COX'S BAZAR

'Cox's Bazar' is a major city and district in Bangladesh. It is also one of the world's longest natural sandy sea beaches (120 km) including mud flats. It is located 150 km south of Chittagong. Cox’s Bazar is also known by the name “Panowa”, the literal translation of which means “yellow flower”. Its other old name was “Palongkee”. The modern Cox's Bazar derives its name from Captain Cox (died 1798), an army officer serving in British India. It is also one of the fishing ports of Bangladesh.
Often termed as "World's longest sandy sea beach", Cox's Bazar is yet to become a major tourist destination in Asia allegedly due to conservative attitude of local people.^[1]

Contents

History

Geography and Climate

Economy and Development

Places of Interest

Facts

Gallery

References

External links

History

The history of Cox's Bazar begins in the Mughal period. On his way to Arakan, when the Mughal Prince Shah Shuja passed through the hilly terrain of the present day Cox’s Bazar, he was attracted to the scenic and captivating beauty of the place. He commanded his forces to camp there. His retinue of one thousand palanquins halted there for some time. A place named ''Dulahazara'', meaning "one thousand palanquins", still exists in the area.
After the Mughals, the place came under the control of the Tipras and the Arakanese, followed by the Portuguese and then the British.
The name Cox's Bazar/Bazaar derived from the name of a British East India Company officer, Captain Hiram Cox after he opened a market considering facilities of local people. Captain Cox was appointed as the Superintendent of Palonki (today's Cox's Bazar) outpost after Warren Hastings came as the Governor of Bengal following the British East India Company Act in 1773. Captain Cox was specially mobilized to deal with a century long conflict between Arakan refugees & local Rakhains at Palonki.
After the Sepoy Mutiny (Indian Rebellion of 1857) in 1857, the British East India Company was highly criticized & questioned in humanitarian ground specially for its Opium Trade monopoly over the Indian Sub-Continent using its strong existence. However after getting dissolved on January 1, 1874,all of company's assets including its Armed Forces were acquired by the British Crown. After this historic take over, Cox's Bazar was declared as a district of the Bengal Province under the British Crown.
After 1947's Independence it remained as a part of East Pakistan. Captain Advocate Fazlul Karim (father of Pilot Officer Waleed Ehsanul Karim), the first Chairman (after independence from the British) of Cox's Bazar municipality established the Tamarisk Forest along on the beach to draw tourist attention in this town and also to protect the beach from tide. He also donated many of his father in law's (Akbar Ahmed Chowdhury, son of Fazlul Karim Kwik of Manikpur) and his own lands for establishing a Public Library and Town Hall. In 1971, the wharf was used as a naval port by the Pakistan Navy's gunboats. This and the nearby airstrip of the Pakistan Air Force were the scene of intense shelling by the Indian Navy during the Bangladesh Liberation War.

Geography and Climate

Cox's Bazar district with an area of 2491.86 sq km, is located at and bounded by Chittagong district on the north, Bay of Bengal in the South, Bandarban district on the east, and the Bay of Bengal on the west. Major rivers include matamuhuri, bakkhali, Reju Khal, Naf, Maheshkhali channel and Kutubdia channel. The official area of the city of Cox's Bazar is 6.85 sq km.
The annual average temperature in Cox's Bazar remains at about a maximum of 34.8 °C and a minimum of 16.1 °C. The climate remains hot and humid with some seasons of temperate weather. The average amount of rainfall remains at 4285 nm.

Economy and Development

Places of Interest

Cox’s Bazar, mostly famous for its beautiful sea beach and the sunset, has several other attractions, including:

★ 'Aggmeda Khyang' [1], a large Buddhist monastery, and a place revered by around 400,000 Buddhist people of Cox’s Bazar; and the Chittagong Hill Tracts.

★ 'Himchari', located about 12 km south of Cox’s Bazar, is a picnic spot and famous for its waterfalls and provid sufficient security for the tourists.Road to Himchari run by the open sea in one side and hills in othes make the journey to Himchari a path of Heaven.

★ 'Inani', also 32 km south of Cox’s Bazar offers sea bathing.

★ 'Laboni Beach' is the main beach of Cox's Bazar and is considered the main beach due to the fact that it is closest to the town.

★ 'Maheskhali' is a small island (268 square kilometres) off the Cox’s Bazar coast. The island offers panoramic scenic beauty and is covered by low hills and mangrove forests. Adinath, a temple of Shiva, and a Buddhist pagoda are also located on the island.

★ 'Ramu', about 16 km from Cox’s Bazar, is a village with sizeable Buddhist population. The village is famous for its handicrafts and homemade cigars.

★ 'Sonadia Island', a small island of only 9 square kilometers

★ 'Teknaf', a place situated by the side of Naaf river is the southernmost part of Bangladesh. The place is home to several birds and wild animals.

★ 'Hotels'The best place to stay in coxbazar may be Hotel "Seagull" or "Hotel Sea Place" with its aesthetic outlook and hospitality feel like in home.Located 500 m close to sea shore and self protected sea beach.

Facts

★ Currently, Cox’s Bazar is a district, with Cox’s Bazar town as the district headquarters. In 1854, Cox’s Bazar was made a subdivisional headquarters, and it was only after 130 years in 1984, it was upgraded to become be a district.

★ Population includes Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists (mostly includes Maghs, a section of whom belong to a tribal community of Buddhists)

★ There are eight Upzillas, namely,
#Cox's Bazar Sadar
#Ramu
#Ukhia
#Teknaaf
#Moheshkhali
#Kutubdia
#Chokoria and
#Pekua.

Gallery

References

1. World's longest sandy sea beach hidden in Bangladesh (c) Reuters 2007

External links

★ New York Times Travel Article, December 2006

★ Visit to Cox's Bazar

★ A google video about the Cox's Bazar

★
★ Welcome to Cox's Bazar by Xanthis