Chittagong Port - The Largest Sea Port of Bangladesh

The Port of Chittagong is the principal Port of the People's Republic of Bangladesh. It is situated on the right bank of the river Karnafuli at a distance of about 9 nautical miles from the shore line of the Bay of Bengal. River Karnafuli rising in the Lushai Hill falls in the Bay of Bengal after taking a winding course of 120 nautical miles through the districts of Chittagong Hill Tracts and Chittagong.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND      

Chittagong Port Office

The history of Chittagong Port can be traced back to the 4th century BC. During the 9th-15th century AD, Chittagong was known as ‘SHETGANG’ to earlyEuropean mariners. In the 16th century, Portuguese sailors took great interest in the locality around Chittagong which was then popularly known as ‘PORTE GRANDE’. The port was established at its present location in 1887. By 1910, four jetties were constructed to handle 0.5 million tons of cargo annually. Since then the port has grown gradually to its present shape.

SEAWARD LIMIT

With Patenga Beacon as centre if an arc is drawn seaward with a radius of 5.5 nautical miles till it intercepts the coast line at positions :-

Lat 220 18'45" N. Long. 91046'30"E in the North and Lat 22008'13"N.Long 91050'00"E in the South, the area enclosed within the extremities if the arc will from the Seaward limit of the Port of Chittagong.

SERVICE AND FACILITIES

Pilotage is compulsory for ocean going vessels. The entrance to the river is constantly changing and no vessel should attempt to enter without pilot. Pilot boards approximately 2 nautical miles seaward of the outer Bar Buoy.

In the moderate heavy weather a lee must be made for the Pilot Boat. The vessel receiving a Pilot is required to wait at the pilot ground near the entrance all clear of anchor taking into consideration the effect of tide and other conditions to facilitate boarding of the pilot in good time to be able to avail of the tide for entering and berthing etc. The propelling distance from the pilot ground to the main jetties is approximately 11 nautical miles and the distance has to be covered at variable speed in defferent sections of the river. Inward ships must present themselves at pilot ground at least 3 hours before the high water to enter on a particular day. This of course, is subject to the availability of berth and having permissible draft and length etc.

The ship movements generally commence about 5 to 5 hours before the day's high water and the tides have been termed Day or Night taking this factor into consideration.

During the spring tide/Freshet/Foul weather vessels under 7 knots will not be normally handled and such vessels will be classed grade 2 for operation purpose. Agents of such vessel are required to consult the Deputy conservator well in advance.

Masters are advised to manoeuvre with great care while receiving and disembarking pilots.

Vessels due for entering in the next 24 hours must anchor in Anchorage B. Keep R.T. Watch at least 3 hours before the pilot boarding time and also display her signal letters.

Incoming vessels normally enter with the flood time. The normal manoeuvre is to snub with the starboard anchor and proceed to berth/mooring after heaving up and finally go alongside using the port anchor.

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman - The Father Of Nation

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman

Some of the biographers of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman have said that he was the most astonishing and much talked about leader in South East Asia. Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman charismatic leader, President and Prime Minister of Bangladesh. Bangabandhu, the architect of Bangladesh, was a founding member of the East Pakistan Muslim Students League (est. 1948), one of the founding joint secretaries of the East Pakistan Awami Muslim League (est. 1949), general secretary of the awami league (1953-1966), president of the Awami League (1966-1974), president of Bangladesh (in absentia from 26 March 1971 to 11 January 1972), prime minister of Bangladesh (1972-24 January1975), president of Bangladesh (25 January 1975-15 August 1975).

Birth:

Born on 17 March 1920 in the village Tungipara under the gopalganj Sub-division (currently district) in the district of Faridpur. He was born in a middle class Bangalee family. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's father, Sheikh Lutfar Rahman, was a serestadar in the civil court of Gopalganj.

Education:

Sheikh Mujibur Rahman passed his matriculation from Gopalganj Missionary School in 1942, IA (Twelfth Grade) from Islamia College, Calcutta in 1944 and BA from the same College in 1947.

Early Political Life:

His political life began as an humble worker while he was still a student. He was fortunate to come in early contact with such towering personalities as Hussain Shaheed Suhrawardy and A K Fazlul Huq, both charismatic Chief Ministers of undivided Bengal. Adolescent Mujib grew up under the gathering gloom of stormy politics as the aging British raj in India was falling apart and the Second World War was violently rocking the continents. He witnessed the ravages of the war and the stark realities of the great famine of 1943 in which about five million people lost their lives. The tragic plight of the people under colonial rule turned young Mujib into a rebel.

Sundarban Bangladesh - World Biggest Mangrove Forest

The Sundarbans are the largest littoral mangrove belt in the world. In Bangladesh tourism, Sundarban plays the most vital role. A large number of foreigners come to Bangladesh every year only to visit this unique mangrove forest. Besides, local tourists also go to visit Sundarban every year. The area of great Sundarban is approximately 6000 sq. km.

General Information about Sudarban:

Sundarban

AREA:

Nearly 2400 sq. miles or 6000 sq. km. FOREST LIMITS: North-Bagerhat, Khulna and Sathkira districts : South-Bay of Bengal; East-Baleswar (or Haringhata) river, Perojpur, Barisal district, and West-Raimangal and Hariabhanga rivers which partially form Bangladesh boundary with West Bengal in India.

The forests aren't just mangrove swamps though, they include some of the last remaining stands of the mighty jungles which once covered the Gangetic plain. The Sundarbans cover an area of 38,500 sq km, of which about one-third is covered in water. Since 1966 the Sundarbans have been a wildlife sanctuary, and it is estimated that there are now 400 Royal Bengal tigers and about 30,000 spotted deer in the area.

CLIMATE:

Rainfall is heavy and humidity high (80%) due to the proximity of the Bay of Bengal. About 80% of the rain fall in the monsoon, which lasts from June to October. Mean annual rainfall varies from about 1,800mm at Khulna, north of the Sundarbans, to 2,790mm on the coast. There is a six-month dry season during which evapotranspiration exceeds precipitation. Conditions are most saline in February-April, the depletion of soil moisture being coupled with reduced freshwater flow from upstream. Temperatures rise from daily minima of 2-4°C in winter to a maximum of about 43°C in March and may exceed 32°C in the monsoon. Storms are common in May and October-November and may develop into cyclones, usually accompanied by tidal waves of up to 7.5m high (Seidensticker and Hai, 1983). Climatic data for Khulna are summarised by Christensen (1984).

Royal Bengal Tiger

MAIN ATTRACTIONS:

Wildlife photography including photography of the famous Royal Bengal Tiger, wildlife viewing, boating inside the forest will call recordings, nature study, meeting fishermen, wood-cutters and honey-collectors, peace and tranquility in the wilderness, seeing the world's largest mangrove forest and the riverine beauty.

FAMOUS SPOTS:

The main tourist spots in Sundarban are Karamjol, Katka, Kochikhali, Hiron point and Mandarbaria. Hiron Point (Nilkamal) for tiger, deer, monkey, crocodiles, birds and natural beauty. Katka for deer, tiger, crocodiles, varieties of birds and monkey, morning and evening symphony of wild fowls. Vast expanse of grassy meadows running from Katka to Kachikhali (Tiger Point) provides opportunities for wild tracking. Tin Kona Island for tiger and deer.

 CULTURAL HERITAGE:

There is archaeological evidence of earlier human occupation on the deltaic islands. The human settlements are indicative of the former presence of abundant freshwater, both from the Ganges and from non-saline ground water. Human occupation ceased in the 17th century, reportedly due to pirate attacks (Christensen, 1984).

SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND FACILITIES:

Considerable research has been carried out on the Sundarbans ecosystem and its wildlife. Hendrichs (1975) undertook a three-month field study of tiger, concentrating on the problem of man-eating, and other vertebrates and invertebrates, in 1971. Other fauna1 surveys include those of Gittins (1981) and Khan (1986) for rhesus macaque, Khan (1986) for spotted deer, Sarker and Sarker (1986) for birds, and Sarker (1985a, 1985b) and Sarker and Sarker (1985) for birds of prey. About 500 foreign tourists visited the area in 1996 plus 5000 domestic tourists, the majority at the South Wildlife Sanctuary.

Mahasthangarh (City Of Pundravardhan) – One Of The Tourist Attraction In Bangladesh

Mahasthangarh (Physical setup) so far the oldest archaeological site of Bangladesh, lies on the western bank of river karatoya, about 12 km north of Bogra town, and is connected by a good metalled road.

This 3rd century archaeological site is still held to be of great sanctity by the Hindus.

Mahasthan, the present name of the ancient city known as "Pundurunagar (Pundranagar)". The word ‘Mahasthan’ means a place that has excellent sanctity and ‘garh’ means fort. The extensive ruins of Mahasthangarh presents a glorious past of about two thousand and five hundred years of Pundranagar, the capital city of ancient Pundra Vardhan Bhukti. About four thousand years ago Pundurunagar was an affluent and strong settlement.

The mighty Maurya, Gupta and other rulers had their provincial capital there. Even the initial capital of the Pal dynasty was Pundurunagar. The ruins of this great ancient city is situated on the western bank of river Korotoa, which is indeed a past glory not only of Bogra but also of whole Bangladesh.

From the archaeological evidence it is proven that the site was provincial capital of the Mauryans, the Guptas, the Palas, and the fudal Hindu kings of later period. Beyond the citadel, other ancient ruins found within a radius of 7/8 km in a semi-circle in the north, south, and west which testify the existence of extensive suburbs. It is worth quoted that Yuen Chwang, the famous chinese pilgrim visited the Pundra Vardhana in between 639-645 A.D. Sir Alexandar Cunningham rightly identified the current Mahasthangarh as Pundranagar at 1879 following the description left by Yuen Chwang.

The whole area is rich in Hindu, Buddhist, and Muslim sites. The Buddhists were here until at least the 11th century. Their most glorious period was the 8th to the 11th centuries, when the Buddhist Pala emperors of North-Bengal ruled. It is from this period that most of the visible remains belong. The citadel was probably first constructed under the Mauryan empire in the 3rd century B.C. It fell into disuse around the time of Mughal invasions. Most of the visible brickwork dates from the 8th century, apart from that added during restoration. Outside the citadel, there is a remaining of a 6th-century Govinda Bhita Hindu Temple, which looks like a broken-down step pyramid.

After the Muslim conquest of Bengal in the early 13th century, the city lost its role of capital. It was nevertheless occasionally occupied through the centuries, as attested by the mosque and the tomb of Shah Sultan Mahisawar (17th century).

Rickshaw Art - A beautiful Creativity

Rickshaw is not only moves with the passenger and other load, but it moves with a museum full of folk arts. Every inch of the Rickshaw is well decorated with paintings, tassels, tinsel and colourful plastic and hood works. Rickshaw hoods, foot holds, seats and in the back side, even in frame and in chassis there is a sign of art. A painted rectangular metal board at the backside, between the two wheels, leaves a trail of passion that the Rickshaw artist puts in his creations. In a word a Rickshaw of Bangladesh is a burn of colours

In eighties to nineties the elites of Bangladesh scorned rickshaw art as vulgar while at the same time many fine artists of the country took it seriously as an expression of the taste and interests of the masses. What sort of art is rickshaw art? I consider it “peoples’ art”. It is not necessary to force it into a unitary category as it combines folkloric, movie, political and commercial imagery and techniques. It serves the expression of heart’s desires of the man in the street for women, power, wealth, as well as for religious devotion. Rickshaw art also serves prestige and economic functions for the people who make use and enjoy it.

Rickshaw Painter

Rasid, a rickshaw painter, paints a tin plate fixed to the lower rear part of the rickshaw body at a garage in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Thursday, Sept. 3, 2009. Rickshaw painting is a unique art and the tricycle Rickshaw is one of the most popular modes of transport in Bangladesh.

Kaptai Dam - Karnafuli Hydro Power Station, Bangladesh

Kaptai dam is the one and only dam of Bangladesh that is used to generate hydro-electric power.  The only hydropower plant in the country is located at kaptai, about 50 km from the port city of chittagong. This plant was constructed in 1962 as part of the 'Karnafuli Multipurpose Project', and is one of the biggest water resources development project of Bangladesh. The water storage capacity of the Kaptai dam is 11000 km2.

Kaptai Dam

After being commissioned in 1962, the plant could feed the national grid with 80 MW of electricity. In later years, the generation capacity was increased in two phases to a total of 230 MW. The plant not only plays an important role in meeting the power demand of the country but is also vital as a flood management installation for the areas downstream.

Under the guidance of then Chief Engineer (Irrigation) Khwaja Azimuddin, the construction site was chosen at present location of the dam in 1951. The International Engineering Co. Inc. (IECO) was engaged for a study on the project. Utah International Inc. was selected as construction contractor.

The earth-filled dam Kaptai is an earth-fill dam. It is 45.7m (36m MSL or mean sea level) high and 670.6m long. The maximum width is 7.6m and width at the foot is 45.7m. The 16-gated spillways, each 12.2m by 11.3m, can together pass a flow of 625,000 cusec. The average annual flow in the reservoir is approximately 15,646 MCM. The flood absorption capacity is 8.25 million Ac-ft and the flooded area at 33m MSL is 777 sq km.

In 1962, the the dam, spillway, penstock and two units of powerhouses were built. Each of the powerhouses was capable of generating 40MW of electricity. In November 1981 another 50MW generating unit was completed. In October 1988 the 4th and 5th generating units were installed which raised the total generation capacity to 230MW. The total cost of Unit 1, Unit 2 and a part of Unit 3 was Rs. 503 million and the total cost of extension was Tk. 1,900 million. The spillways was constructed on the left side of the main dam. The 16 gated (each 12.2 m X 11.3 m) spillway have discharge capacity of 625000 cusec. The construction of these system (dam, spillways and others) required to excavate 113400 cubic m. The dead storage at 23.16m above MSL is 1.18 million ac-ft. Flood storage capacity is 0.83 million ac-ft. 

Fokir Lalon Shah - Lord Of Folk Song

Fokir Lalon Shah

Fakir Lalon Shah also known as Lalon Shah (c.1774–1890), was a Bengali philosopher poet. He lived in the village of Cheuria in the area known as Nodia in the Bengal Presidency of British India, corresponding to the district of Kushtia in present-day Bangladesh. Lalon composed numerous songs and poems which describe his philosophy.

Among his most popular songs are khachar bhitor auchin pakhi, jat gelo jat gelo bole, dekhna mon jhokmariay duniyadari, paare loye jao amay, milon hobe koto dine, aar amare marishne maa, tin pagoler holo  mela, etc.

Lalon Shah Fakir was a Baul guru , and singer and composer of Baul songs .According to tradition, he was born into a Kayastha family in the village of Bhandara in Kushtia .As a young boy, Lalon caught smallpox and was abandoned in a critical condition by his parents . Siraj Sain , a Muslim faqir , picked up the child and nursed him back to health . Lalon was later inducted as baul faqir . He set up his akhda at Chheuriya , where he lived with his wife and a few disciples .

As a humanist who completely rejected all distinction of caste and creed .He was also a fine poet and lyricist , whose songs are sung not only by his followers but also by non-Bauls .In 1963, a mausoleum and research centre were built at the site of his akhda. Thousands of Bauls come to the akhda twice a year, on Dol-purnima in the month of Falgun(February-March) and in October, on the occasion of his death anniversary .During these three-day song melas, Bauls pay rich tributes to their spiritual; leader.

Lalon Shaha left no written copies of his songs, which were transmitted orally and only transcribed later by his followers .Kangal Harinath Majumdar (1833-1896) was his direct disciple. Rabindrnath Thakur was also inspired by his songs and published some of them in the monthly Probashi magazine of Kolkata . Lalon died at Chheuriya at the age of 116 on 17th October 1890.