What to see in Chittagong city Blessed with adventurous hills, mighty rivers and eye-soothing greeneries, Chittagong is considered one of the most amazingly beautiful divisions of Bangladesh with heavenly, natural daintiness. Chittagong is the second largest city in Bangladesh. It is the Commercial Capital City of Bangladesh. The surrounding mountains and rivers make the city attractive. Karnaphuli River falls in Chittagong. The largest land port of the country, “Chittagong Port”, situated in Chittagong. That’s why Chittagong is the city for export and import. Most of the large industries of Bangladesh are situated in Chittagong. Located between the Chittagong Hill Tracts and the Bay of Bengal, Chittagong can excite the brave hearts with its challenging trekking sites, marvel ones senses with the scenic beauty of the bay and regale one with the touch of history and with the comfort of modern life. Chittagong starts its entertainment right from the beginning. Either you enter the city via a plane or a bus; the welcoming hills will dazzle your eyes. Chittagong, is an ideal vacation spot. Its green hills and forests, its broad sandy beaches and its fine cool climate always attract the holidaymakers. Described by the Chinese traveler poet, Huen Tsang (7th century A D) as “a sleeping beauty emerging from mists and water” and given the title of “Porto Grande” by the 16th both the descriptions even today. It combines the busy hum of an active seaport with the soothing quiet of a charming hill town. Chittagong is the country’s chief port and is the main site for the establishment of heavy, medium and light industries. Bangladesh’s only steel mill and oil refinery are also located in Chittagong. Attractions of Chittagong: Patenga Beach: The Patenga sea beach has always been a remarkable tourist spot. The beach looks more beautiful from Naval Academy Road, which is just beside the Shah Amanat International Airport. Foy’s Lake: Set amidst panoramic surroundings, Foy’s Lake is an ideal spot for outing and picnic. This lake was created in the natural environment in 1924 through building a dam based on a plan by an English engineer named Mr. Foy. Now an amusement park has been established there called Foy’s Lake Amusement Park. The lone zoo of the port city is also located beside Foy’s Lake. World War II Cemetery: The cemetery is located on a hillside sloping place, in the southwestern 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: This museum shows a mix of tribal artifacts. Established in the first half of the nineteen sixties, the museum contains four galleries and a small hall. Some sections contain mock-ups of ‘village life’ for the different tribal areas with life size dolls. The museum is situated at the city centre of Agrabad commercial area. Swadhinata Park: It is a theme park popularly known as “Mini Bangladesh”, set up on 13.5 acres of land in the city’s Kalurghat area. It is an assemblage of replicas and structures of historical and cultural heritages of the country. Swadhinata Park with its replicas and artificially created environments portray lifestyles of the people of Bangladesh including different tribes and races. A mobile restaurant on an eye-catching 71-metre tower is also there for the visitors to enjoy a bird’s-eye view of the Chittagong city. Shrine of Baizid Bostami: This holy shrine located at city’s Bayejid area attracts a large number of visitors and pilgrims every day. There is a large pond with several hundred tortoises of rare species in the shrine. It is said that 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. Mausoleum of Hazrat Shah Sufi Amanat Khan (R): Hazrat Shah Sufi Amanat Khan (R) was a very famous saint of the highest rank in Chittagong. Thousands of people visit this mausoleum every year situated at the eastern side of Laldighi to seek blessings in matters of litigation. Jamiyatul Falah National Mosque: There are a good number of century-old mosques, temples and churches with architectural designs of Mughal and British era in the port city. The largest mosque in Chittagong, Jamiyatul Falah is located beside WASA intersection at Dampara. Besides, there are amusement parks and public parks in Chittagong city including Karnafully Sishu Park at Agrabad, Zia Sishu Park at Circuit House, Biplobi Uddan at Sholoshahar, United Nations Park at Panchlaish, Butterfly Park at Patenga etc. The city also has some other beaches such as Kattali Beach, the beach with mangrove forest at the west of Halishahar and south of Kattali. On the other hand, those who can manage to go little far from the city should also visit Parki Beach at Anowara, Adinath Temple, and Eco Park at Shitakunda. Old Circuit House, Chittagong: Under British rule, The Eastern Railway Headquarters was set up in Chittagong. Many Victorian style structures in the city still reminds of the British presence in this city. Chittagong Circuit House building represents beautiful architectural features of South Asia. The building was constructed on a small hill. These structures show that the architectural history of Chittagong can be traced back to hundreds of years ago. Built by the British in 1913 and later it was turned into a palatial building and used as a temporary residential accommodation for visiting Government high officials. After the murder of President Ziaur Rahman on 30 May 1981 in room No 4 of the Circuit House, the Circuit House was converted into Zia Memorial Museum. How to reach: How to Reach Chittagong by Air There are direct flights to Chittagong from Calcutta (India), Dubai (United Arab Emirates), Dhaka (the capital of Bangladesh) and Cox’s Bazaar (Bangladesh) by air. From the airport take a bus or a taxi for a ride into the city centre. How to Reach Chittagong by Bus Chittagong is connected by road with the rest of the country. You can drive into Chittagong from Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh. Dhaka is 264km (164mi) southeast of Chittagong. The Dhaka-Chittagong highway is one of the better roads in the country and frequently used. There are several bus lines that use it and the journey can take as long as seven hours. By Sea Chittagong is the main seaport of Dhaka. Many important cities in Asia have ships and ferry services to Chittagong. Where to Stay: The city has experienced many new hotels and guesthouses in recent years. Many high-end hotels such have sprung up in the city, targeting businessman and tourists. In the recent years more than 20 hotels have launched operation in the port city to meet standards of foreign businessman, clients, dealers and tourists. Most of these hotels are located in Agrabad Commercial Area, Nasirabad and CDA Avenue.
Posted on: Tue, 03 Jun 2014 08:50:24 +0000
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