Chittagong (Southeast)
Chittagong, the second-largest city in the country, is the principal city of the southeastern administrative division of Bangladesh. It is a thriving port set amid lovely natural surroundings studded with green-clad knolls, coconut palms, mosques and minarets, against the background of the blue waters of the Bay of Bengal.
The Old City retains many echoes of past European settlements, mainly by the Portuguese, as well as many mosques. These include the 17th-century Shahi Jama-e-Masjid – which closely resembles a fort – set astride a hilltop, and the earlier Qadam Mubarek Mosque. The Chilla of Bada Shah stands to the west of Bakshirhat in the old city. The higher ground to the northwest was, in due course, settled by the British, and this is now where most of the city’s commercial activity is conducted. The Dargah of Sah Amanat is a holy shrine located in the heart of the town.
Approximately 8km (5 miles) from Chittagong is the picturesque Foy’s Lake in the railway township of Pahartali. The Tomb of Sultan Bayazid Bostami, a holy shrine situated on a hillock in Nasirabad, is situated 6km (4 miles) to the northwest of the town. At its base is a large tank with several hundred tortoises, supposedly the descendants of evil spirits.
Northeast of Chittagong is Rangamati, a place of scenic beauty and unspoiled tribal life. It is perched on the bank of the humanmade Kaptai Lake. Sitakund, 37km from Chittagong, features famous temples, including Chandranath and Buddhist temples, a hot spring and the supposed footprint of Lord Buddha. In February, there is often an annual pilgrimage to this spot and lasts about 10 days. In the extreme south of Bangladesh is Cox’s Bazar, a thriving regional tourist centre and beach resort, with a mixed population of Bengali and Burmese origin. The town has many thriving cottage industries for weaving and cigar making. This is also where the world’s longest and broadest beach, Inani Beach, can be found; it is 120km (75 miles) long and 55m (180ft) to 90m (300ft) broad (depending on the tide). It has not, however, been fully developed for tourism. The main tourist beach is Patenga, which is also broad and long. Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation offers excellent accommodation and catering facilities (see Contact Addresses section).
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