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102-528: Siri Sūriya Canda Mahā Dhamma Rājā Min Bin ( Arakanese and Burmese : မင်းဘင် , Burmese pronunciation: [mɪ́ɰ̃ bɪ̀ɰ̃] , Arakanese pronunciation: [máɰ̃ bàɰ̃] ; also known as Min Ba-Gyi (မင်းဗာကြီး, Burmese pronunciation: [mɪ́ɰ̃ bàjí] , Meng Ba-Gri , Arakanese pronunciation: [máɰ̃ bà ɡɹí] ); 1493–1554) was a king of Arakan from 1531 to 1554, "whose reign witnessed

204-789: A market capitalisation of US$ 32 billion in June 2015. The city is home to many of the country's oldest and largest corporations. The Port of Chittagong handled US$ 60 billion in annual trade in 2011, ranking 3rd in South Asia after the Port of Mumbai and the Port of Colombo . The port is part of the Maritime Silk Road that runs from the Chinese coast via the Suez Canal to the Mediterranean and on to

306-566: A $ 640 million steel plant, a $ 2.6 billion power plant and a $ 3 billion renewable energy plant. It is investing 580 billion BDT in two industrial zones in Chittagong. S Alam also has substantial offshore assets, including a billion dollars worth of real estate in Singapore . Its portfolio in Singapore includes the city-state's Hilton Garden Inn Serangoon hotel. The S Alam Group enjoys close ties with

408-444: A 16-year-old princess of Bengal royalty to queen. He then paid a pilgrimage to Bodh Gaya on 26 March 1533 (2nd waxing of Kason 895 ME). He left Dhaka for Mrauk-U on 13 April 1533 (5th waning of Kason 895 ME). He appointed governors of the new acquired territories on 14 May 1533 (6th waning of Nayon 895 ME). According to historians, his control of Bengal beyond Chittagong, where coins bearing his name and styling him sultan were struck,

510-580: A 5,000-man army through the Padaung Pass across the Arakan Yoma range, and a 7000-man, 700-boat flotilla by the coast to break the siege. However, the army, as it came out of the pass, walked into a trap, and was wiped out by a 6000-strong Toungoo army led by Gen. Kyawhtin Nawrahta . The navy had taken Pathein but retreated after hearing that the army had been annihilated. After the setback, Min Bin reinforced

612-485: A Bengal army of 10,000 men and took Chittagong. The armies then pressed on toward Dhaka on 1 December 1532 (5th waxing of Pyatho 894 ME). The Bengal army made a last stand outside Dhaka but was defeated. The sultan's defenses collapsed afterwards, and Arakanese forces entered Dhaka on 11 December 1532 (15th waxing of Pyatho 894 ME) without a fight. At Dhaka, on 8 February 1533 (Saturday, 15th waxing of Tabaung 894 ME), he received tributes from local lords of Bengal, and raised

714-457: A concubine. Although Min Pa was older than Gazapati and had a more legitimate claim to the throne, he stayed out of the limelight. He managed to survive intrigues and power struggles at the court which saw three different kings (Gazapati, Saw O and Thazata ) in the next eight years. In 1521, King Thazata died, and the king's younger brother Minkhaung succeeded in getting the throne. Though he lost out

816-581: A consulate general of Russia. The city also has honorary consulates of Turkey, Japan, Germany, South Korea, Malaysia, Italy, and the Philippines. A substantial share of Bangladesh's national GDP is attributed to Chittagong. As of the early 2000s, the port city contributed 12% of the nation's economy. Chittagong generates for 40% of Bangladesh's industrial output , 80% of its international trade and 50% of its governmental revenue . The Chittagong Stock Exchange has more than 700 listed companies, with

918-529: A few marches away, and stuck around for another week until a combined army and flotilla of Arakanese forces drove them out to the sea on 7 March. Like many rulers in the region, Min Bin realized that the Portuguese problem was not going away, and decided to hire Portuguese mercenaries to his armed forces. In the following years, Min Bin enlisted many Portuguese mercenaries and their firearms, and with their help, he established well-armed naval and army forces. After

1020-679: A frontline city in the Southeast Asian Theater . It was a critical air, naval and military base for Allied Forces during the Burma Campaign against Japan. The Imperial Japanese Army Air Force carried out air raids on Chittagong in April and May 1942, in the run-up to the aborted Japanese invasion of Bengal. After the Battle of Imphal , the tide turned in favor of the Allied Forces. Units of

1122-549: A higher frequency of open vowels weakening to /ə/ than Standard Burmese. An example is the word for 'salary', ( လခ ), which is [la̰ɡa̰] in standard Burmese, but [ləkha̰] in Arakanese. The following is a summary of consonantal , vowel and rhyme differences from Standard Burmese found in the Arakanese dialect : e.g. The plural particle တို့ ( [do̰] ) corresponds with ရို့ ( [ɹo̰] ) in Arakanese Arakanese

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1224-627: A narrow strip of land along the eastern coast of the Bay of Bengal which was under strong Bengali influence for 350 years. During the 16th century, the port became a Portuguese trading post and João de Barros described it as "the most famous and wealthy city of the Kingdom of Bengal". The Mughal Empire expelled the Portuguese and Arakanese in 1666. The Nawab of Bengal ceded the port to the British East India Company in 1793. The Port of Chittagong

1326-563: A part of Sultanate of Bengal. It was the principal maritime gateway to the kingdom, which was reputed as one of the wealthiest states in the Indian subcontinent . Medieval Chittagong was a hub for maritime trade with China, Sumatra , the Maldives , Sri Lanka , the Middle East, and East Africa. It was notable for its medieval trades in pearls, silk, muslin, rice, bullion, horses, and gunpowder. The port

1428-454: A population of more than 8.2 million in 2022. In 2020, the city area had a population of more than 5.2 million. The city is home to many large local businesses and plays an important role in the Bangladeshi economy . One of the world's oldest ports with a functional natural harbor for centuries, Chittagong appeared on ancient Greek and Roman maps, including on Ptolemy's world map . It

1530-411: A script that predates the usage of written Burmese, there is no contemporary lithic evidence to support the existence of such a script. Chittagong Chittagong ( / ˈ tʃ ɪ t ə ɡ ɒ ŋ / CHIT -ə-gong ), officially Chattogram ( Bengali : চট্টগ্রাম , romanized :  Côṭṭôgrām [ˈtʃɔʈːoɡram] , Chittagonian: চাটগাঁও/চিটাং romanized: Sāṭgão/Siṭāṅ ),

1632-524: A small but well-armed army of Portuguese mercenaries landed on 22 February 1535, and advanced to up the Kaladan river by boats, reaching Kandaza, a few miles away from Mrauk-U, by 26 February. After defeating an Arakanese force at Kandaza on 27 February, the Portuguese then proceeded to attack Mrauk-U on 28 February. With the king himself leading the defense, the Arakanese forces drove back the better armed but much smaller Portuguese army. The Portuguese fell back to

1734-582: A strong, united Irrawaddy valley, which in the past had interfered with the coastal kingdom. When King Minkhaung of Prome , the only holdout in Lower Burma and a vassal of the Confederation of Shan States , asked for an alliance by presenting his sister, the former queen of Hanthawaddy, Min Bin readily agreed. When 17,000-strong Toungoo armies laid siege to Prome (Pyay) in November 1541, Min Bin in early 1542 sent

1836-627: A very large Buddhist population before Islam. The city was renamed Islamabad (City of Islam) during the Mughal era. The name continues to be used in the old city. In April 2018, the Cabinet Division of the Government of Bangladesh decided to change the city's name to Chattogram, based on its Bengali spelling and pronunciation; the move was criticized in the Bangladeshi media. One explanation credits

1938-646: A world conqueror or cakravartin ", and in commemoration of his victory in Bengal he built the Shitthaung Temple , one of the premier Buddhist pagodas of Mrauk-U . His expansionist drive was to run into serious obstacles however. His control of Bengal beyond Chittagong was largely nominal and he, like the sultans of Bengal before him, never solved Tripuri raids into Bengal. Moreover, his interference in Lower Burma (1542) against Toungoo provoked Toungoo invasions in (1545–47) that nearly toppled his regime. He survived

2040-576: Is an ancient port city, with a recorded history dating back to the 4th century BC. Its harbour was mentioned in Ptolemy's world map in the 2nd century as one of the most impressive ports in the East . The region was part of the ancient Bengali Samatata and Harikela kingdoms. The Chandra dynasty once dominated the area and was followed by the Varman dynasty and Deva dynasty . Chinese traveller Xuanzang described

2142-800: Is based in Chittagong Cantonment , and the Bangladesh Air Force maintains the BAF Zahurul Haq Air Base in Chittagong. The city is also home to the Bangladesh Military Academy , the premier training institute for the country's armed forces . In the 1860s, the American consulate-general in the Bengal Presidency included a consular agency in Chittagong. Today, Chittagong hosts an assistant high commission of India and

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2244-577: Is home to Sanskrit inscriptions that date from the first millennium to the 1000s. These inscriptions were written in Northern Brahmic scripts (namely Siddham or Gaudi ), which are ancestral to the Bengali script . However, these inscriptions are not ancestral to Arakanese epigraphy, which uses the Mon–Burmese script . While some Arakanese have coined the term "Rakkhawunna" ( Rakkhavaṇṇa ) to describe

2346-797: Is home to many of the oldest and largest companies in the country. The Port of Chittagong is one of the busiest ports in South Asia . The largest base of the Bangladesh Navy is located in Chittagong, along with an air base of the Bangladesh Air Force , garrisons of the Bangladesh Army and the main base of the Bangladesh Coast Guard . The eastern zone of the Bangladesh Railway is based in Chittagong. The Chittagong Stock Exchange

2448-414: Is located in Chittagong. The city is the hometown of prominent economists, a Nobel laureate, scientists, freedom fighters and entrepreneurs. Chittagong has a high degree of religious and ethnic diversity among Bangladeshi cities, despite having a great Muslim majority. Minorities include Hindus , Christians , Buddhists , Chakmas , Marmas , Tripuris , Garos and others. The etymology of Chittagong

2550-505: Is located in the colonial-era Chittagong Court Building. Chittagong is a strategically important military port on the Bay of Bengal. The Chittagong Naval Area is the principal base of the Bangladesh Navy and the home port of most Bangladeshi warships . The Bangladesh Naval Academy and the navy's elite special force- Special Warfare Diving and Salvage (SWADS) are also based in the city. The Bangladesh Army 's 24th Infantry Division

2652-623: Is maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission . Allied soldiers constitute the bulk of burials in the cemetery. A few Japanese soldiers are also buried. Remembrance Day services are held each year at the cemetery, with diplomats from Commonwealth countries like the UK, Bangladesh, Australia, India and Pakistan, as well as the United States and Japan, usually in attendance. The Partition of British India in 1947 made Chittagong

2754-596: Is often called Bangladesh's commercial capital due to its diversified industrial base and seaport. The port city has ambitions to develop as a global financial center and regional transshipment hub, given its proximity to North East India , Burma , Nepal , Bhutan and Southwest China. By 2024, the Chittagong-based S Alam Group emerged as one of Bangladesh's most powerful conglomerates, with interests in energy, commodities , infrastructure, economic zones, healthcare, textiles and fintech . S Alam's projects include

2856-432: Is often considered to be a dialect or variety of Burmese. As there are no universally accepted criteria for distinguishing a language from a dialect, scholars and other interested parties often disagree about the linguistic, historical and social status of Arakanese. There are three dialects of Arakanese: Sittwe – Marma (about two thirds of speakers), Ramree , and Thandwe . While Arakanese and Standard Burmese share

2958-441: Is one of the twin stock markets of Bangladesh with over 700 listed companies. The Chittagong Tea Auction is a commodity exchange dealing with Bangladeshi tea . The CEPZ and KEPZ are key industrial zones with foreign direct investments. The city is served by Shah Amanat International Airport for domestic and external flights. Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Tunnel , the first and only underwater road tunnel of South Asia,

3060-711: Is responsible for governing municipal areas in the Chittagong Metropolitan Area. It is headed by the mayor of Chittagong. The mayor and ward councillors are elected every five years. The mayor is Rezaul Karim Chowdhury, as of August 2023. The city corporation's mandate is limited to basic civic services, however, the CCC is credited for keeping Chittagong one of the cleaner and most eco-friendly cities in Bangladesh. Its principal sources of revenue are municipal taxes and conservancy charges. The Chittagong Development Authority

3162-698: Is responsible for implementing the city's urban planning. The deputy commissioner and district magistrate are the chiefs of local administration as part of the Government of Bangladesh. Law enforcement is provided by the Chittagong Metropolitan Police and the Rapid Action Battalion -7. The district and sessions judges are the heads of the local judiciary on behalf of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh . The Divisional Special Judge's Court

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3264-643: Is the second-largest city in Bangladesh . Home to the Port of Chittagong , it is the busiest port in Bangladesh and the Bay of Bengal . The city is also known as business capital of Bangladesh. It is the administrative seat of an eponymous division and district . The city is located on the banks of the Karnaphuli River between the Chittagong Hill Tracts and the Bay of Bengal. The Greater Chittagong Area had

3366-530: Is the first person pronoun, which is အကျွန် in Arakanese (not ကျွန်တော် , as in Standard Burmese). A more unique difference is the 'Hra' sound which is not found in Burmese: only in Arakanese. eg. ဟြာ(Hra/Seek) and Hraa(ဟြား/very good/smart). A gloss of vocabulary differences between Standard Burmese and Arakanese is below: The phonological system described here is the inventory of sounds, represented using

3468-513: Is uncertain. The port city has been known by various names in history, including Chatigaon , Chatigam , Chattagrama , Islamabad , Chattala , Chaityabhumi and Porto Grande De Bengala . The Bengali word for Chittagong, Chattogram (চট্টগ্রাম) , has the suffix "-gram" (গ্রাম) meaning village in Standard Bengali . The earliest records, before Islam reached the region, state that it was a place of chaitya or Buddhist monasteries. The city had

3570-453: Is unevenly distributed between the 1400s to 1800s. In the early 1400s, Arakanese inscriptions began to transition from the square letters associated with stone inscriptions ( kyauksa ), to rounder letters that is now standard for the Burmese script. This coincided with developments in Arakanese literature, which was stimulated by the rise of Mrauk U during the 1400s. What is now Rakhine State

3672-635: Is written using the Burmese script , which descends from Southern Brahmi . Rakhine speakers are taught Rakhine pronunciations using written Burmese, while most Marma speakers are only literate in Bengali. The first extant Arakanese inscriptions, the Launggrak Taung Maw inscription and the Mahathi Crocodile Rock inscription (1356), date to the 1300s, and the epigraphic record of Arakanese inscriptions

3774-619: The Assam Bengal Railway and Pakistan Eastern Railway . During the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971, Chittagong was the site of the Bangladeshi declaration of independence . The port city has benefited from the growth of heavy industry , logistics, and manufacturing in Bangladesh. Trade unionism was strong during the 1990s. Chittagong accounts for 12% of Bangladesh's GDP, including 40% of industrial output, 80% of international trade , and 50% of tax revenue. The port city

3876-828: The Bangladesh Air Force and the Indian Air Force carried out the heavy bombing of facilities occupied by the Pakistani military. A naval blockade was also enforced. After the war, the Soviet Union offer to clear mines in Chittagong Port at free of cost, while Sweden offered to clear mines in Mongla port. 22 vessels of the Soviet Pacific Fleet sailed from Vladivostok to Chittagong in May 1972. The process of clearing mines in

3978-628: The Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971, which was waged under the leadership of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman , Chittagong witnessed heavy fighting between rebel Bengali military regiments and the Pakistan Army. It covered Sector 1 in the Mukti Bahini chain of command. Major Ziaur Rahman was the sector commander. The Bangladeshi Declaration of Independence was broadcast from Kalurghat Radio Station and transmitted internationally through foreign ships in Chittagong Port. Ziaur Rahman and M A Hannan announced

4080-696: The Eastern Refinery was started in 1963; and was partly funded by the last Shah of Iran . The Agrabad Chamber of Commerce was formed in 1963. It later became the Foreign Investors' Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Bangladesh. The Chittagong Development Authority (CDA) was created by the government to promote urban planning; while wealthy families like the Ispahanis contributed to social welfare by setting up schools and hospitals. The lawyer and industrialist A K Khan , who set up A K Khan & Company in

4182-542: The International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). The consonants of Arakanese are: Arakanese largely shares the same set of consonant phonemes as standard Burmese, though Arakanese more prominently uses /ɹ/ , which has largely merged to /j/ in standard Burmese (with some exceptions). Because Arakanese has preserved the /ɹ/ sound, the /-ɹ-/ medial (which is preserved in writing in Standard Burmese with

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4284-710: The T. K. Group of Industries . Major state-owned firms headquartered there include Pragati Industries, the Jamuna Oil Company, the Bangladesh Shipping Corporation , and the Padma Oil Company. The Chittagong Export Processing Zone was ranked by the UK-based magazine, Foreign Direct Investment , as one of the leading special economic zones in the world, in 2010. Other SEZs include the Karnaphuli Export Processing Zone and Korean EPZ. The city's key industrial sectors include petroleum , steel , shipbuilding , chemicals, pharmaceuticals , textiles , jute , leather goods , vegetable oil refineries, glass manufacturing, electronics and motor vehicles . The Chittagong Tea Auction sets

4386-457: The tea and jute producing regions of Assam and Bengal, as well as Assam's oil industry . Chittagong was also linked to the crucial oil and gas industry in Burma . Chittagong was a major center of trade with British Burma . It hosted many prominent companies of the British Empire. The Chittagong armoury raid by Bengali revolutionaries in 1930 was a major event in British India's anti-colonial history. During World War II, Chittagong became

4488-523: The 17th century Portuguese presence is Darul Adalat in the premises of Government Hazi Mohammad Mohsin College, Chittagong . The Kadam Mubarak Mosque in Jamal Khan was built in 1723 by a faujdar during the reign of the Nawabs of Bengal . During British rule , colonial officials lived in hilltop bungalows, which would feature a spacious balcony or verandah , chimneys, fireplaces and big gardens. The Firingi Bazaar has many colonial houses which belonged to rich local residents. The well-known buildings from

4590-404: The Awami League government of Prime Minister Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. In free market reforms launched by President Ziaur Rahman in the late 1970s, the city became home to the first export processing zones in Bangladesh. Zia was assassinated during an attempted military coup in Chittagong in 1981. The 1991 Bangladesh cyclone inflicted heavy damage on the city. The Japanese government financed

4692-402: The British colonial period include the Battali Railway Station, Central Railway Building , Chittagong Circuit House and Chittagong Court Building . The old Circuit House was originally built in the style of Tudor revival architecture . The Chittagong Court Building exhibits influence of neoclassical architecture from the late 19th century. JM Sen Hall was a town hall built in 1920. One of

4794-449: The Chittagong Division, is the only coral island in the country. The fishing port of Cox's Bazar is home to one of the world's longest natural beaches. In the east, there are the three hill districts of Bandarban , Rangamati , and Khagrachari , home to the highest mountains in Bangladesh . The region has numerous protected areas, including the Teknaf Game Reserve and the Sitakunda Botanical Garden and Eco Park . Patenga beach in

4896-479: The Chittagonian language and writing scripts. It has been affirmed that much of the Muslim population in Chittagong are descendants of the Arab and Persian settlers. Two decades after Vasco Da Gama 's landing in Calicut , the Bengal Sultanate permitted the Portuguese settlement in Chittagong to be established in 1528. It became the first European colonial enclave in Bengal. The Bengal Sultanate lost control of Chittagong in 1531 after Arakan declared independence and

4998-468: The Mughal rule. In 1924, an engineering team of the Assam Bengal Railway established the Foy's Lake . Major sediment outflows from the Ganges and Brahmaputra rivers form tidal flats around the city. The Chittagong Division is known for its rich biodiversity . Over 2000 of Bangladesh's 6000 flowering plants grow in the region. Its hills and jungles are laden with waterfalls , fast flowing river streams and elephant reserves. St. Martin's Island , within

5100-457: The Portuguese seamen and mercenaries had established themselves as a serious force in Asia. They had seized trading ports of Goa since 1510 and Malacca since 1511, and controlled important sea lanes in South and Southeast Asia. The Arakanese coastline had not escaped their raids, which by Min Bin's reign, had grown increasingly daring. In 1535, the Portuguese brought war to the fortified capital of Mrauk-U itself. According to Arakanese chronicles,

5202-474: The Toungoo threat for the remainder of his reign. He sent 3000 troops to aid King Sithu Kyawhtin of Ava, the enemy of Toungoo, put down rebellions. His eldest son Dikkha was the heir apparent throughout the reign. At his accession, Min Bin appointed his brother Min Aung Hla as governor of Thandwe (Sandoway), the second most important city in the kingdom. But he later appointed one of his sons, styled as Upayaza, at Thandwe. According to Burmese chronicles, Aung Hla

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5304-433: The United States Army Air Forces' 4th Combat Cargo Group were stationed in Chittagong Airfield in 1945 . Commonwealth forces included troops from Britain, India, Australia, and New Zealand. The war had major negative impacts on the city, including the growth of refugees and the Great Famine of 1943 . Many wealthy Chittagonians profited from wartime commerce. 715 soldiers are buried at the Chittagong War Cemetery , which

5406-445: The Upper Adriatic region of Trieste with rail connections to Central and Eastern Europe . The Agrabad area is the main central business district of the city. Major Bangladeshi conglomerates headquartered in Chittagong include M. M. Ispahani Limited , BSRM , A K Khan & Company , PHP Group, James Finlay Bangladesh , the Habib Group , the S. Alam Group of Industries , Seamark Group , KDS Group , Abul Khair Group and

5508-400: The advance. Toungoo forces reached environs of Launggyet , the former capital not far from Mrauk-U, on 23 January 1547 (2nd waxing of Tabodwe 908 ME). The next day, Toungoo forces began their final push, driving out the Mrauk-U army from Launggyet and surrounding the heavily fortified Arakanese capital. They even breached the eastern outworks of Mrauk-U but were flooded out when Min Bin opened

5610-417: The aftermath of World War II, represented Chittagong in the federal cabinet of East and West Pakistan. However, East Pakistanis complained of a lack of investment in Chittagong in comparison to Karachi in West Pakistan , even though East Pakistan generated more exports and had a larger population. The Awami League demanded that the country's naval headquarters be shifted from Karachi to Chittagong. During

5712-435: The architecture of the area, including the building of Fort Ander and many mosques. Chittagong was integrated into the prosperous Bengali economy, which also included Orissa and Bihar . Shipbuilding increased dramatically under the Mughal rule, and the Ottoman Sultans had many Ottoman warships built in Chittagong during this period. In 1685, the British East India Company sent out an expedition under Admiral Nicholson with

5814-484: The area as "a sleeping beauty rising from mist and water" in the 7th century. Arab Muslim traders frequented Chittagong from the 9th century. In 1154, Al-Idrisi wrote of a busy shipping route between Basra and Chittagong, connecting it with the Abbasid capital of Baghdad . Many Sufi missionaries settled in Chittagong and played an instrumental role in the spread of Islam . Sultan Fakhruddin Mubarak Shah of Sonargaon conquered Chittagong in 1340, making it

5916-490: The chief port of East Pakistan . By March 1948, the Chittagong harbour became a bustling port for international shipping. The Chittagong Tea Auction was set up in 1949. The port city had branches of the Chartered Bank of India, Australia and China , Burmah Oil (known locally as Burmah Eastern ), and the James Finlay shipping business . Wealthy Muslim families from British India and British Burma shifted their corporate headquarters to Chittagong. The Ispahani family shifted

6018-400: The city's jail. In a backlash, the rebels were suppressed by the Sylhet Light Infantry . Arakan was annexed in 1829 and incorporated into the Bengal Presidency . Agriculturalists from Chittagong played a key role in the development of the rice economy in Arakan. The economy of northern Arakan was integrated with the Chittagong economy. During this period, Arakan Division became one of

6120-430: The city. Many British -owned businesses in East Pakistan were based in Chittagong. Britain's former flag carrier BOAC operated flights to the city. The Agrabad area emerged as the central business district in the 1950s and 1960s, with many corporate offices. The Ispahani Building and Jamuna Bhaban are some of the corporate buildings from this period. The Karnaphuli Paper Mills were built in 1959. The project to build

6222-454: The construction of several heavy industries and an international airport in the 1980s and 1990s. Bangladeshi private sector investments increased since 1991, especially with the formation of the Chittagong Stock Exchange in 1995. A new airport opened in 2000. The port city has been the pivot of Bangladesh's emerging economy in recent years, with the country's rising GDP growth rate. Chittagong has seen several infrastructure projects taken up by

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6324-412: The country's emergence as a major power". Aided by Portuguese mercenaries and their firearms, his powerful navy and army pushed the boundaries of the kingdom deep into Bengal, where coins bearing his name and styling him sultan were struck, and even interfered in the affairs of mainland Burma. After his initial military successes against Bengal and Tripura (1532–34), Min Bin began to regard himself "as

6426-432: The defenses of Mrauk-U and forts around the kingdom. History shows that his preparations proved prescient. In October 1545, four Toungoo regiments (4000 men, 100 horses, 10 elephants) intruded into southern Arakan, and marched toward Thandwe, Arakan's second city, which was led by the king's brother Min Aung Hla. On 12 October 1545 (8th waxing of Tazaungmon 907 ME), the king sent a well-armed force, which proceeded to drive out

6528-464: The dense water harbor took nearly a year and claimed the life of Soviet marine Yuri V Redkin. Chittagong soon regained its status as a major port, with cargo tonnage surpassing pre-war levels in 1973. In the immediate aftermath of 1971, many industries were nationalized. But in Chittagong, factories and business properties were given back to their private owners. The Ispahani family had to write only one letter in order to get back all their properties from

6630-501: The diacritic ြ ) is still distinguished in the following Arakanese consonant clusters: /ɡɹ- kɹ- kʰɹ- ŋɹ- pɹ- pʰɹ- bɹ- mɹ- m̥ɹ- hɹ-/ . For example, the word "blue," spelt ပြာ , is pronounced /pjà/ in standard Burmese, but pronounced /pɹà/ in Arakanese. Moreover, there is less voicing in Arakanese than in Standard Burmese, occurring only when the consonant is unaspirated. Unlike in Burmese, voicing never shifts from [θ] to [ð] . The vowels of Arakanese are: While Arakanese shares

6732-450: The established Kingdom of Mrauk U. This altered geopolitical landscape allowed the Portuguese unhindered control of Chittagong for over a century. Portuguese ships from Goa and Malacca began frequenting the port city in the 16th century. The cartaz system was introduced and required all ships in the area to purchase naval trading licenses from the Portuguese settlement. Slave trade and piracy flourished. The nearby island of Sandwip

6834-481: The first Arab traders for shatt ghangh ( Arabic : شط غنغ ) where shatt means "delta" and ghangh stood for the Ganges. The Arakanese chronicle that a king named Tsu-la-taing Tsandaya (Sula Taing Chandra), after conquering Bengal, set up a stone pillar as a trophy/memorial at the place since called Tst-ta-gaung as the limit of conquest. Stone Age fossils and tools unearthed in the region indicate that Chittagong has been inhabited since Neolithic times. It

6936-439: The following century would enable Arakan to control the entire 1600-km coastline from the Sundarbans to the Gulf of Martaban . His 22-year reign transformed Mrauk-U into a major regional power, a status which Mrauk-U would maintain well into the second half of the 17th century. The future king was born Min Pa (မင်းပါ) to Crown Prince Raza of Mrauk-U and Princess Saw Nandi in 1493. His parents were first cousins; his mother

7038-469: The government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina , including the Chittagong Elevated Expressway, the first underwater tunnel in South Asia, the expansion of its port, and new parks, power plants and flyovers. Chittagong lies at 22°20′06″N 91°49′57″E  /  22.33500°N 91.83250°E  / 22.33500; 91.83250 . It straddles the coastal foothills of the Chittagong Hill Tracts in southeastern Bangladesh. The Karnaphuli River runs along

7140-402: The grand old mansions of Chittagong is the PK Sen Bhaban. The First Karnaphuli Bridge, which was a steel bridge, was built in 1930. The Kalurghat Bridge was completed in 1931. Stripped Classicism and elements of art deco can be seen in Agrabad . M. M. Ispahani Limited relocated its head office to Chittagong from Calcutta after the partition of India ; the Ispahani building in Agrabad

7242-432: The growing weakness of Bengal. The sultanate had been in long decline due to its wars with the Delhi Sultanate and the Ahom Kingdom . On 7 October 1532 (9th waxing of Tazaungmon 894 ME), he led a combined invasion force of 12,000 (three armies of 11,000 men in a three-pronged attack, and a flotilla of war boats carrying 1,000 troops), and invaded Bengal. According to Arakanese chronicles, the combined invasion force defeated

7344-755: The head office of M. M. Ispahani Limited from Calcutta to Chittagong. The Ispahanis also relocated the Eastern Federal Insurance Company from Calcutta to Chittagong. The Ispahanis set up the Victory Jute Mills, the Chittagong Jute Manufacturing Company, and the Pahartali Textile Mills. The Africawala brothers set up the first steel re-rolling mills in Chittagong in 1952, which eventually became BSRM . Banks, shipping companies and insurance firms proliferated

7446-690: The independence declaration from Chittagong. A K Khan drafted the English version of Zia's broadcast. These radio broadcasts began the journey of Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra , which contributed heavily towards the Liberation. The Pakistani military, and supporting Razakar militias, carried out widespread atrocities against civilians in the city. Mukti Bahini naval commandos drowned several Pakistani warships during Operation Jackpot in August 1971. In December 1971,

7548-503: The instructions to seize and fortify Chittagong on behalf of the English; however, the expedition proved abortive. Two years later, the company's Court of Directors decided to make Chittagong the headquarters of their Bengal trade and sent out a fleet of ten or eleven ships to seize it under Captain Heath. However, after reaching Chittagong in early 1689, the fleet found the city too strongly held and abandoned their attempt at capturing it. The city

7650-519: The intruders. The incursion turned out to be an initial probe by Toungoo, which by then controlled all of Lower Burma and parts of Upper Burma to the ancient capital of Pagan . A year later, on 28 October 1546 (4th waxing of Tazaungmon 908 ME), Toungoo invaded by land and sea with a much larger force (19,000 men, 400 horses, 60 elephants, 80 war boats, 50 armored war boats, 10 cargo ships). Toungoo forces quickly overran southern Arakan. Mrauk-U's land and naval forces put up spirited stands but could not stop

7752-524: The invasions and later provided military aid to Ava , hoping to stop Toungoo's advance into Upper Burma. The king died in January 1554, and was succeeded by his eldest son and heir apparent Min Dikkha . His legacy lived on. The defensive works he built up throughout the kingdom would deter another Toungoo invasion until 1580. He is also credited with creating a naval fleet that dominated the Bay of Bengal, which in

7854-504: The main seafront of Chittagong, located 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) west of the city. Under the Köppen climate classification , Chittagong has a tropical monsoon climate (Am). Chittagong 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. The Chittagong City Corporation (CCC)

7956-732: The majority of lexicon, Arakanese has numerous vocabulary differences. Some are native words with no cognates in Standard Burmese, like 'sarong' ( လုံခြည် in Standard Burmese, ဒယော in Arakanese). Others are loan words from Bengali , English , and Hindi , not found in Standard Burmese. An example is 'hospital', which is called ဆေးရုံ in Standard Burmese, but is called သိပ်လှိုင် (pronounced [θeɪʔ l̥àɪɴ]/[ʃeɪʔ l̥àɪɴ] ) in Arakanese, from English sick lines . Other words simply have different meanings (e.g., 'afternoon', ညစ in Arakanese and ညနေ in Standard Burmese). Moreover, some archaic words in Standard Burmese are preferred in Arakanese. An example

8058-440: The military successes, Min Bin began to regard himself "as a world conqueror or cakravartin ." To commemorate his victory in Bengal, he began the construction of a massive temple complex that would become the Shitthaung Temple (80,000 Buddha Images) on 9 November 1535 (Full moon of Tazaungmon 897 ME). The design incorporated "elements from Burmese Buddhism and the late Buddhism of northwest India in its iconography, illustrating

8160-643: The power of the king and his religion." He also restored the Andaw-thein Ordination Hall between 1534 and 1542. By the late 1530s, Min Bin had turned Mrauk-U into a serious regional power. Not only did he control the entire Arakan littoral to Chittagong but he also had built up a powerful navy and an army that included many Portuguese mercenaries. But he closely monitored the developments in mainland Burma with great concern, especially after Toungoo 's unlikely victory over Hanthawaddy that gave upstart Toungoo control of Lower Burma . He did not want to see

8262-526: The price of Bangladesh Tea. The Eastern Refinery is Bangladesh's largest oil refinery . GlaxoSmithKline has had operations in Chittagong since 1967. Western Marine Shipyard is a leading Bangladeshi shipbuilder and exporter of medium-sized ocean-going vessels. In 2011–12, Chittagong exported approximately US$ 4.5  billion in ready-made garments . The Karnaphuli Paper Mills were established in 1953. International banks operating in Chittagong include HSBC , Standard Chartered and Citibank NA . Chittagong

8364-402: The rest of the kingdom, as after 1532, the coastal areas of the kingdom were liable to pillage by Portuguese pirates.) He also worked to consolidate his rule, and was to face no opposition. Lords from around the kingdom came to pledge their allegiance on 16 September 1531 at the coronation ceremony at the new palace at Mrauk-U. According to chronicles, one notable absence at the coronation ceremony

8466-464: The ruling Awami League party in Bangladesh. The group has been subjected to intense media scrutiny. The Anderkilla Shahi Jame Mosque is a well-known Mughal property in Chittagong. Anderkilla means "inner fort". The mosque was built in 1667 by Umed Khan, the son of Shaista Khan , after the Mughal conquest of Chittagong . The mosque is the only surviving part of a hilltop Mughal fort. A surviving remnant of

8568-529: The same set of vowels as Burmese, Arakanese rhymes also diverge from Standard Burmese for a number of open syllables and closed syllables. For instance, Arakanese has also merged various vowel sounds, such as ဧ ( [e] ) to ဣ ( [i] ). Hence, a word like 'blood', which is spelt သွေး , pronounced ( [θwé] ) in standard Burmese, is pronounced [θwí] in Arakanese. Similarly, Arakanese has a number of closed syllable rhymes that do not exist in Standard Burmese, including /-ɛɴ -ɔɴ -ɛʔ -ɔʔ/ . The Arakanese dialect also has

8670-445: The sluices of the city's reservoirs. Unwilling to pursue a long siege, Tabinshwehti agreed to a truce with Min Bin on 30 January. Toungoo forces began their retreat three days later, and evacuated Thandwe on 26 March 1547 (5th waxing of Late Tagu 908 ME). After the war, he sent a force to drive out Tripuri marauders who were pillaging Ramu and Chittagong districts. Despite the truce with Toungoo, Min Bin remained very much concerned about

8772-496: The southern banks of the city, including its central business district. The river enters the Bay of Bengal in an estuary located 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) west of downtown Chittagong. Mount Sitakunda is the highest peak in Chittagong District, with an elevation of 351 metres (1,152 ft). Within the city itself, the highest peak is Batali Hill at 85.3 metres (280 ft). Chittagong has many lakes that were created under

8874-649: The territories lost. But the following year Dhaniya Manikya again conquered Chittagong. Chittagong featured prominently in the military history of the Bengal Sultanate, including during the Reconquest of Arakan and the Bengal Sultanate–Kingdom of Mrauk U War of 1512–1516 . During the 13th and 16th centuries, Arabs and Persians heavily colonized the port city of Chittagong, initially arriving for trade and to spread Islam . Most Arab settlers arrived from

8976-433: The throne on Saturday, 27 May 1531, with the royal styles of Thiri Thuriya Sanda Maha Dhamma Yaza and Zabuk Shah . As someone who came to power by force, the new king immediately issued a decree to raise the defenses of Mrauk-U. (In the following decade, the capital Mrauk-U would get an elaborate defensive works consisted of massive stone walls and a deep moat filled with tidal waters. The defense works were later extended to

9078-413: The throne to Minkhaung, Min Pa however managed to get appointed as the new governor of Thandwe (Sandoway), the second most important city in the kingdom. At Thandwe, Min Pa patiently built a loyal following, and collected arms. Ten years later, he revolted, and marched to Mrauk-U with land and naval forces. At Mrauk-U, his forces defeated the king's army, and he had Minkhaung executed. Min Bin ascended to

9180-490: The top rice exporters in the world. Bengalis from Chittagong were vital to the success of Arakan's rice industry. Railways were introduced in 1865, beginning with the Eastern Bengal Railway connecting Chittagong to Dacca and Calcutta . Chittagong became the main gateway to Eastern Bengal and Assam . In the 1890s, Chittagong became the terminus of Assam Bengal Railway . The hinterland of Chittagong Port covered

9282-484: The trade route between Iraq and Chittagong and were perhaps the prime reason for the spread of Islam to Bangladesh . The first Persian settlers also arrived for trade and religious purposes, with the possible goal of Persianisation as well. Persians and other Iranic peoples have deeply affected the history of the Bengal Sultanate, with Persian being one of the main languages of the Muslim state, as well as also influencing

9384-420: Was Chittagong which had paid tribute to strong Arakanese kings Ba Saw Phyu (r. 1459–1482) and Dawlya (r. 1482–1492). Min Bin was determined to restore what he called his forebears' rightful realm, which according to him, included all of Bengal, not just Chittagong. If his claim that all of Bengal belonged to ancient Arakanese kingdoms is unfounded, it was nonetheless used by Min Bin as the pretext to exploit

9486-474: Was a daughter of Raza's maternal uncle. He had at least one younger brother named Min Aung Hla, and many half-siblings. In 1502, his grandfather King Salingathu died, and his father succeeded the throne. As king, his father raised three new queens, and made his mother just a minor queen. A few years later, the king appointed Min Pa as a general in the army. In 1513, Raza was overthrown by Gazapati , another son by

9588-530: Was also a major shipbuilding hub. Ibn Battuta visited the port city in 1345. Niccolò de' Conti , from Venice, also visited around the same time as Battuta. Chinese admiral Zheng He 's treasure fleet anchored in Chittagong during imperial missions to the Sultanate of Bengal. Dhaniya Manikya conquered Chittagong in 1513. Hossain Shah sent his noble commander Gorai Mallik to attack Tripura. Gorai Mallik recaptured

9690-473: Was conquered in 1602. In 1615, the Portuguese Navy defeated a joint Dutch East India Company and Arakanese fleet near the coast of Chittagong. In 1666, the Mughal government of Bengal led by viceroy Shaista Khan moved to retake Chittagong from Portuguese and Arakanese control by launching the Mughal conquest of Chittagong. The Mughals attacked the Arakanese from the jungle with a 6,500-strong army, which

9792-562: Was further supported by 288 Mughal naval ships blockading the Chittagong harbor. After three days of battle, the Arakanese surrendered. The Mughals expelled the Portuguese from Chittagong. Mughal rule ushered a new era in the history of Chittagong territory to the southern bank of Kashyapnadi (Kaladan River). The port city was renamed Islamabad. The Grand Trunk Road connected it with North India and Central Asia. Economic growth increased due to an efficient system of land grants for clearing hinterlands for cultivation. The Mughals also contributed to

9894-691: Was located on the southern branch of the Silk Road . In the 9th century, merchants from the Abbasid Caliphate established a trading post in Chittagong. The port fell to the Muslim conquest of Bengal during the 14th century. It was the site of a royal mint under the Delhi Sultanate , Bengal Sultanate and Mughal Empire . Between the 15th and 17th centuries, Chittagong was also a center of administrative, literary, commercial and maritime activities in Arakan ,

9996-449: Was nominal. Like Bengal's sultans before him, he had to contend with raids by "Tripuri tribes" from the north throughout his reign, not just on Dhaka but also on Chittagong and Ramu. Within the year of his conquest of Bengal, he had to send a 5,000-strong army to Dhaka to defend against Tripuri raids. After the rainy season of 1533, he personally led the army to drive out the Tripuri raiders. He

10098-533: Was possessed by the Nawab of Bengal until 1793 when East India Company took complete control of the former Mughal province of Bengal. The First Anglo-Burmese War in 1823 threatened the British hold on Chittagong. There were several rebellions against British rule, notably during the Indian rebellion of 1857 , when the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th companies of the 34th Bengal Infantry Regiment revolted and released all prisoners from

10200-456: Was re-organized in 1887 and its busiest shipping links were with British Burma . In 1928, Chittagong was declared a "Major Port" of British India . During World War II , Chittagong was a base for Allied Forces engaged in the Burma Campaign . The port city began to expand and industrialize during the 1940s, particularly after the Partition of British India . The city was the historic terminus of

10302-407: Was successful, and returned to Mrauk-U on 24 February 1534 (12th waxing of Tabaung 895 ME). Despite the success this time, Min Bin never fully solved the problem of raids by Tripuris. Indeed, when Mrauk-U was under siege by Toungoo forces in 1547, Tripuri forces raided Chittagong and as far south as Ramu. Min Bin had to send a force to drive them out after Toungoo forces retreated. By Min Bin's reign,

10404-448: Was unhappy and sought help from Toungoo, which led to Toungoo's invasion (1545–1547). However Arakanese chronicles disagree that Aung Hla ever betrayed his brother. Min Bin died on 11 January 1554 (8th waning of Tabodwe 915 ME). He was succeeded by heir-apparent Dikkha. Arakanese language Though Arakanese has some similarity with standard Burmese, Burmese speakers find it difficult to communicate with Arakanese speakers. Thus, it

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