Culture of Sylhet

Unique cultural and economic development, and linguistic differences (Greater Sylhet region was a part of Assam and Surma Valley State for much of the British Raj in comparison to the rest of Bangladesh), and given that Sylhet has, for most of its recent history, been a region of a larger entity. As so many Sylhetis are resident abroad, Sylhet has a major flow of foreign currency from non-resident Bangladeshis. The major holidays celebrated in Sylhet include traditional and religious celebrations, Muslim festivals are the Eid-ul-Fitr after Ramadan and Eid-ul-Fitr. Colourful Hindu festivals celebrated by the Hindu community, are the Raspurnima, Jhulan Jatra and Roth Jatra. Cultural or nationalistic celebrations include the Language Movement Day, this is where wreaths are laid at the Shaheed Minar paying tribute to the martyrs, the Bangladeshi Independence Day, Victory Day celebrated with parades by school and academies, and the Pohela Baishakh—celebration of the Bengali New Year.

There are large shopping malls in the city, cosmetics and confectionery is mainly available in Bondor Bazar, handicrafts and textiles stores can be found in Zinda Bazar, these include the Al-Hamra Shopping City, Bluewater, Sylhet Millenium, Sylhet Plaza, Shukria Market and many others. These malls sell many items in particular from a wide range of sarees. Majority of these shoppers are from the middle-class and visiting expatriates. Restaurants from different types of cuisines are available, such as the Agra Restaurant, Chinese and Thai food is also sold in Hamadan Restaurant or Royal Chef. The cuisine in Sylhet is quite similar to that shared across the country which is rice with chicken or meat curry, it does however have different staples of fish such as the Pabda fish, and the citrus fruit known as shatkora is used for flavour in curries, which is grown primarily in the Sylhet region.

All Bangladeshi television channels are available as in throughout the country via cable or satellite, such as Channel i, NTV or ATN Bangla in the Bengali language including many other Indian channels. There are no national television stations based in Sylhet or broadcasting programs in Sylheti, however the British-owned Channel S has a team, correspondents and reporters based in the city and the region mostly with Sylheti programs. The main newspapers produced in the city includes Sylheter Dak, Jalalabad, Manchitra, Probasha Protidin, Daily Sylhet Sanglap, and Aajker Sylhet. The first Grameenphone Centre opened in Sylhet on 20 May 2007, which was the first telecommunication centre in the city. The most celebrated personalities in Sylhet include Shah Jalal, who was one of the greatest saints in the region, credited for the conversion of people in the Bengal region. His tomb lies in the Shah Jalal Dargah Mazar Sharif in the north, which is still as used as a place of pilgrimage, M. A. G. Osmani was the commander-in-chief of the Bangladesh Forces during the Bangladesh Liberation War, and Abdus Samad Azad, was the first politician from Sylhet to be a member of the cabinet in the government. Sylhet has also influenced much of the music in Bangladesh, notable legends include Hason Raja, Radha Romon and Shah Abdul Karim who have produced Bangladeshi folk music.

Sylheti attachment to their regional identity also continues in the efforts of many Sylhetis to keep marital relationships within the same regional cultural background. Sylheti people are considered as a distinct ethnic group in Bangladesh; this is mainly because of language differences between the standard Bangla language, and the Sylheti language and they are fiercely protective of their language. There are also many cultural and customary differences between Bengalis and Sylhetis. Many Sylhetis only marry within the Sylheti-speaking community, and not people from other regions of Bangladesh. They are also more family-orientated and follow a community type of culture, and are more conservative Muslims. These stereotypes have led to some rivalry between non-Sylhetis and Sylhetis, due to differences of cultural customs. Marriages are practiced in a traditional Bengali Muslim style, with the gae holud ritual, and the prayers.

Osmani International Airport,Sylhet airport

Osmani International Airport is located 5 miles north-east of Sylhet in Bangladesh serving as the country's third international airport. The airport is operated by the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) and is served by Biman Bangladesh Airlines, the national airline which at one point earned most of its revenue from this airport, GMG Airlines, the first private airline in Bangladesh, United Airways (Bangladesh) and Royal Bengal Airline, British-Bangladeshi owned airlines operating domestic services in Bangladesh.

The vast majority of passengers using the airport are expatriate Bangladeshis and their descendants from the Sylhet Division living in the United Kingdom.

Expansion

The airport was initially served by domestic flights from Shahjalal International Airport by the country's national airline Biman Bangladesh Airlines. After many years of lobbying by expatriates living in the UK, limited expansion of the airport was carried out to enable medium-sized aircraft, such as the Airbus A310 used by Biman, to operate. The work was completed in October 2002 and the airport was designated an international airport by the government. However, the airport was not up to international standards to be capable of fully accommodating international flights due to many shortcomings with the instrument landing system and runway lighting system and was seen as a move to stave off pressure by the government.

Nevertheless, on 3 November 2002, the airport received its first international arrival. Biman flight BG020 from Kuwait via Abu Dhabi landed at 10:05 with 215 passengers en-route to Dhaka. The disembarking passengers on the inaugraul flight were greeted by then Finance & Planning Minister, M Saifur Rahman and State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism, Mir Mohammad Nasiruddin. For a brief period, Biman also operated a direct service from London but was later re-routed via Dhaka.

Additional expansion of the runway and improvements to the runway lighting and airport facilities were commenced in 2004 to enable wide-bodied aircraft to safely land and takeoff from the airport.

The South Asia Transport and Trade Facilitation Conference report of 2006 (by the United States Trade and Development Agency) noted that the development of the airport "up to the standards of an international airport" to "encourage private sector participation in air transport" were projects that were under consideration by the government.

Work started in 2006 to upgrade the terminal facilities to enable handling of international flights. The improvements include construction of a new terminal building, two Jetways and a taxi-way. In May 2007, the foreign affairs adviser, informed journalists that the works were on scheduled for completion in June 2007. He also confirmed that Biman will be operating Hajj flights directly from the airport during the Hajj season later in 2007. However, the runway expansion works had not been completed in June with the foreign affairs adviser indicating in August that "minor dressing work" still remained. The work was finally finished in December 2008. A new budget has been passed that said that the airport is getting a new refueling system,expanding the airports and the runway and adding two new more runways,it is getting new instruments for control tower and runway,new terminal,6 more jet ways,and lighting instruments for all runway the project is suppose to start in 2011 and suppose to end at 2014 these new improvements will turn the airport into a true new international airport,it is said to that Antonov An-225,Boeing 747-8 or or even any larger aircraft then that could land easily.

History

Osmani International Airport was built during British rule of the Indian Subcontinent, partly to check Japanese aggression from Burma.

The airport was formerly known as Sylhet Civil Airport but was re-named after General M A G Osmani, a Bangladeshi Independence War hero. General Osmani was born in Sylhet in 1918 and served as the Supreme Commander of the Mukti Bahini (Freedom Force) and Bangladesh Armed Forces during the Bangladesh Liberation War.

Airlines Destinations

Biman Bangladesh Airlines Abu Dhabi, Cox's Bazar, Dhaka, Dubai, Jeddah, Muscat, Riyadh , London- Heathrow

GMG Airlines Dhaka

United Airways Dhaka, London-Gatwick

Regent Airways Dhaka

Transport in Sylhet

Main transport systems used in the city are Cycle rickshaws, auto rickshaws (mainly known as baby-taxis or CNGs), buses, mini-buses and cars. There are about 80,000 rickshaws running each day. Bus service prices have increased as of 2008, up to 30% higher, prices ranges from Tk4 to 15.95. Sylhet is well connected by highways and railway links to Chittagong and Dhaka, as well as other parts of Sylhet. Highway links to India have been established through the Asian highway. The Sylhet Railway Station is the main railway station providing trains on national routes operated by the state-run Bangladesh Railway.

The city of Sylhet is served by Osmani International Airport, located at the north of the city. It is Bangladesh's third busiest airport and became an international airport due to the demand of expatriate Bangladeshis and their descendants from the United Kingdom and the United States. The main frequent airlines of the airport are, Biman Bangladesh Airlines,United Airways (BD) Ltd. and domestic flights with GMG Airlines. The airport received its first international arrival on 3 November 2002, with Biman arriving from Kuwait via Abu Dhabi en-route to Dhaka.[94] Work started in 2006 to upgrade the airport to international standards, including a new terminal building, a jetway, a taxiway, and expansion of the runway to accommodate wide-bodied aircraft. It was confirmed that in May 2007, Biman will be operating Hajj flights directly from the airport later in 2007. British Bangladeshi-owned airlines, Air Sylhet and Royal Bengal Airline are also seeking landing rights to the airport in order to provide a better service to the expatriate community in the UK.

Big wins vs Saudia, BD, boost up Pakistan in BFAME Bridge

Chennai, May 28 (IANS) Indian men's and women's teams maintained steady course and continued to lead the field in 16th Bridge Federation of Asia and Middle East (BFAME) Bridge Championship at Hotel Chola Sheraton here Saturday.

At the end of the third match of the round robin two, Indian men led with 155 Victory Points (VPs) while the women's team remained at the top collecting 141 VPs .

In the men's section, India were followed by Pakistan (146), Saudi Arabia (111), Bangladesh (104), Jordan (103) and Sri Lanka (85).

In the women's category, Jordan put up a better show than their men's team and were third behind Pakistan who have so far collected 119 points.

Commenting on Indian women team's performance, non-playing captain Arijit Guha said: "Except for the setback against Palestine on the second day, my players performed well so far. I am sure they will rise to the occasion and qualify for the next World championship for the Bermuda Bowl trophy.

In the Men's section the hosts are followed by Pakistan and Saudi Arabia with 146 and 111 VPs, while Bangladesh, Jordan and Sri Lanka are placed third,fourth and sixth with 104, 103 and 85 VPs respectively.

In the Women category after the second match of the round robin three, Jordanian women put up a little better show than their Men team and are positioned at the third spot behind Pakistan.

Pakistan have so far collected 119 points while Jordan and Palestine women have got 115 and 105 points respectively in this championship.

Commenting on Indian women team’s performance, non-playing captain of the team Arijit Guha said: “Except the set back against Palestine on the second day, my players performed well so far. I am sure they will rise to the occasion in the rest of the matches and qualify for the next world championship for the Bermuda Bowl. trophy.

Pakistan spearheaded by veteran Rashid-ul-Ghazi-Tehseen Gheewala, Tahir Masood, Javed Miran-Hasan Askari, and Hasan Jawad played intelligently and smartly to defeat Saudi Arabia 17-13 in the eighth round, information available here said.

Earlier in the 17th round, Pakistan thrashed Bangladesh 20-10. They beat Jordan 25-4 to record their biggest win in the event so far.

2009 runners-up, Pakistan has started badly by losing 9-21 to defending champions India but since then they have shown a good recovery to maintain their second slot in the six team points ladder.

India maintained their fine run when they beat Bangladesh 22-8 in the 8th round and Saudi Arabia beat Jordan 17-13.

Indians are enjoying top position with a whooping 155 Victory Points (VPs), Pakistan is placed second 6 points behind the arch rival with 149 VPs.

Saudis are occupying third place with 111, followed by Bangladesh (104), Jordan (103) and Sri Lanka (83).

The Pakistan Ladies team put up a great show in the 9th round when they went down fighting against India 14-16 in a thrilling encounter.

Pakistan team comprising Zeenat Azwer, Fizza Adamjee, Qudsia Dossa, Rubina Agha, Shamim Mahmood and Farida Ahmad played skillfully before losing narrowly.

Like the open team event, the hosts Indians also lead in Ladies competition with 141 VPs followed by Pakistan (118), Jordan (118) and Palestine (105).

Seven killed in Bangladesh lightning strikes

Seven people were killed and 10 others injured on Friday in two lightning strikes in Bangladesh's Delduar sub-district of Tangail district, 92 km northwest of capital Dhaka. Rafiqul Islam Khan, chairman of Laohati Union Parishad, the bottom tier to the local government bodies in Bangladesh, said they heard peals of thunderbolt at about 2:00 p.m. local time. "A group of people, who were harvesting Boro paddy (winter paddy)at a field during the time, were hit by the lightning and six of them died on the spot," he was quoted as saying by website of leading English newspaper The Daily Star, and adding that 10 others were also injured. The injured were sent to different hospitals in the district.

A group of people harvesting Boro paddy (winter paddy) in a field at the time were hit by the lightning and six of them died on the spot," he was quoted as saying on the website of leading English newspaper, The Daily Star, which added that 10 others were also injured and sent to different hospitals in the district.

In another lightning incident, one villager from another village in the same sub-district also died while he was harvesting Boro paddy in a field.

Lightning is very common at this time of the year, particularly in rural Bangladesh, a flat, low lying river delta country, as climatic tumult clashes with the change from the dry season to the rainy summer season.

Danish footballer in line to represent Bangladesh

DHAKA: Bangladesh have included Danish-born midfielder Jamal Bhuyan in their provisional squad for next month's 2014 World Cup qualifier against Pakistan, making him the first European-based player to be called up.

"For some time we have been scouting talent among Bangladeshis living abroad and Jamal is the one we are really looking at," said Badal Roy, chairman of the national team management committee.

"We saw his game on the internet and talked to him over the phone. He is really keen to play for Bangladesh," said Badal.

Jamal, son of a Bangladeshi family living in Denmark, was born and brought up in Copenhagen and played for FC Copenhagen, one of the country's top clubs, at under-19 level.

The midfielder, who moved to second tier team Hellerup IK on a free transfer in 2009, was brought to the attention of Bangladesh by an agent, officials said.

Jamal, who has a Danish passport, will have a trial under Bangladesh's Croatian coach Robert Rubcic who will then decide whether to include him in the final 18-man squad.

Born to a Bangladeshi family living in Denmark, Bhuyan was born and brought up in the Copenhagen and also played for FC Copenhagen at Under-19 level.

Explaining the decision to include the 21-year-old in the provisional squad, chairman of the national team management committee Badal Roy said: "For some time we have been scouting talent among Bangladeshis living abroad and Jamal is the one we are really looking at.

“We saw his game on the internet and talked to him over the phone. He is really keen to play for Bangladesh.”

However, the decision to include Bhuyan, who possesses a Danish passport, in the final 18-man squad rests with the national team coach Robert Rubcic.

For some days we are scouting talents among Bangladeshis living abroad and Jamal is the one who we are really looking for. We saw his game on the internet and talked to him over phone. He is really keen to play for Bangladesh,’ said Badal.

Badal said Jamal, who holds a Danish passport, will arrive in Dhaka in mid-June to face a trial. If coach Robert Rubcic likes him he will be picked to play for Bangladesh in the World Cup pre-qualifiers against Pakistan.

Bangladesh will face Pakistan in the first leg match on June 29 in Islamabad and the return leg will be held at the Bangabandhu National Stadium on July 3.

The BFF will trim down the 27-member squad to 18 before Rubcic starts his training camp.

Apart from the inclusion of Jamal, the preliminary squad features no surprises. Seasoned player Enamul Haque, Waly Faisal and Tauhidul Alam Sabuj did not find any place in the squad yet again having been overlooked in AFC Challnge Cup in March.

Export sector welcomes WRAP Dhaka Office

Bangladesh is set to start building the long-awaited Padma Multipurpose Bridge, which could cut travel time between Dhaka and its key port of Khulna to three hours from 12 hours, thanks to a nearly US$420 million finance package from Japan even as it struggles to recover from the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.

Completion of the 6.15-kilometer four-lane bridge, to be built at an estimated cost of $2.97 billion, could add 0.56% to Bangladesh's annual gross domestic product. The bridge will connect the southwestern part of Bangladesh, where 25 % of the total population lives, to other parts of the country. Part of the rationale for construction was the improvements in regional transportation and logistics within the Indian subcontinent, according to Japan, which initiated a feasibility study for the project in 2005.

The $420 million Japan has allotted to the bridge in a May 18 agreement is part of a bigger package worth $670 million that also spans water supply and business development projects and is the biggest financial assistance to Bangladesh from Japan in the past four decades. Further funding gaps that the Bangladesh government had desperately sought to fill were closed on May 24 when the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) agreed to provide a $140 million loan.

Other financiers include the World Bank, which has approved around $1.2 billion and committed an additional $300 million, and the Asian Development Bank (ADB), who is expected to sign an agreement with Bangladesh worth $615 million on June 6. Any shortfall in the construction costs of the bridge will be met by the Bangladesh government.

While IDB, ADB and the World Bank are providing loans, the Japanese package has a 87.07% grant element involved, with ''a concessionality of the loan the highest with 0.01% annual interest rate, 10-year grace period and 40-year repayment period',' Tamotsu Shinotsuka, the Japanese ambassador, said.

Japanese agreement for funding the bridge removes uncertainty following the earthquake and tsunami that ravaged the country's economy in March and allows the tendering process to start for construction work.

Bangladesh has become an international powerhouse in the textiles and apparel sector,” said Steve Jesseph, CEO of WRAP. “As international brands and retailers increasingly rely upon our certification to meet their compliance needs, we wanted to have a local office to better serve the factories and management, and to provide a wider range of training services to benefit all factories in Bangladesh. We are investing in Bangladesh and plan to hire additional staff in the near term as we expand our certification program to the leather and footwear, automotive, pharmaceutical and ceramics sectors, and more,” he added.

Former BGMEA president and current president of the Exporters Association of Bangladesh, Mr. Salam Murshedy, welcomed the opening of the WRAP office in the country and said foreign buyers feel comfortable with factories which have WRAP certificates. “WRAP conducts rigorous compliance inspections and if a factory has the certificate, most of the buyers do not go through their own compliance inspection,” he said.

“We see tremendous potential for the growth of Bangladesh industry and look forward to working closely with our partners and stakeholders, and above all, the wide range of manufacturers,” said Avedis Seferian. “We are fully committed to Bangladesh. This is my 12th trip to Dhaka and Chittagong in the past three years,” he added. “I may have to take an apartment if I continue to travel here so often.”

Since 2000, WRAP has certified labor-intensive consumer products facilities in over 70 countries and currently has 187 facilities certified in Bangladesh.

We have no indigenous population, Bangladesh tells UN

UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues has urged Bangaldesh government to declare a timeline for the execution of 1997 Chittagong Hill Tracts Peace Accord.

At the end of its 10th session on Friday, the forum also asked Bangladesh to sketch modalities of implementation and persons and/or institutions responsible for implementation of the accord.

Ignoring Bangladesh's claim that the forum had no standing to discuss about the peace accord, its chairman said "the case is intricately related to the mandate of the forum", as the accord's two objectives were aimed at re-establishing peace and to provide institutional arrangements for regional autonomy, the official UN website said.

The UN body made the remarks upon recommendations put forth by UN Special Rapporteur Lars-Anders Baer, also a former member of the forum.

In his study report, he said 14 years after its signing, many critical clauses of the accord, which aimed to establish a regional system of self-government, remained unimplemented, or only partially addressed.

He further said delayed implementation could result in continued widespread human rights violations, violent conflicts and military control.

The Bangladesh first secretary to the UN denied the allegations of dilly-dallying in execution and also binned the report saying the forum had no locus standi to discuss the peace accord, since there were no "indigenous" people in the country.

Instead, Iqbal Ahmed labelled them as "minorities".

The peace accord between the then Awami League government and Parbatya Chattagram Jana Sanghati Samity (PCJSS) ended the decade-long bush war between the indigenous people and the army.

PCJSS chief Jyotirindra Bodipriyo Larma or Santu Larma on Friday alleged that the government did not fulfill its pledge to implement the accord. "In Awami League's election manifesto, the party claimed it would end forever violence, discrimination and human rights violations on the indigenous and the religious minorities.

UN report recommended, among others, developing “a mechanism to strictly monitor and screen the human rights records of [Bangladesh] army personnel prior to allowing them to participate in peacekeeping operations under the auspices of the United Nations."

While working on the report, Lars Anders met with the CHT civil administration and cabinet members including the foreign minister and CHT affairs minister, law minister and land minister.

He also submitted the report to the government but did not get any response, the press release added.

"We urge upon the UN forum to dedicate its valuable time to discuss issues related to millions of indigenous people all over the world and not waste time on issues politically concocted by some enthusiastic quarters with questionable motives," said Iqbal.

After his comment, government delegations from Denmark and Guatemala, representatives of international indigenous population and international human rights groups emphasised that Bangladesh has not done enough to implement the peace deal.

Bangladesh does not have any ‘indigenous’ population’ .… The accord has nothing to do with ‘indigenous issues’ and therefore, the government of Bangladesh reiterates its position that the forum, which is mandated to deal with ‘indigenous issues’, does not have any locus standi in discussing the issues related to the CHT Peace Accord,” Iqbal told the session.

“We urge the (UN) forum to dedicate its valuable time to discuss issues related to millions of indigenous people all over the world and not waste time on issues politically concocted by some enthusiastic quarters with questionable motives,” he added.

Raja Devasish Roy, who is also the traditional chief of the Chakma community in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, said: “The permanent forum is mandated to deal with issues of indigenous peoples, irrespective of what term the governments use to refer to their indigenous peoples: ‘tribes’ or ‘ethnic minorities’ or otherwise.’

Referring to the parties to the accord, Devashish said that the state reneges on its promises and the non-state party has no other option but to approach the UN.

Mangal Kumar Chakma of the Parbatya Chattagram Jana Sanghati Samiti, which signed the 1997 accord on behalf of the hill people, said, ‘Lack of sincere political commitment and hostile bureaucracy, both civil and military, are the main elements hindering the implementation of the CHT accord.

Barisal City

Barisal City, বরিশাল Bariśāl, is an old port on the Kirtankhola on the northern shore of the Bay of Bengal in southern Bangladesh. It is now the divisional headquarter of the Barisal Division and consists of 30 wards and 50 mahallas. The area of the town is 19.99 km². Barisal municipality was established in 1957 and was turned into a City Corporation in 2000.

Barisal City has one police academy.

Durgasagar: with an area of about 2,500 hectare, is the largest pond or dighi of southern Bangladesh. It is located at Madhabpasa village of babuganj upazila, about 11 km away from barisal town. Locally it is known as Madhabpasha Dighi. According to a desire of Rani Durgavati, mother of Raja Joynarayan, the dighi was dug in 1780 (1187 BS). There are coconut trees around the dighi which together with the dighi are bounded by brick-walls. In the middle of the dighi, there is an island with bushes. Migratory birds usually come here during winter. The surrounding areas of the dighi has now been turned into a picnic spot.

Barisal is a rice producing center of Bangladesh. Balam (a kind of baasmati) is the most popular rice in Barisal. It is also famous for Betel Leaf, a typical south Asian chewing item. As Barisal is surrounded by river so fish is plenty in there.It is said..

"Dhan (paddy) nadi (river) Khal (canal) ai tine Barisal."

Means, paddy,river and canal this three thing makes Barisal.

Coconut is very common in there as it is a costal area. Hog Plum in Barisal is very famous.

Exports: Fish, medicine, bidi (local tobacco) and handicrafts.

Barisal was a semi-independent area in Mughal period because of heavy fighting between them and Hindu chiefs. In course of time, it fell under Bengal Nawabs and British India, later passed to Bangladesh.

Following the partition of India in 1947, the area of Bangladesh became a province of Pakistan, initially known as East Bengal, and then, from 1955, as East Pakistan. The people of East Pakistan Province declared their independence as the nation of Bangladesh on March 26, 1971, while fighting a savage war against the central Pakistani government. The separation from Pakistan took place, with extensive aid from India, on December 16, 1971 as a result of the third Indo-Pakistan War. Bangladesh was soon recognized by most other nations, although Pakistan withheld diplomatic recognition until 1974 and China did not recognize the nation until 1976. Bangladesh was admitted to the United Nations in 1974.

The central city of this region is the city of Barisal. It is one of the biggest river ports in Bangladesh. It is a city with nearly 0.38 million people and a divisional headquarter, medical college, cadet college, some pharmaceutical industries, textile industries and the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority's head office. Barisal is fast growing city of the country stands on the Kirtankhola River. Country's first short landing and take off airport has been completed in Barisal and a private Airlines named Air Bengal has begun its regular air flight between Dhaka Tejgaon Airport and Barisal.

The city is sometimes called the "Venice of the East" or the "Venice of Bengal".

Population

According to an estimate of 2008 Barisal has a population of 210,374; male 53.28%, female 46.72%. Literacy rate among the town people is 85%.

Population by Religion

Muslim 90.64%; Hindu 8.38% and Christian 0.98%.

Mosque: 130, church: 5

Temple: More than 200

Transport

Road: 200 km

Airport: 1

Port: Internal port

River is also a popular transport system with other district.The luxurious launch journey connects between the south and Dhaka city. It is one of the most enjoyable night journey ever you could get in your life. The launches are really royal, majestic and with pomp and 

Name of some Bus in Barisal route. 1. Eagle Paribahan 2. Sakura Paribahan 3. Druti Paribahan 4. Hanif Enterprise 5. Ilish Paribahan.

Noted Barisailese

Abala Bose, social reformer and wife of Jagadish Chandra Bose

A.K. Fazlul Huq, (Mayor of kolkata (1935, first Muslim mayor of kolkata), Prime Minister of undivided Bengal (1937–1943) and of East Bengal (1954), Home Minister of Pakistan (1955) and Governor of East Pakistan (1956–1958)

Altaf Mahmud noted bengali film song composer and one of the martyred intelligentsia in 1971.

Amal Kumar Raychaudhuri, physicist

Anil Biswas (composer) noted Hindi and bengali film song composer

Aroj Ali Matubbar, noted Astronomer and Philosopher.

Aswini Kumar Dutta, social reformer and philanthropist

Abul Hasnat Abdullah - Pioneer of Peace Treaty

Jibanananda Das, famous Bengali poet.

Kamini Roy, famous poetess and first woman graduate with honours in the subcontinent.

Kadambini Ganguly, first female graduate and first female physician in the entire British empire

Kusumkumari Das, poetess and mother of Jibanananda Das

Mithun Chakraborty, famous actor.

Mohiuddin Jahangir (Bir Shreshto) was a Captain in the Bangladesh Army during the 1971 Liberation War. The main gate of Dhaka Cantonment- "Shaheed Jahangir Gate" is named in his honour.

Pannalal Ghosh renowned musician and flutist

Partha Dasgupta, eminent economist.

Parul Ghosh, Hindi and bengali film singer

Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi, Minister of parliamentary affairs and information, India.

Salman Khan, Founder of Khan Academy

ShantiSudha Bose @ Kanak Dutta freedom fighter and vocal artist

Sufia Kamal, poetess

Sushmita Sen, famous actress.

Shaheed Abdur Rob Serniabat - Great politician

Surendra Nath Dutta - noted freedom fighter

Swadesh Ranjan Dutta - poet and pioneer to small stories in bengali literature

Tapan Raychaudhuri, noted historian.

Tofazzal Hossain Manik Miah Founder Editor of The Daily Ittefaq.

Utpal Dutt (29 March 1929 – 19 August 1993), was an Indian actor, director and writer-playwright

Rangpur, Bangladesh

Rangpur, রংপুর, is one of the major cities in Bangladesh. Rangpur is considered as the centre of northwestern Bangladesh. Recently established public university of Bangladesh named as "The University of Rangpur" is situated in the southern part of the city. Earlier Rangpur was the headquarter of Greater Rangpur district. Later the Greater Rangpur district was broken down into Rangpur, Kurigram, Nilphamari, Lalmonirhat and Gaibandha districts. As a hub of trade, business and non-governmental organisational activities its influence over the districts under Greater-Dinajpur is also considerable.

Lifestyle

For shopping, there are two large shopping complexes. One is the older "Municipal Super Market", a three-storied building with a variety of small shops selling everything from soap, shoes and clothes to motorcycles, TVs and fans. There is a more modern building called the Jahaj Company Shopping Complex which has Rangpur's only escalator. At the top of this building is a department store, selling a wide assortment of children's toys, Indian kurtas, shalwar kameezes and saris, and other collectibles.

Karupanya is another store on Station Road which sells Rangpur's famous Satranji handloom carpets, which have earned acclaim for their extraordinary aesthetic appeal. The carpets were made in the village of Nishbetganj and were greatly popular in the Mughal era. In fact, it is believed that emperor Akbar used these carpets to adorn his palace in Delhi.

Karupanya was established the cottage industry of Satranji at Nishbetganj village. Starting with just five weavers, he has increased to more than 300 weavers today and is now exporting to foreign countries on a small scale. One can purchase a Satranji carpet at the Karupannya showroom in Rangpur or in Banani, Dhaka.

Places of interest

Rangpur Divisional Head Quarter Building and Museum- The Divisional Headquarter Office Building at Tajhat, the southern end of Rangpur city. This was the earlier high court building established in 1984 called the Tajhat, a former "rajbari" or zamindar's palace. After the end of the British Raj, the building was abandoned and decayed rapidly, although it was used for a few years as a courthouse during the 1980s. In the year 2004, it was largely restored and turned into a museum which hosts an impressive collection of Blackstone Hindu carvings, calligraphic art from the mughal period, other objets d'art and coins from the area on display. Due to lack of funding, the museum is sometimes closed. The entry fee for non-Bangladeshi tourists is 200 taka.

Carmichael College is located in the southern part of the city and just a few minutes' drive from Rangpur city centre. It is one of the most important educational institutes in northern part of Bangladesh. It is famous for its lush green campus.

Established in 1969, "Rangpur Cadet College" is an important educational institute in this city which is situated 5 kilometer far from city at Modern (the then Residential Model School) cross-section.

Rangpur Zila School is the most famous school in this region of Bangladesh, established more than a century ago. It gained a high reputation. It is located in the Cross-section of 'RDRS, Dhap and Kerani Para' of the city.

RDRS (Rangpur and Dinajpur Rural Service) Bangladesh , an NGO in northwest Bangladesh, has a large office and guesthouse/convention center in the CITY of Rangpur.

Shyampur: It is a very well known place in Rangpur district under the Badargonj police station. It is very popular for Shyampur Sugar Mills Limited. Here is a chemical industry as well as few cold storage.

Pirgachha: Pirgachha is one of the up zillas in Rangpur that carries some interesting aspects. The name is derived from some unknown "pir"(religious guru), buried under a tree("gach"). In other words, there was this tomb of a "pir" under a big tree in Pirgachha. Pirgachha has a Rajbari, home of the Jomider (barons, if you will, or landlord, appointed by the King at that times). This one historic residence is now almost ruined. Also, there is a minitarure prayer place such as a mosque (for Muslim) and a mondir(for Hindu) built together. It shows a friendly Hindu-Muslim community at those ages. This one is also being ruined everyday.

People from Rangpur

William Beveridge, British economist who wrote the Beveridge Report that influenced United Kingdom to implement welfare state policies after World War II.

Chittagong, চট্টগ্রাম,

Chittagong, চট্টগ্রাম, Chôţţogram, is a city in southeastern Bangladesh and the capital of an eponymous district and division. Built on banks of the Karnaphuli River, the city is home to Bangladesh's busiest seaport and has a population of over 2.5 million, making it the second largest city in the country.

Located between the Chittagong Hill Tracts and the Bay of Bengal, Chittagong is a major commercial and industrial center as much of Bangladesh's export and import passes through the Port of Chittagong. The port has extensive facilities which are undergoing further development as Bangladesh prepares to serve as a transit country between North East India, Nepal, Bhutan, Southwest China and parts of Burma.According to a report released by International Institute for Environment and Development, Chittagong is among the ten fastest growing cities in the world. Much of the city is surrounded by hilly terrains, and is experiencing rapid urban growth along with increased congestion.

During the early 17th centuries the city was called by the Portugese by the name Port Grande then a part of the Arakan Kingdom, before falling under Mughal rule in 1666. It was later renamed by the Mughals as Islamabad. In 1930, Bengali revolutionaries led by Surya Sen launched the Chittagong uprising against the British Raj, during which British armories, telegraph and telephone offices in the city were attacked and hundreds of Europeans were assassinated in the Chittagong Club. During the Burma Campaign of the Second World War, Chittagong's port served as a major supply line for Allied forces while its airport was a major station for US Air Force combat aircraft. After the Partition of India, the city became a part of East Pakistan. During the Bangladesh Liberation War, Chittagong witnessed some of the heaviest fighting with the Mukti Bahini attacking Pakistani navy ships and the Indian navy firing missiles at Pakistani naval installations. It was in Chittagong where Awami League leader M A Hannan and liberation war hero and future Bangladeshi president Ziaur Rahman famously announced the declaration of independence of the country on behalf of independence leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Chittagong was also where the assassination of President Ziaur Rahman had taken place during a failed mutiny in 1981.

More than six hundred years ago an Islamic preacher Hazrat Badar Aawlia arrived in this city from the seas and chose Cheragi Pahar as his vantage point to spread the message of Islam among the locals. It was at the apex of this hill that the he lit a chati (lamp) and called out (ajaan) for people to join him in saying prayer to God. Chittagong's etymology can then be traced unmistakably back to "chati." And the hills are at the core of Chittagong's mythology.

Another theory is that the first group of brahmins to have settled in this region (after it was incorporated into Bengal from the Arakanese) were 'chatt-upadhyays'. Hence this region came to be known as chatto-gan (gan is the prakrit/bengali term for village). A fact confirming this theory is that the majority of the kayastha of this region were of the kashyap gotra, which is also the gotra of the Chattopadhyays.

History of Chittagong

Chittagong has been a seaport since ancient times. Arabs traded with the port from the 9th Century AD. The Chittagong region was under the Vesali kingdom of Arakan during the Sixth to Eighth Centuries and under the Mrauk U kingdom of Arakan in the 16th and 17th Centuries. Chittagong had been under the control of the Arakanese or kings of Arakan for hundreds of years. An account by historian Lama Taranath has revealed a Buddhist king Gopichandra had his capital at Chittagong in the Tenth Century, and according to Tibetan tradition, Chittagong was the birthplace of the Buddhist Tantric Tilayogi, who lived and worked in the Tenth Century. In the Fourteenth Century, explorer Ibn Battuta passed through Chittagong during his travels.

Sultan Fakruddin Mubarak Shah of Sonargaon conquered Chittagong in 1340. Sultan Giasuddin Mubarak Shah constructed a highway from Chittagong to Chandpur and ordered the construction of many lavish mosques and tombs. After the defeat of Mahmud Shah in the hands of Sher Shah in 1538, the Arakanese regained Chittagong. From this time onward, until its conquest by the Mughals, this region was under the control of the Portuguese and the Magh pirates (a notorious name for Arakanese) for 128 years.

The Mughal Commandar Shayesta Khan and his son Buzurg Umed Khan expelled the Arakanese from the area in 1666 and established Mughal rule there. They renamed Chittagong as Islamabad. The city was occupied by Burmese troops shortly in First Anglo-Burmese War in 1824 and the British increasingly grew active in the region and it fell under the British Empire. The people of Chittagong made several attempts to gain independence from the British, notably on November 18, 1857 when the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th companies of the 34th Bengal Infantry Regiment stationed at Chittagong rose in rebellion and released all the prisoners from jail but were suppressed by the Kuki scouts and the Sylhet Light Infantry (10th Gurkha Rifles).

Chittaong grew at the beginning of the twentieth century after the partition of Bengal and the creation of the province of Eastern Bengal and Assam. The construction of the Assam Bengal Railway to Chittagong facilitated further development of economic growth in the city. However, revolutionaries and opposition movements grew during this time. Many people in Chittagong supported Khilafat and Non-Cooperation movements.

The Great Chittagong Uprising of 1930 and the Aftermath

Revolution was never far from the surface and one group of Bengali youths under the leadership of Masterda Surya Sen formed the secret Republican Army. He set up camps for revolutionary youths to train in guerilla tactics against the British occupation of India. The members of the revolutionary groups believed in armed uprisings for Indian independence to liberate India from the oppressive and exploitative British colonial rule. The leader was Masterda Surya Sen. Apart from Surya Sen, the group included Ganesh Ghosh, Lokenath Bal, Nirmal Sen, Ambika Chakrobarty, Naresh Roy, Sasanka Datta, Ardhendu Guha, Harigopal Baul, Tarakeswar Dastidar, Ananta Singh, Jiban Ghoshal, Anand Gupta, Pritilata Waddedar, Kalpana Dutta and Suresh Dey. Also among them was 14-year-old Subodh Roy (d. August 27, 2006). He too was jailed in the Andaman Islands but released in 1940.

Surya Sen devised the strategy of capturing the two main armouries in Chittagong and then destroying the telegraph and telephone office, followed by capital punishment of the notorious members of the "European Club", the majority of whom were government or military officials involved in maintaining British Raj in India. Firearms retailers were also to be raided; and rail and communication lines were scheduled to be disrupted. The plan was put into action at 10 o'clock on April 18, 1930. As per plan, the armoury of the police was captured by a group of revolutionaries led by Ganesh Ghosh and another group of ten, led by Lokenath Baul took over the Auxiliary Force armoury. Unfortunately they could not locate the ammunition. The revolutionaries also succeeded in dislocating telephone and telegraph communications and disrupting the movement of the trains. Total sixtyfive revolutionaries took part in the raid, which was undertaken in the name of the Indian Republican Army, Chittagong branch. After the successful raids, all the revolutionary groups gathered outside the police armoury where Surya Sen took a military salute, hoisted the National Flag and proclaimed a Provisional Revolutionary Government. The revolutionaries left Chittagong town before dawn and marched towards the Chittagong hill ranges, looking for a safe place

After a few days, the police traced some of the revolutionaries. They were surrounded by several thousand troops while taking shelter in the Jalalabad hills on the outskirts of Chittagong on the afternoon of April 22, 1930.

Over 80 British troops and 12 of the revolutionaries were killed in the ensuing gunfight. Surya Sen decided to disperse into neighbouring villages in small groups and the revolutionaries escaped accordingly. Very few revolutionaries fled to Calcutta (present Kolkata), while some revolutionaries were arrested in Chittagong.

Many of the revolutionaries managed to reorganize the broken group. On 24 September 1932, 8 young rebels led by Pritilata Waddedar attacked the European Club. During 1930-32 , 22 officials and 220 non- officials were killed by the revolutionarists in separate incidents.

The so-called "first armoury raid case" (i.e. The Great Chittagong Uprising) concluded in January 1932 and the judgement was delivered on March 1, 1932. The sentences were deportation for life for 12, three years' imprisonment for 2 and the rest of a total of 32 persons on trial were acquitted. The Chittagong revolutionaries suffered a fatal blow when Masterda Surya Sen was arrested on February 16, 1933 from Gairala village, because of a tip-off from a traitor in the group. He was tried and was hanged on January 12, 1934.

Culture of Chittagong

Port city from early times, Chittagong attracted people from various regions of the world. These international contacts left a lasting impact on the language, religion and culture of the city. The people of the city are diverse and multi-ethnic, and the native Bengali and Tibeto-Burman populations have had significant influence from Arab, Afghan, and Mughal traders and settlers, all of whom had traveled in the city after arriving on its shores many hundreds of years ago. There are many Tibeto-Burman tribes that have been influenced by Bengali culture also living there, such as the Chakma tribe. The descendants of Portuguese settlers, known as the Firingi, also continue to live in Chittagong, as Catholic Christians, in the old Portuguese enclave of Paterghatta. Chittagong is home to many of the historic Christians of Bangladesh. In 1927, the city was made the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Chittagong. With the influx of foreigners, Chittagong became a melting pot of races. Here, majority of the urban people are involved in the import-export, trade-commerce and various industrial and business activities along with many other private and government sector occupations like other port Cities of the globe. The people of Chittagong are very enterprising and have always been found ready to leave their hearth and home in search of better opportunities. Chittagong is also home to several universities, Chittagong University (established in 1966), Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (CUET), and the Asian University for Women.

Lungi or dhoti is the most common costume for men and Saree for women. Rice and fish is the staple food of the people. Because of close affinity to the sea, seafood is quite popular. Vegetables commonly found in the market are gourds, pumpkins, various legumes, etc. Fruits include jack fruits, ice-apples, coconuts, bananas, custard apple, etc.Shutki mach/dried fish is a specialty. Chatgaiya song is the most popular local song. Shefali Ghosh and Shamsundar baisnab are the legendary artists of this song. Maizvandari song and Kobial lodai are two other most famous local music. kobial romash shil is very much popular for that. Prominent musical band Souls, LRB, Renesa, Nogorbaul is from Chittagong. Kumar Biswajit, Ayub Bacchu, Tapan Chowdhury, Nakib Khan, Arnob, Sandipan Achariya, Mila, Partho Barua are also from Chittagong. Dance is another famous cultural sector of Chitttagong. Runu Biswaas prominent national figure in dance is from Chittagong. Leading Cultural organizations of Chittagong are Drishty Chittagong, Bodhon abriti porishad, Proma, Anarya,Onnoshawr,Alauddin lolitkala academy, Rabindrasangit shilpi songstha, Fulki, Ghungur, Prapon Academy, Arjya Sangit somiti, Dhrubo parishad, Udichi, Roktokarabi, sangit Bhaban . Prominent model Nobel, Moutusi, srabosti, Imtu is from Chittagong. Shilpakala Academy, Shishu Academy, Thetre Institute of Chittagong, Muslim hall are the most famous places for cultural programme.

Chittagong is the home town of Dr. Mohammad Younus, founder of Grameen Bank, the pioneer of Microcredit, who won Nobel Prize in Peace in 2006.

Education in Chittagong

Educational facilities in the city are substantially provided by the Ministry of Education, supplemented by the service provided by the City Corporation, NGOs and the private sector. Chittagong University, Chittagong Medical College and Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology are totally funded by the government. Chittagong is home to two of the nation's most prominent public universities, and is the site of one of Bangladesh's largest universities, the University of Chittagong, established in 1966. The university is located in a remote place from the city (22 km north) of Chittagong. Therefore, it has free shuttle trains service from 7:00 A.M. to 8:00 P.M. for students. There are bus services for the faculties and other staffs. With a modest beginning of 4 departments in 1966, the University of Chittagong has grown to 8 individual faculties, 35 departments, 3 institutes and 3 research centers. It has 3 affiliated Medical colleges under the Faculty of Medicine and 1 Veterinary Medicine College under the faculty of Veterinary Medicine. The veterinary medical college has recently been upgraded into a separate University. As such the number of faculties at present is 7. Current student enrollment is more than 15,000.

The other public university is Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology

established in 1968. Formerly, it was named Bangladesh Institute of Techonology (BIT). At present this university, with only about 2100 students and 8 academic departments, strongly emphasis in theoretical, applied, and interdisciplinary scientific and technological education. In addition to these, the university undertakes research works sponsored by local industries and national/international organizations, such as United Nations Organizations, Commonwealth Foundation, University Grants Commission, etc. As a center of excellence, CUET is not only continuing as the focal point for the development and dissemination of engineering and technological knowledge within the country, but also it is involved to solve complicated practical problems of national importance faced by the planners, engineers and technologists of the country. The University is situated by the side of the Chittagong-Kaptai road some 25 kilometers off from the center of Chittagong City.

The Asian University for Women (AUW) is another famous higher education centre located in Chittagong,is being established as a leading institution of higher learning for women.

At present, in Chittagong, there are some more private universities like [www.southern-bd.info, BGC Trust University Bangladesh](2002),International Islamic University Chittagong (IIUC)(1995)University of Science and Technology-USTC(1992), Southern University Bangladesh(1998), Premier University (PU), and University of Information Technology & Sciences.]. Recently Chittagong Govt Veterinary College(CGVC) has been upgraded to Chittagong Veterinary and Animal Sciences University(CVASU) which is consisting of one faculty with 300 students providing theoretical, out campus work based learning and excellent scientific and technological education. It is the first university in Bangladesh of this type.

Some examples of private medical colleges of Chittagong are: Chittagong Ma O Shishu Medical College, Southern Medical College, Chittagong International Dental College, BGC Trust Medical College, university of science & technology ctg (1992).

Chittagong has public, denominational and independent schools. Public schools, including pre-schools, primary and secondary schools and special schools are administered by the Ministry of Education and Board of Education. Conspicuous examples of government schools in Chittagong are Chittagong Collegiate School (1836), Chittagong Government High School (1906),Ctg cantonment public college(1961), Government Muslim High School (1909), Nasirabad Government High School, Chittagong Government Girls' High School, Dr. Khastagir Government Girls' High School (1878), Hazi Muhammad Mohsin Government High School, Kazem Ali High School (1885), Aparnacharan City Corporation Girls' High School (1927), Krishna Kumari City Corporation Girls' High School, Municipal Model High School (1880), City Girls' School Chittagong,Hathey Khari School (1976) etc.

On the other hand, Chittagong possesses lots of government and non governmental primary school. It also has so many English medium schools like William Carey Academy (Best School), Chittagong Grammar School, Mastermind School, Cider International School, Sunshine Grammar School, Radiant School etc. In the city, Institute for Islamic and general study (Madrasha) are also available such as Baitush Sharaf Ideal Kamil Madrasah(1982), Darul Ulum alia Madrasah (1913), Jamiya Ahmadia Sunnia Alia Madrasah (1954) and Nesaria Alia Madrasah

Chittagong College (1869),Government Commerce College (1948) Hazi Muhammad Mohsin College (1979), Chittagong Government Girls' College (1957), Faujdarhat Cadet College (1958),Port Authority High School,Port(1959), Enayet Bazar woman College (1970), Government City College (1954),B.A.F Shaheen College,Chittagong,Hazera Tazu Degree College, Chittagong Cantonment Public College, Ispahani Public College, Agrabad woman college, etc. are the main colleges of this city.

Tourism in Chittagong

City of Chittagong is a major tourist attraction in Bangladesh. Its green hills and forests, its broad sandy beaches and its fine cool climate always attract the holiday-markers. Described by the Chinese traveler poet, Huen Tsang (7th century AD) as "a sleeping beauty emerging from mists and water" and given the title of "Porto Grande" by the 16th century Portuguese seafarers. Chittagong is filled with dense green forests, endless rolling hills, a moderate climate and breathtaking beaches. Since the 7th century, Chittagong has been mentioned in many documents as a seaport of mystical beauty and magnificent charm. The bustling harbor stands in stark contrast to the tranquility and peaceful surroundings of the city.

Chittagong Hill Tracts

The Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) comprising an area of 13,180 km2 in south-eastern Bangladesh, is the only hill intensive area of Bangladesh. CHT consisting Rangamati, Khagrachari and Bandarban districts is home to country's largest concentration of at least 11 different ethnic groups and is a unique part of the country both in terms of landscape and its people. The ethnic groups are bound together by a shared history, years of peaceful cohabitation, and a common future. They differ from the majority Bengali population of Bangladesh in their physical features, culture and religion. However, nearly all the indigenous peoples also include traditional indigenous elements in their formal religious beliefs and practices.

Patenga beach

Patenga Beach is a popular tourist spot. The beach lies approximately twenty kilometers outside the city of Chittagong, and located near to fascinating landmarks including the Shah Amanat International Airport and the BNS Isha Khan Naval Base. It is located at the 'Karnaphuli' River mouth and stretches to the Bay of Bengal which ensures a constant influx of travelers and visitors from home and abroad. The beach width is narrow and swimming in the seas is not recommended. Part of the seashore is built-up with concrete walls. Also large blocks of stones have been laid out to prevent erosion. During 1990s a host of restaurants and kiosks have sprouted out around the beach area. After the sun-down, drug-peddlers start to approach visitors. Also, alcohol peddling is very common. Lighting of the beach area has enhanced the security aspect of visiting in the evening. Vendors from the city flock to Patenga Beach to sell their selection of ice creams, cold drinks and food to the hundreds of tourists who come to Patenga Beach. The beach is lined with massive shady palm trees and fishing boats. It is quite sandy, with a few rocky patches here and there. Most visitors come to 'Patenga' Beach as it is known for having some of the most stunning sunsets and sunrises in Bangladesh.

Foy's Lake

Foy's Lake is a human-made lake in Chittagong, Bangladesh. The lake was once just a lake and spillway constructed by Assam-Bengal Railway engineer. It was dug in 1924 and was named after the English engineer Mr. Foy.The lake is next to Batali Hill, the highest hill in Chittagong Metropolitan area. An amusement park, managed by the Concord group, is located here which features usual theme park rides and attractions as well as boat rides on the lake, landscaping, restaurants, concerts with floating stages, scenic walking trails and many other fun activities. The park includes a water theme park, resort and an amusement center. The Chittagong Zoo is next door. Chittagong is known as the land of saints, darwishes and fakirs. Several mosques and shrines bear testimony to their presence in the city.

Heritage Park

There is a heritage park called Shaheed Zia Memorial Complex and Mini Bangladesh at Chandgaon which reflects the most notable structures and instances of Bangladesh. This 71-metre tower in Mini Bangladesh in Chittagong has a restaurant on the top that rotates once every 90 minutes. The museum includes a revolving restaurant. One can perceive of the country's architectural beauty, ethnic traditions and archaeological inheritance through having a glimpse of the heritage park. Replica of major structures of the country, includes Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban (parliament building), National Memorial of Savar, Ahsan Manzil, Curzon Hall of Dhaka University, Paharpur Monastery, Kantajew Temple of Dinajpur, Lalbagh Fort and Sona Masjid. The park also has different rides for children.

Chittagong Ethnological Museum

The Chittagong Ethnological Museum, country’s lone ethnological museum, offers the visitors the chance to acquaint with the lifestyles and heritage of various ethnic groups of the country. It was established in 1965. The museum authorities had collected rare elements used in everyday lives of different ethnic groups, of which some had already become extinct while some were on the verge of extinction. The museum contains four galleries and a small hall. Three galleries of the museum feature diverse elements of 25 ethnic groups, including Chakma, Marma, Tongsinga, Khumi, Murang, Sautal, Garo, Chak, Monipuri, Palia, Tipra, Hajang, Lusai, Shimuji, and Bom while the rest gallery displays the lifestyles of some racial groups of India, Pakistan, and Australia. The sculptures of the people of different ethnic communities and a piece of broken Berlin Wall draw the visitors especially the children who can get impression of different festivals, livelihoods, and cultures of the communities from the murals set up at the hall room. These are reminiscent of the museum in the film 'Planet of the Apes'. People between 200 and 300 visits the museum every day in addition to a number of researchers from home and abroad.