Chittagong

Chittagong is the second largest city in Bangladesh. It is located in the eastern portion of the country near Burma. The city was built on the banks of the Karnaphuli River. Chittagong has a population of over 1.5 million.

It is home to Chittagong University, which was established in 1966. The historical riverfront is an important part of the city due to the historical status of Chittagong as an important port city. A good number of Christians continue to live in the old Portuguese enclave of Paterghatta.

History

The city first gained prominence with the arrival of the Portuguese for whom it was an important harbor city. In the 18th century, the East India Company took control of it. Chittagong used to be a posession of the Kingdom of Arakan. Later it was claimed by the king of Burma and this led to a conflict between the Burma and the United Kingdom in 1824. From there, it was roundly under control of the British. With the withdrawal of the British from the Indian subcontinent in 1947, Chittagong became part of East Pakistan. In 1971 it became part of Bangladesh after it won its independence from Pakistan.