Chittagong

Chittagong (Bengali: চট্টগ্রাম, Chôţţogram) is Bangladesh's main seaport and its second-largest city and the 11th largest city within the Organisation of the Islamic Conference and also the 56th largest urban agglomeration in the world.^[5] The capital of the eponymous district and division, it is situated in the southeastern portion of the country, was built on the banks of the Karnaphuli River, and has a population over of over 2.5 million.^[4]

Nestled between the Chittagong Hill Tracts and the Bay of Bengal, Chittagong is a major commercial center and Bangladesh's busiest seaport. Much of Bangladesh's export and import passes through the Port of Chittagong. The port has extensive modern facilities which are awaiting further development in the coming years in order to cater to the economies of Bangladesh, North East India, Nepal, Bhutan, Southwest China and parts of Burma.^[6][7][8][9] According to a report released by International Institute for Environment and Development, a UK-based policy research non-governmental body, Chittagong is one of among the 3 Bangladeshi cities, which have made it (10th) into the list of 100 fastest growing cities in the world.^[10] Much of the city is surrounded by hilly terrains.^[11]

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the city had been a Portuguese colony before falling under Mughal rule. During the British Raj, it became a hot bed for revolutionary activities. In the Second World War, Chittagong served as a major lifeline for Allied forces fighting in the Burma Campaign. After the Partition of India, the city became a part of East Pakistan. During the Bangladesh Liberation War, Chittagong witnessed some of the heaviest fighting with the Mukti Bahini attacking Pakistani navy ships and the Indian navy firing missiles at Pakistani naval installations. It was in Chittagong where Awami League leader M A Hannan and liberation war hero and future Bangladeshi president Ziaur Rahman famously announced the declaration of independence of the country on behalf of independence leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Chittagong was also where the assassination of President Ziaur Rahman had taken place during a failed mutiny in 1981.