Chittagong (Bengali: চট্টগ্রাম, Chôţţogram) is the main seaport and second largest city of Bangladesh. It is situated in the Karnaphuli River Valley and faces the Bay of Bengal on its coastline. The city has an estimated population of over 6 million people. It is the administrative capital of the Chittagong Division.
An ancient and historic gateway to Bengal, Old Chittagong was a major port for Indian Ocean traders and was linked with the Southwest Silk Road. For centuries, it was frequented by Arab and Persian merchants and attracted numerous explorers such as Ibn Battuta, Admiral Zheng He and Niccolò de' Conti. The Portuguese arrived in the 16th century and established the settlement of Porto Grande De Bengala. After the collapse of the Principality of Bengal, the British East India Company gained control of the port in the late-18th century.