textiles, jute, leather products, vegetable oil refineries, glass manufacturing, electronics and motor vehicles. In 2011-12, Chittagong exported readymade garments worth about US$ 4.5 billion to the international market. International banks like HSBC, Commercial Bank of Ceylon, National Bank of Pakistan, Standard Chartered, Citibank NA and Habib Bank Limited operate their operations in Chittagong.

Language
Local residents of Chittagong speak the Chittagonian language. However, signboards and bus/train stations have instruction signs both in Bengali and English.

By plane

 * is served by most major domestic and many international air carriers as the second largest and busiest international airport in Bangladesh. It has flights from Kolkata, Kuala Lumpur, Doha, Dubai, Bangkok, Muscat, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Kuwait. Domestic services include several daily flights with Dhaka.

For departing flights:
 * Allow plenty of time for security screening, especially on those days when major conventions end. Or if possible schedule your flight at another day/time.

To travel between the airport and your Strip hotel:


 * Taxis cost Tk 200–500 from the airport to a Strip location.
 * Autos cost Tk 100–250 from the airport to a Strip location.
 * Buses cost Tk 5-30 each way and depart every 10–20 minutes, sometimes more than an hour.

By train

 * Trains run to Dhaka, Sylhet, Mymensingh 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 Road. Chittagong is a terminal station on the metre gauge eastern section of the Bangladeshi Railway. The headquarters of this railway are located here. Train journeys are, in general, cheaper than bus journeys. The best bet for a tourist is to make reservations at the station or a travel agency. Trains are popular so book in advance.

By bus
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 Road near Hotel Golden Inn. Greenline, Silkline and Shohag are the nicest and have frequent services to Dhaka (Tk 1200, 6-8 hours) and Cox's Bazar (3-4 hours). Greenline also offers the only direct bus to Sylhet (Tk 550, 7-8 hours).

Local buses to Cox's Bazar (৳140, 3-4 hours) run frequently throughout the day from Cinema Palace Bus Station, about 1 km north of the Station Rd area.


 * Chittagong Bus Depot, . Station Road at Batali Road, across from the Old Railway Terminal.
 * Chittagong Bus Depot, . Station Road at Batali Road, across from the Old Railway Terminal.
 * Chittagong Bus Depot, . Station Road at Batali Road, across from the Old Railway Terminal.
 * Chittagong Bus Depot, . Station Road at Batali Road, across from the Old Railway Terminal.

Chittagong is the eastern terminus of the Grand Trunk Road, a historic highway that runs through parts of four countries &mdash; Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Afghanistan &mdash; all the way to Kabul at the western end.

By car
Chittagong is the focal point of the national highway system in Bangladesh. Cars can be used to travel from the Indian border, but the border with Myanmar remains closed.

By boat

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

Get around


Getting around in Chittagong is always an adventure. Traffic is, by and large, horribly congested and many drivers will think nothing of quoting ten times the going price to a tourist. Agree on prices before setting off. Transport in Chittagong is similar to that of the country's capital Dhaka. There are various bus systems with different routes, taxis, and smaller 'CNG' taxis which are basically tricycle-structured motor vehicles. Also, traditional manual rickshaws are very common.

By foot
Walking is also a possibility as the town isn't too confusing, but keep an eye out as the streets can be very busy, especially around Station Rd and Jubilee Rd. If travelling along the Strip, walking is a reasonable option as the hotel-casinos are close to each other. However, what may look to be a short walk of only a couple of hotel casinos away may be farther than you expected as the resorts often look closer than they are due to their large size.

By bicycle
Many locals of lower classes often use bicycles as a primary form of transport. They can be useful in their ability to squeeze through tight situations, where traffic may prevent a large vehicle from moving. Some newer roads in the capital have dual bike/rickshaw lanes. Although, there is little opportunity to buy or rent a bike, plus the roads and traffic are in such bad condition that the chance of an accident is high.

By rickshaws
Rickshaws are a kind of three-wheeled, pedal-powered cycle with seats in the back to seat passengers and a driver in the front. They are good for short distances, or places which are too far to walk but too short for taking a bus/taxi/auto-rickshaw. Rickshaws don't use meters, so establish a price before getting on. Tk 20-100 is reasonable for most journeys of a few kilometres.

By bus
All parts of Chittagong are well connected by buses and with tickets ranging from Tk 5-50 (Tk 1.42/per km), are very cheap; but also quite crowded most of the time. Some buses are provided air-conditioned service. As bus stops do not have bus routes written properly, it can be difficult to find your way. Asking other people at the bus stop is often the best way to find out about bus routes to your destination. However, the buses are pretty frequent, running every 15-20 min or so on most routes. There is one kind of bus in Chittagong:

Route 1: to
 * Total distance 10 km; New Market – Laldighi – Anderkilla – Nabab Siraj Ud Dawla Road – Chowk Bazaar – Kapasgola – Badurtola – Bahaddarhat

Route 2: to
 * Total distance 14 km; New Market – Laldighi – Anderkilla – Jamal Khan – Chowk Bazaar – Medical/Probartak – 2 No. Gate – Muradpur – Bahaddarhat – Sharafat Petrol Pump – CMP Rastar Matha – Kaptai Rastar Matha

Route 3: to
 * Total distance 14.5 km; New Market – DC Hill – Kazir Dewri – Almas – Wasa – GEC – 2 No. Gate – Muradpur – Bibir Hat – Oxygen – Fatehabad – University of Chittagong

Route 4: to
 * Total distance 15 km; New Market – Tigerpass – Lalkhan Bazar – Wasa – Garib Ullah Shah Mazar/GEC – Jhautola – AK Khan – Colonel Hat – Bhatiari

Route 6: to
 * Total distance 16.60 km; Laldighi – New Market – Tigerpass – Dewanhat – Badamtoli (Agrabad) – Barek Building – Saltgola – EPZ – Bandartila – Cement Crossing – Kathgar – Patenga Sea Beach

Route 7: to
 * Total distance 16.1 km; New Market – Tigerpass – Dewanhat – Badamtoli (Agrabad) – Boropole – Alangkar – Bhatiari

Route 8: to
 * Total distance 8 km; New Market – Tigerpass – Lalkhan Bazaar – GEC – 2 No. Gate – Bayazid Bastami – Oxygen

Route 10: to ।
 * Total distance 25 km; Kalurghat – Kaptai Rastar Matha – Bahaddarhat – Muradpur – 2 No. Gate – GEC – Lalkhan Bazaar – Tigerpass – Dewanhat – Badamtoli (Agrabad) – Barek Building – Saltgola – EPZ – Bandartila – Cement Crossing – Katgor

Route 11: to
 * Total distance 23 km; Bhatiari – Colonel Hat – AK Khan – Naya Bazar – Boropole – Saltgola – EPZ – Bandartila – Kathgar – Patenga Sea Beach

Counter-bus
Metro-Prabhati Paribahan's counter-based metropolitan bus service has several stops on the 22 km stretch of the metropolitan area from Patenga to Bahaddarhat bus stop. A minimum of Tk 10 should be paid for a bus ride (4 km). After that, the fare is Tk 1.60 per kilometre. There are 10 counters for buses going from Kaptai to Patenga Beach and 12 counters for buses going from Patenga Beach to Kaptai. There are counters in various stoppages including Bahaddarhat, Muradpur, 2 No. Gate, GEC, Wasa, Dewanhat, Agrabad, EPZ.

By taxi
Taxi (usually with a driver) is required to see many of the far-flung sites within and around Chittagong. Taxis ply the roads, some yellow and some black, all with or without meters. Black taxis start the meter at Tk 15 while yellow taxis have slightly higher standards in terms of comfort, and start at Tk 20. Black taxis are typically in notoriously poor condition and lack air conditioning. Yellow taxis are required to have air conditioning; the fleet consists mostly of Toyota Corollas, with some Mitsubishis and Hondas. The yellow taxis are also considered far safer, in comparison to black taxis and auto-rickshaws. Uber is available.

By auto rickshaws
Auto rickshaws (also called CNG taxi, or simply CNG) are good for shorter trips. Always in a distinctive green livery, auto rickshaws are three-wheeled partially enclosed contraptions that run on CNG and can seat three-four people in the back. In general, they are much cheaper than taxis and can be hailed from the street easily.

By local train
There are limited demo services on Chittagong's railways, but the facilities are a far cry from the user-friendly railway stations. For the most part, train stations are inconveniently located. There is no passenger service at the Chittagong Railway Station outside rush hour.

The Bangladesh Railways website does not accept foreign credit cards.

Do
There are a few amusement parks and public parks in Chittagong:



Fishing
Go fishing for Anabas, Cat fish, Ruhi, Tilapia etc.

Shows
There are places where you can buy show tickets, but generally not for the really popular shows on the same day of the performance. Most were only cash accepted.

Events
Chittagong continues to grow with annual events and festivals held throughout the city.

Sales tax
The local sales tax is 15%. Only groceries and prescription drugs are exempt.

Like most of the city, Chittagong has not implemented a tax refund mechanism for international travelers. The only retailers that can sell tax-free items to international travelers are the duty-free shops at Shah Amanat International Airport.

Basics
Most hotel/casino resort complexes in Chittagong have a gift shop open 24/7 that offers basic traveler supplies and sundries. Hotel gift shops are outrageously expensive and should be avoided except for emergencies.

Shopping malls
There are a handful of shopping malls:



Individual stores


The Bangladeshi book industry is huge, producing annually about thousand of books in English, and obviously far more in Bengali and other native languages. Chittagong is the hub of this industry, so small, specialist bookstores abound. Locally produced books can be very inexpensive and many popular Western titles are published and available here for a fraction of their original cost.

In general, good places to buy books are in Cheragi Pahar, Andarkilla, Station Road, GEC circle, plus shopping malls in the city.



Eat


The people of Chittagong love oily and spicy 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 green salad which comes with your meal as you will not know if it has been washed in sanitized water. Just a handful of restaurants in town use sanitized water to wash salad and this is a recipe for explosive diarrhea.

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. One-room stores also have signboards advertising themselves as 'department stores'.



Tea and coffee
The teahouses and coffee houses in Chittagong are mostly large, heavily standardized chains. The most common location for various kind of tea is Dalla, besides Agrabad Access Rd. The most common coffee house is Rio Coffee, found in multiple locations across the city, most notably around Naval Avenue Rd.

Bars and nightclubs


Alcoholic beverages are available at five-star hotels in Chittagong as well as a number of private clubs. Four hotels in Chittagong have bar license; Radisson Blu Chittagong Bay View, Hotel Agrabad, Silmoon Hotel, Saint Martin Hotel Limited and The Peninsula Chittagong. While all the hotels are expensive for drinks. Like the Peninsula is expensive by far (more than Tk 550 for a large can of Heineken).

Here you can buy Bangladeshi local branded (Karrew and Co, Darshona) alcohol (vodka, rum, malted, whiskey, gin) from licensed ware houses situated in Shadar Ghat (Kazi & Co.), BRTC, near the railway station (foreign liqueur) and from Dewan Hat.

If you want to go to a bar, then you can go Hotel Shahjahan at Shadarghat, a well-furnished bar, or there is also a bar at BRTC bus stand adjacent to the foreign liqueur shop.

It is possible to buy alcoholic beverages, ranging from local brews to smuggled beer and counterfeit brand alcohol. Local booze is available legally at government licensed shops. There is one in Agrabad on Sheik Mujib Rahman road. It is tucked into an alley way a short distance from the first floor "Siemens" showroom.

Counterfeit branded alcohol is available from illegal traders in Kulshie and other areas. But beware: deaths have been reported from consumption of adulterated liquor, and headaches and illness are more common. Smuggled booze is sometimes available on the sea beach.



Nightclubs and dancing
There are three private clubs in Chittagong. The premiere club is the Chittagong Club which is located at number one Empress Road. The Chittagong club has a bar license and serves foreign alcohol in addition to local gin, vodka, and whiskey. Chittagong Club membership is closed but foreigners can apply for "temporary membership" for up to two years.

The Chittagong Institute is a far smaller club but it does maintain a bar. It is located in Jamal Khan road.

The Catholic club opens membership to all persons for a small fee but membership applications are only accepted once a year (during December?) It maintains a small bar serving local drinks.

Splurge




Internet
Most hotel charge a separate fee for WiFi usage. Internet cafes can be found around the intersection of Station Rd and Jubilee Rd and around GEC Circle and Agrabad. Price around ৳40-60/hr.



Telephone
The country code for Bangladesh is 880. Add 31 to make a call for Chittagong.

Postal and courier services

 * Government courier
 * Private courier companies
 * Private courier companies



Chittagong emergency numbers
Here are the Chittagong emergency contact numbers



ATMs
If you need cash, it's a good idea to get it before going inside bar or club. American Express, Master Card, VISA Card have accepted almost all the ATMs booth in the city. Check ahead to see if your bank has locations in Chittagong. On the Strip, the following ATMs are safer bets:


 * For the customers, there are ATMs inside the branch at Agrabad Commercial Area.
 * For customers, there are ATMs inside the district main branch at Sheikh Mujib Road and different places of the city.

Smoking
In the public places and stand-alone bars, smoking is permitted. However, there are some areas which are smoke-free but may be very close to smoking areas. Nightclubs and lounges may allow smoking if they do not serve food. For all other standalone restaurants, bars, convenience stores, grocery stores and airport facilities smoking is prohibited.

Laundry service
Laundry service is offered in most laundry shops and hotels, even in budget accommodations. If you would rather save the money and do it yourself, buckets are found in almost all public bathrooms - but perhaps wash it out well first.


 * Exercising outdoors is not recommended due to the level of pollution and swimming in rivers is also not recommended. Instead, look for a hotel with a gym or a pool since many offer day passes. You can always try a morning or evening walk in the parks.

Foreign missions and High Commissions

 * 🇩🇪 Germany
 * 🇮🇳 India
 * 🇮🇩 Indonesia
 * 🇮🇹 Italy
 * 🇯🇵 Japan
 * 🇲🇾 Malaysia
 * 🇲🇹 Malta
 * 🇲🇲 Myanmar
 * 🇵🇭 Philippines
 * 🇷🇺 Russia
 * 🇿🇦 South Africa
 * Korea
 * 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka
 * 🇹🇭 Thailand
 * 🇹🇷 Turkey

Go next
Chittagong is a great base for exploring the famous hill districts.


 * Chittagong Hill Tracts -
 * Bandarban - a hill district two hours by bus
 * Rangamati - a popular town in the Chittagong Hill Tracts
 * Cox's Bazar - The country's premier beach resort, about 3 hours south by bus.
 * Teknaf
 * St. Martin's Island - an island in the northeastern part of the Bay of Bengal.
 * Comilla - World War Cemetery, Kotbari Baddha Bihar, BIRD, Salban Bihar