Chittagong officially Chattogram is the main international seaport and second largest city in. Located 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. Karnaphuli River at night Chittagong is one of the great port cities of. It flourished on the and was the eastern terminus of the. 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 center 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. As in , 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. 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. It has flights from , , , , , , and. Domestic services include several daily flights with. The main route out of Chittagong runs north to 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. The headquarters of this railway are located here. Train journeys are, in general, cheaper than bus journeys. 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 ৳1200, 6-8 hours and 3-4 hours. Greenline also offers the only direct bus to ৳550, 7-8 hours. Local buses to ৳140, 3-4 hours run frequently throughout the day from Cinema Palace Bus Station, about 1 km north of the Station Rd area. Daily services with Dhaka, Sylhet, Khulna, Cox's Bazaar, Jessore and Kolkata. Daily services with Dhaka, Kolkata, Sylhet, Cox's Bazaar, Khulna and Bogra. Station Road at Batali Road, across from the Old Railway Terminal. Chittagong is the eastern terminus of the , a historic highway that runs through parts of four countries — Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Afghanistan — all the way to 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. Auto rickshaw aks tempoo 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, the traditional manual rickshaws are very common. By foot Walking is also a possibility as the town isn't too confusing, but keep
