About the City

Chittagong is the second largest city in Bangladesh, covering an area of 155 km² and with the population estimated to be 3.6 million. It is situated on the Karnaphuli River, approximately 260 kilometres south of the nation�fs capital of Dhaka. The city began to grow as a tiny municipality in 1863 and today serves as a commercial centre for the whole country. Around 40% of Bangladesh�fs heavy industrial activities are located in Chittagong and the surrounding areas, as well as an international airport, universities, colleges, TV and radio stations, hospitals, museums, botanical and zoological gardens, a beach, stadium, and many other civic and recreational spots.

Successful City Initiatives

One achievement of Chittagong over the past decade and a half is the inclusion of a 500 000 strong female workforce, mostly in the garment industries, which has brought about significant changes in the job market and quality of life in Chittagong. Another successful initiative has been the cleaning and greening of the city, through garbage disposal and cleaning activities, with manual workers called �gShabok�h (friends who help in keeping the city clean). Tree planting activities have been carried out in Chittagong for more than a decade and more recently the city has built a CNG plant as a step toward tackling air pollution caused by vehicles.

Issues Affecting the City

Chittagong is growing at a rate of 4.5%, where more than 60% of the city dwellers are migrants from neighbouring districts, who are attracted to what is perceived as better living conditions and job opportunities in the urban area. Now the city is experiencing rapid urban growth which has resulted in a lot of problems, including high child and maternal mortality rates, unplanned growth, unemployment, environmental pollution, absence of a solid waste management, unplanned hill cutting, lack of a sewerage system, water logging, restricted power and water supply, lack of civic facilities and amenities, and traffic congestion.