[Bangladesh]Chittagong Port

Profile

The history of Chittagong Port dates back to the 4th century B. C. This old port had sufficient trade with the Middle-East ports, China and other South East Asian countries. The Arabs and Yemeni traders landed at the port of Chittagong in the 9th century A. D. During the 16th century, the Portuguese took grate interest in the locality around Chittagong, which was then popularly known as PORTE GRANDE. The present location of the Port was, however, established in the year 1887. Previously the Port was administreredadministered jointly by Port Commissioners and Port Railway. For Administrative convenience the Port Trust was formed in July,July 1960. The Liberation of Bangladesh in 1971 set a new trend in the external trade of Bangladesh. To cope with the rapid development and expansion of the Port, the government promulgated the Chittagong Port Authority Ordinance in 1976 and dissolved the Port Trust. The Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) is an autonomous Organization,Organization; the Chairman is the Chief Executive of the Authority. The general direction and management of the Authority vests in a board, consisting of a Chairman and not more then four other members who are appointed by the government. The day today administration today, however, is carried on by the Heads of Fifteen departments under the supervision and control of the Chairman and the members. CPA has 414 officers & 8241 staff. Chittagong Port has handled 27,998,7864,070,286 M Tons of Cargo during the year 20034-045. This is the highest record of cargo handled in Chittagong Port, over & above 1916710 vessels have been handled during the same period. CPA has also handled 746,008654,11607,053 TEUS of container during the year 20034-045.1999-2000. In view of the continued growth of container and cargo handling at Chittagong Port, the Authority has taken up three members of development projects. The projects will be financed by the CPA’s own resources. There includes: -Construction of one container terminal at New Mooring area of Chittagong Port having 1000 Meter long berth.Jetty. -Procurement of 141 container handling equipment including four ships to shore Four Quay Gantry crane. -Construction and equipping of one 33K.V. sub-station and revolution of existing 11 K.V. sub-stations. The project has already been completed recently.formulating a Project for Environmental Marine pollution control and Developing a comprehensive environmental Plan for Chittagong Port. In addition to these the Authority has taken up three members of New Project (Investment) these includes: -Chittagong Port Trade Facilitation Project -Capital Dredging in the river karnapuli from Shah Bridge to Sadarghat -Construction of one river based inland Container Terminal at pangaon, Dhaka under joint venture of BIWTA and CPA.

The Historical Background Information

The political status of Chittagong during the early days is rather sketchy. However, from the available records, it appears that in 151 A. D. the war Lord of Magadha named Chandra Surya occupied Chittagong and Arakan and established his Kingdom in the region and the same dynasty ruled up to 5th century A. D. In the 6th Century A. D. Chittagong was annexed by the king of Samatata and ruled by the Khargaraj dynasty for about 100 years. In the 8th century Dharmapal ruled Chittagong for a short period. In the 10th century A. D. Chittagong was annexed by Arakan kingdom. In the last part of 10th centaury, Chang Thump the king of Tripura conquered Chittagong. In the 11-12th century Chittagong was a part of Paga kingdom. King Damadar Dev ruled Chittagong during the 1st part of 13th century. From the writings of European traveller Marco Polo, it appears that in 1273 chittagong was conquered by the Tatar Khans. In the beginning of 14th century A. D. Chittagong was again annexed by Arakan kingdom. In 1340 Fakharuddin Mubarak Shah, the ruler of Sonargaon conquered Chittagong.

From that time up to the emergence of the Pathan rule in the 16th century but with certain brief intervals, Chittagong was ruled by the sultans of Gour. During the year 1538-39 Sher Shah’s General Noazish occupied Chittagong and till 1580 it was ruled by the Afgans. Though the Afghans left Bengal in 1575, Jamal Khan panni ruled Chittagong up to 1580. In 1580 she was re-captured by the Arakans and remained under the occupation till 1665, when Moghul General Shaestha Khan expelled Arakanese from Chittagong and the area from the south of the Feni river to the south of Shankha river was under the occupation of Moghuls. In 1756 Moghul General Adhu Khan of Dohazari Fort occupied the southern part of the river Shankha upto the north of Naf river from the Arakans.

In 1760 the Nawab of Bengal Mir Kashem gave away the ruler ship of this region to the East India Company through a mandate. From that time Chittagong was a part of India under the British rule till the partition of India. In 1971, the then East Pakistan emerged as an independent country known as Bangladesh and Chittagong became the major port of the country.

Introducing Chittagong Port

SHETGANG

The history of Chittagong port dates back to the fourth century B.C. Although the political status of Chittagong and its region in pre-historic time is rather sketchy, but the periplus of the Erythrean Sea documents a vivid picture of the Port of Chittagong. The Yemeni and the Arab traders of Babylon of ancient time used to trade with Greece, Macedonia and in the East with India, Java, sumatra and China. For the purpose of trade they used to call at the Indian ports of Surat, Cochin, Tamralipta and Chittagong. According to Ptolemi, the famous historian, Chittagong was one of the finest port in the near and far east at that time. Malayan history bears that the greatest sailor Buddha Gupta sailed from Chittagong to Malya in the 4th century B. C. Chittagong derives its name from the Arabic word “Shetgang” (shet-Delta, Gang-the river). The Arab traders considered Chittagong to be the delta of the Ganges.

According to the works of Fa-hien, Hieu-en tsng, lbn Battuta, the port of Chittagong mingled with the ancient civilization of the world. Chinese, Turkish and traders from the Middle East and Europe used to trade with this part of the world through the port of Chittagong. Due to the southern part of Chittagong having emerged gradually from the Bay of Bengal, the actual site of the Port changed from time to time.

SAMUNDA

During the 9th century the Muslim traders from Arabia and Yemen started using the port of Chittagong as their base port and its control remained in their hands for quite sometime. During the period the activities of the Port increased tremendously and name and fame of the port reached far and wide. The Port was developed so much by the Arabians that within a period of 100 years she surpassed the great Port of Tamluk. The Arabs called the Port “Samunda”.

“PORTE GRANDE”

In the year 1517 Joaoda Silveria, the first Portuguese Captain reached the Port with his ship “LOPO SOANA” and the year 1526 marked the anchoring of vessels by Captain Caaz Penira at Chittagong. The third Portuguese Capitan Alfonso de Mellow landed at the Port near Chakaria in 1528. the Portuguese commanders who came to Chittagong name the Port as the PORTE GRANDE (a great Port ) and the records show the Porte Grande offered easy access and safe anchorage to ships of 20 feet draught.

BRITISH PERIOD

With the advancement of the British during the 17th and 18th centuries the Portuguese slowly gave way to them. The growing importance of Chittagong as a natural outlet for the Northeastern regions of the then British-India ultimately led to the enactment of Port Commissioner’s Act of 1887 which was introduced on 25th April 1888 and the commissioners for the Port of Chittagong started functioning. Four jetties were built between the period 1899 and 1910 by the Assam Bengal Railway and the Port was administered jointly by the Port Commissioners and Port Railway.

PARTITION OF INDIA

With the partition of India in 1947, the Port of Chittagong was suddenly subjected to heavy pressure of more commercial activities, being the only Port of the eastern zone of the then Pakistan. The railway and the Port immediately undertook a short and long term plan and during the fifties, nine jetties including seven new and a number of pontoon berths and moorings were constructed.

PORT TRUST

Such rapid development necessitated the reorganization of the Port Management and as a result Chittagong Port Trust was formed in July, 1960, to do away with the dual administration of the Port by the Port Commissioners and the Port Railway.

PORT AUTHORITY

Under the “Trust” system administration and quick development of the Port where not found to be picking up to meet the challenge of modernization and expansion. It was felt that more autonomy be given to the management for better administration and rapid development of the Port, hence by an Ordinance in September 1976, the Chittagong Port Authority came in to being.

PROSPECT

Port is a place where international shipping either originates, terminates or transits and thereby of necessity making it highly dynamic subject to keep pace with increasing commercial and economic activities. In spite of constraints in men and material and financial limitations the Port Authority has concentrated all its attention to the development of the Port and better management so as make it the nerve centre of the economic progress.

Contact Address 
Bandar Bhaban 
P. O. Box 2013 
Chittagong-4100 
Bangladesh 
Telex:    : 676256 PORT BJ  
Fax  : 880-31-710593 

Phone   :880-31- 812200-34 (PABX) 

Direct   :880-31- 723721, 712509, 724136, 716160