ships in Chittagong, 1702
Stone Age fossils and tools unearthed in the region indicate that Chittagong has been inhabited since
Neolithic times. It 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. Many
Sufi missionaries settled in Chittagong and played an instrumental role in the
spread of Islam. making it 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 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 the territories lost. But the following year Dhaniya Manikya again conquered Chittagong. In 1516, Husain Shah decided to conquer Chittagong again. Husain assigned the charge of the land army for conquest of Chittagong to his general Paragal Khan; prince Nasrat, who was made crown prince of Bengal in 1515, was placed in overall command. On Nasrat's order, Paragal Khan advanced from his base on the Feni River. The territory up to the western bank of Kaladan river was placed under his governorship's administration. The hostilities probably ended in 1516, when Mrauk U recognized Bengali sovereignty over Chittagong and northern
Arakan. Bengali conquest of Chittagong is also corroborated by Portuguese adventurer Joao de Silvera who, landing in Chittagong in 1517, stated that Chittagong was a part of Bengal Sultanate. The
Arakanese ruled over Chittagong spanned from the late 16th century to 1666, marking a significant yet turbulent era in the region's history. The
Kingdom of Mrauk U, centered on the west coast of present-day Myanmar, expanded into south-eastern Bengal, with Chittagong becoming a strategic part of its domain. The Arakanese maintained their power through alliances with the Portuguese, who were instrumental in fortifying their control. Chittagong evolved into a centre of trade and piracy during this time, with Portuguese and Arakanese forces frequently raiding Mughal territories. The blending of Bengali, Buddhist, and Portuguese influences made the region a unique cultural and administrative frontier. The decline of Arakanese rule was triggered by political conflicts, including their involvement in the
Mughal succession struggle. The assassination of Mughal prince
Shah Shuja in Arakan strained relations with the Mughal Empire, prompting a decisive campaign led by
Subahdar Shaista Khan in 1666. The Mughals recaptured Chittagong, ending 70 years circa of Arakanese presence. This period left a lasting legacy on the region, highlighting the interplay of trade, politics, and cultural exchange between Bengal and Arakan. 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. s historically dominated Chittagong's skyline in the northeast Bay of Bengal. Traders from Chittagong played an important role in Arakan and
British Burma. 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 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 the
Chittagonian language and writing scripts. 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 the city's jail. In a backlash, the rebels were suppressed by the
Sylhet Light Infantry. 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 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 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.
World War II Thunderbolts lined up at Chittagong in 1944 During World War II, Chittagong became 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 favour of the Allied Forces. Units of 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.
Modern for
British businesses. The
Partition of British India in 1947 made Chittagong 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 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. Banks, shipping companies and insurance firms proliferated 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 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. During 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 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, 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 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 the
Awami League government of Prime Minister Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. ==Geography==