general information
In fact, the city itself is quite clean, there are many green hills within its boundaries where you can relax from the hustle and bustle. The highest point of the city is Batali Hill, which offers panoramic views of the sea, harbor and city.
Chittagong has many interesting ancient buildings, for example, the massive 18th-century courthouse built by the East India Company. on Magic Hill, which offers a bird's eye view of the city. Chittagong College is one of the oldest and most prestigious educational institutions Bangladesh. The Chandanpura Mosque in the old city is a multi-domed architectural marvel, the Baitul Falah Mosque is the largest in Chittagong.
It is a growing city with a rapidly developing economy. Here, endless new buildings are rapidly rising, the streets are filled with transport: buses, cars, scooters and rickshaws, and the inevitable beggars and street vendors crowd everywhere. Many tourists use the city as a starting point, heading to nearby beaches or traveling to untouched areas inland.
When to come
The best time is from November to March when the weather is cool and dry. But in any case, avoid the monsoon season (June to October).
Do not miss
- Tomb of Sultan Bayezid Bostami, 9th century. near the city of Nasirabad.
- War graves of soldiers who died on the Burma front during the Second World War.
- Shrine of Shah Amanat in the city center. Every day it is visited by hundreds of people who want to pay tribute to the Islamic saint.
- Drive to Sitakunda, about 37 km from Chittagong. There are wonderful temples here, one of which contains the footprint of Buddha.
- Foys Lake is an elegant body of water outside the city, surrounded by a park where it is so pleasant to relax.
In the XVI-XVIII centuries. Chittagong was controlled by Portuguese pirates who called the city Porto Grande.
It turns out this place is not the only one.
Like everything made by man, from cars and trucks to airplanes and locomotives, ships have a lifespan, and when that time is up, they are scrapped. Such large hulks, of course, contain a lot of metal, and it is extremely cost-effective to gut them and recycle the metal. Welcome to Chittagong (Chittagong)- one of the world's largest ship scrapping centers. Up to 200,000 people worked here at the same time.
Chittagong accounts for half of all steel produced in Bangladesh.
After World War II, shipbuilding began to experience an unprecedented rise, a huge number of metal ships were built around the world and more and more in developing countries. However, the question of disposing of spent ships soon arose. It turned out to be more economical and profitable to dismantle old ships for scrap in poor developing countries, where tens of thousands of low-paid workers dismantled old ships several times cheaper than in Europe.
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In addition, factors such as strict health requirements and environment, expensive insurance. All this made scrapping ships in developed European countries unprofitable. Here such activities are limited mainly to the dismantling of military vessels.
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Recycling of old ships in developed countries is currently extremely high also due to the high cost: the cost of disposal of toxic substances such as asbestos, PCBs and those containing lead and mercury is often higher than the cost of scrap metal.
Photo 5. 
The development of the ship recycling center in Chittagong dates back to 1960, when the Greek ship MD-Alpine was washed up on the sandy coast of Chittagong after a storm. Five years later, after several unsuccessful attempts to re-refloat the MD Alpine, it was decommissioned. Then local residents and began dismantling it for scrap.
Photo 6. 
By the mid-1990s, a large-scale ship scrapping center had developed in Chittagong. This was also due to the fact that in Bangladesh, when dismantling ships, the cost of scrap metal is higher than in any other country.
However, working conditions at ship dismantling were terrible. Here, one worker died every week due to occupational safety violations. Child labor was used mercilessly.
Photo 7. 
Ultimately, the Supreme Court of Bangladesh imposed minimum safety standards and also banned all activities that did not meet these conditions.
As a result, the number of jobs decreased, the cost of work increased and the ship recycling boom in Chittagong began to decline.
Photo 8. 
About 50% of the world's scrapped ships are recycled in Chittagong, Bangladesh. 3-5 ships come here weekly. About 80 thousand people directly dismantle the ships themselves, and another 300 thousand work in related industries. The daily salary of workers is 1.5-3 dollars (at the same time work week– 6 days for 12-14 hours), and Chittagong itself is considered one of the dirtiest places in the world.
Decommissioned ships began arriving here in 1969. By now, 180-250 ships are dismantled in Chittagong every year. The coastal strip, where ships find their final refuge, stretches for 20 kilometers.
Photo 9. 
Their disposal occurs in the most primitive way - using an autogen and manual labor. Of the 80 thousand local workers, approximately 10 thousand are children from 10 to 14 years old. They are the lowest paid workers, receiving an average of $1.5 per day.
Every year, about 50 people die during ship dismantling, and about 300-400 more become crippled.
Photo 10. 
80% of this business is controlled by American, German and Scandinavian companies - the scrap metal is then sent to these same countries. In monetary terms, the dismantling of ships in Chittagong is estimated at 1-1.2 billion dollars a year; in Bangladesh, 250-300 million dollars remain from this amount in the form of salaries, taxes and bribes to local officials.
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Chittagong is one of the dirtiest places in the world. When dismantling ships, engine oils are drained directly onto the shore, where lead waste remains - for example, the maximum permissible concentration for lead here is exceeded by 320 times, the maximum permissible concentration for asbestos is 120 times.
The shacks where workers and their families live stretch 8-10 km inland. The area of this “city” is about 120 square kilometers, and up to 1.5 million people live in it.
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The port city of Chittagong lies 264 km southeast of Dhaka, approximately 19 km from the mouth of the Karnaphuli River.
This is the second largest locality Bangladesh and its most famous tourist center. The reason for this is the city’s favorable location between the sea and mountainous regions, a good sea coast with an abundance of islands and shoals, a large number of ancient monasteries of several cultures, as well as many distinctive hill tribes inhabiting the areas of the famous Chittagong Hills. And the city itself during its history (and it was founded approximately at the turn of the new era) has experienced many interesting and dramatic events, therefore it is famous for its characteristic mixture of architectural styles and different cultures.
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The main decoration of Chittagong is the old district lying along the northern bank of the river Sadarghat. Born along with the city itself somewhere at the turn of the millennium, it has been inhabited since ancient times by wealthy merchants and ship captains, so with the arrival of the Portuguese, who for almost four centuries controlled all trade on the western coast of the Malay Peninsula, the Portuguese enclave of Paterghatta also grew here, built up rich for those times villas and mansions. By the way, this is one of the few areas in the country that has still preserved Christianity.
Photo 14. 
Nowadays, in the old part of the city, the fortress-like Shahi-Jama-e-Masjid mosque (1666), the Quadam Mubarak (1719) and Chandanpura mosques (XVII-XVIII centuries), the shrines of Dargah Sakh Amanat and Bayezid Bostami in the heart of the city (there is a large pool with hundreds of turtles, believed to be the descendants of an evil genie), the Bada Shah mausoleum, the magnificent 17th-century court complex on Fairy Hill, and many old mansions of all styles and sizes. Many of them are far from being in the best condition, but by and large this only adds flavor to them. It is also worth visiting the Ethnological Museum in the modern area of Modern City, which has interesting exhibitions telling about the tribes and peoples of Bangladesh, Memorial Cemetery victims of the Second World War, the picturesque Foy Reservoir (approximately 8 km from the city center, locals call it a lake, although it was formed during the construction of a railway dam in 1924), and Patenga Beach.
Beautiful views of the city from the hills Fairy Hill and the British City area. In addition, here, which is important in conditions of constant local heat, cool sea breezes constantly blow, which makes the area a popular place of residence for wealthy residents of the city. However, most tourists stay in the city literally for one day, because main point The main attraction is the hilly areas east of Chittagong.
Photo 15. 
The Chittagong Hills region comprises a large area (an area of about 13,191 sq. km) of forested hills, picturesque gorges and cliffs, overgrown with dense jungle cover, bamboo, vines and wild grapes, and inhabited by hill tribes with their own distinctive culture and way of life. This is one of the rainiest areas of South Asia - up to 2900 mm of precipitation falls here annually, and this is with average annual temperature air around +26 C! The region includes four main valleys formed by the Karnaphuli, Feni, Shangu and Matamukhur rivers (however, each river here has two or three names). This is an atypical area of Bangladesh in terms of topography and culture, where mainly Buddhist tribes live and the population density is relatively low, which has made it possible to preserve natural environment region in a relatively untouched state.
Oddly enough, the Chittagong Hills is the most restive region in the country and therefore visits to many areas are limited (without special permits valid for 10-14 days, you can only visit the Rangamati and Kaptai areas).
Photo 16. 
Here's what they write about working conditions in this place:
“...Using only blowtorches, sledgehammers and wedges, they cut out huge pieces of sheathing. After these fragments collapse like glacier calving, they are dragged ashore and cut into small pieces weighing hundreds of pounds. They are carried onto trucks by teams of workers singing rhythmic songs, as carrying the very heavy, thick steel plates requires perfect coordination. The metal will be sold at a huge profit for the owners who live in luxurious mansions in the city. ...The cutting of the ship continues from 7:00 to 23:00 by one team of workers with two half-hour breaks, and an hour for breakfast (they have dinner after returning home at 23:00). Total - 14 hours a day, 6-1/2 day work week (half a day on Friday free, according to Islamic requirements). Workers are paid $1.25 per day."
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Dismantling of old ships for scrap in Chittagong (Bangladesh).
Dismantling of old ships for scrap in Chittagong (Bangladesh).
Dismantling of old ships for scrap in Chittagong (Bangladesh).
Dismantling of old ships for scrap in Chittagong (Bangladesh).
Dismantling of old ships for scrap in Chittagong (Bangladesh).
Dismantling of old ships for scrap in Chittagong (Bangladesh).
Dismantling of old ships for scrap in Chittagong (Bangladesh).
Dismantling of old ships for scrap in Chittagong (Bangladesh).
Dismantling of old ships for scrap in Chittagong (Bangladesh).
Dismantling of old ships for scrap in Chittagong (Bangladesh).
Dismantling of old ships for scrap in Chittagong (Bangladesh).
Photo 39. 
The original article is on the website InfoGlaz.rf Link to the article from which this copy was made -
And regions of the country. Second The largest city country and the most important port of Bangladesh.
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The city has been known since the 1st century AD. In 1338, Fakhruddin Mubarak Shah captured Chittagong. He built a road from Chandpur to Chittagong. In 1538, the Arakanese restored their rule. The Mughals captured Chittagong in 1666. From 1538 to 1666, the Portuguese raided and practically ruled Chittagong. Since 1760, the city has belonged to the East India Company. During World War II, it was the target of attacks by the Japanese, but they were unable to capture the city, as well as British India. In 1947-1971 it belonged to Pakistan, since 1971 after the war of independence it belonged to Bangladesh. From here, news of the country's declaration of independence spread throughout the country.
Demining the port after the War of Independence
As a result of the war, the berths and water area of the port were mined, and the fairways and berth areas were blocked by sunken ships. The delivery of food was blocked, and the threat of famine loomed over the newly independent country.
Most ships and vessels have a certain service life, which is calculated in tens of years until the equipment has to be regularly changed, and this over time makes repairs unprofitable.
In this case, the so-called ship recycling occurs. Reference: “Ship recycling is the process of dismantling ship equipment, recycling waste or placing it for long-term storage in a safe place. The recycling process is subject to high safety requirements in terms of harm to the environment. Recycling allows materials from a ship to be reused, especially steel. Equipment on board the ship can also be reused. The largest ship recycling sites are Gadani (Pakistan), Alang (India), Chittagong (Bangladesh), Aliaga (Turkey).”
Supertankers and giant cargo ships are the backbone of our global consumer society. Hundreds of meters in length, carrying millions of tons of cargo around the world inspires confidence. The construction of one such giant is almost a feat in the world of technology. However, the life and final resting place of these steel giants even more intriguing. Even when big ships are no longer seaworthy, and repairs are not economically viable, the material from which they are built still matters. Nowadays, shipbreaking yards tend to be located in third world countries, in places far from the sight of supermarket-loving people, where cheap labor and environmental laws are virtually non-existent. It is in such shipyards that large ships end their days, dismantled piece by piece by hand, and completely deprived of the possibility of restoration.
20 km northwest of the city of Chittagong (Bangladesh) in the town of Fauzdarhat, the coast is dotted with ships doomed to death. There are more than twenty shipbreaking yards occupying a 16-mile coastal zone. It's an industrial desert of epic difference, where thousands of workers are forced to sign up for a miserable existence among the hulking iron ruins, working without basic protection and risking injury or toxic fumes from exposure to asbestos and other hazardous materials.
Chittagong is just one of many such places on the planet. International organizations such as GREENPEACE are already trying to raise public awareness of the looming threat to the ecosystem and the health of people, especially shipbreaking workers. Of course, there is still some hope that public pressure will force major shipping companies to implement so-called “green fleets” more widely in developed countries.
shipbreaking yards in Bangladesh
The breakdown in Bangladesh began in 1960, when a hurricane left a giant cargo ship stranded off the coast of Chittagong in the Bay of Bengal after a powerful cyclone. The ship's owners abandoned it, and local residents began to slowly dismantle the ship, cutting out metal and removing equipment. This incident is considered to be the beginning of the shipbreaking industry in Bangladesh, which gradually expanded and by the mid-1980s, Bangladesh had become one of the major shipbreaking nations in the world. Some of the world's largest decommissioned ships today scratch the vast coastline north of Chittagong, which is the country's second largest city and major seaport.
Environmental policies and laws do not work here, and wages are among the lowest in the world. This is what forced enterprising residents to start such a business. Shipbreaking beaches, which were already prohibited in most countries at that time, could be established in Bangladesh without any problems. Poverty and millions of people without education were looking for a means of livelihood. They then became the cheap labor needed for the shipbreaking industry. No major investments are required to organize ship dismantling. All you need is a large winch, some blowtorches and maybe a bulldozer. Labor in this industry is extremely cheap, and environmental and labor standards can be ignored. That is why shipbreaking in Bangladesh is quite a profitable business with minimal risk for shipowners and investors. The shipbreaking industry in Bangladesh is valued at around $1.5 billion annually.
Around the world, about 700 ocean-going ships are scrapped every year and more than 100 of them are sent to the shipyard in Bangladesh. Some of the "local" vessels reach sizes of 350 meters. It is believed that 30 percent of the world's tonnage was written off in Bangladesh between 2000 and 2010. Since then, the shipbreaking business has seen a slight decline due to the global economic downturn and stricter enforcement of national laws and regulations. However, now it is gaining momentum again and the number of shipbreaking yards is growing every year. According to experts, from 30 to 50 thousand people are employed in this industry in Bangladesh. In addition, another 100 thousand are indirectly involved in the business. Most workers are hired by shipyards through local contractors. A worker earns about 1-3 dollars a day depending on the type of work. Typically, 300-500 people are involved in dismantling a ship, and the material removed is of great value to the local economy. In particular, recycled steel is used in construction, and cookers can then be installed on new ships. Thanks to the ship graveyard, about 70-80 percent of the steel used in Bangladesh comes from shipbreaking yards in Chittagong. One of the most valuable parts of a ship or vessel is the propeller, which costs between 50 and 100 thousand dollars. Screws and other parts High Quality exported to other countries. The most worthy items taken from damaged ships are also exported to countries in Europe and Asia. In the ship graveyard you can find everything from huge generators, refrigerators, industrial faucets, kitchen sinks and sofas, cutlery and spice sets, and even unused toilet paper.
However, shipbreaking work is very dangerous. It includes many risks associated with human health. Workers are often exposed to asbestos, used for insulation in older ships, and ship paint containing lead, cadmium and arsenic. Each ship contains an average of 7,000 to 8,000 kg of asbestos and 10 to 100 tons of lead paint. Deaths often occur here due to gas poisoning, explosions and fires. Sometimes workers fall from high sides where they work without safety nets. Many people work in gas welding without protective masks, without even shoes, not to mention clothes. Local organizations in Bangladesh estimate that over the past 30 years, about 2,000 people have died and as many more have been seriously injured while working in the shipyard. General health statistics show that the percentage of people with disabilities the Chittagong region is above the average for the country as a whole. Many of the workers lost limbs or suffered other disabilities while working in the shipbreaking yards.
The only method workers use to check the hazard level in certain parts of the ship for the presence of dangerous gases is chickens. The surviving bird notifies that workers can begin work in these premises, where petroleum products or other flammable substances were once located.
The ship graveyard workers are poor and simply have no other alternative to support themselves and their families. They are forced to work at a shipbreaking yard in order to somehow feed their family. They have little knowledge of the rules and regulations of basic professional health and safety standards. The Government of Bangladesh recently introduced a new national program to improve environmental and occupational health and safety standards at ship breaking facilities, but it has a long way to go through bureaucracy. Politicians and people who make such decisions are more selfish in their own interests. Moreover, corruption is also widespread in Bangladesh, making it difficult to enforce rules and regulations.
IN last years, the shipbreaking industry in Bangladesh is declining due to the global economic downturn and the implementation of new stringent national policies. Some experts believe that the international convention on ship recycling, adopted by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in January 2010, on the contrary, establishes dangerous shipbreaking beaches in poorest countries world, and impedes the transition to safer and more environmentally friendly forms of ship recycling.
Like everything made by man, from cars and trucks to airplanes and locomotives, ships have a lifespan, and when that time is up, they are scrapped. Such large hulks, of course, contain a lot of metal, and it is extremely cost-effective to gut them and recycle the metal. Welcome to Chittagong - one of the world's largest ship scrapping centers. Up to 200,000 people worked here at the same time. Chittagong accounts for half of all steel produced in Bangladesh.
After World War II, shipbuilding began to experience an unprecedented boom, with a huge number of metal ships being built around the world and more and more in developing countries. However, the question of disposing of spent ships soon arose. It turned out to be more economical and profitable to dismantle old ships for scrap in poor developing countries, where tens of thousands of low-paid workers dismantled old ships several times cheaper than in Europe.
In addition, factors such as strict health and environmental protection requirements and expensive insurance played an important role. All this made scrapping ships in developed European countries unprofitable. Here such activities are limited mainly to the dismantling of military vessels.
Recycling of old ships in developed countries is currently extremely high also due to the high cost: the cost of disposal of toxic substances such as asbestos, PCBs and those containing lead and mercury is often higher than the cost of scrap metal.
The development of the ship recycling center in Chittagong dates back to 1960, when the Greek ship MD-Alpine was washed up on the sandy coast of Chittagong after a storm. Five years later, after several unsuccessful attempts to re-refloat the MD Alpine, it was decommissioned. Then local residents began disassembling it for scrap metal.
By the mid-1990s, a large-scale ship scrapping center had developed in Chittagong. This was also due to the fact that in Bangladesh, when dismantling ships, the cost of scrap metal is higher than in any other country.
However, working conditions at ship dismantling were terrible. Here, one worker died every week due to occupational safety violations. Child labor was used mercilessly.
Ultimately, the Supreme Court of Bangladesh imposed minimum safety standards and also banned all activities that did not meet these conditions.
As a result, the number of jobs decreased, the cost of work increased and the ship recycling boom in Chittagong began to decline.
Dismantling of old ships for scrap in Chittagong (Bangladesh).