Agrabad

Agrabad ( bn, আগ্রাবাদ) is a downtown commercial and financial area in Chattogram, the second largest city of Bangladesh. Located close to the city's harbor, it hosts numerous Bangladeshi and international businesses, banks, financial institutions, and other commercial entities. The Chattogram Chamber of Commerce & Industry, the World Trade Center, and the Chattogram Stock Exchange are most prominent of them. The area forms part of the Double Mooring precinct and is directly connected to the Port of Chattogram.

Badam-tali, Agrabad Access Road, Sk Mujib Road, Sabdar Ali Road etc. are some of the important commercial streets located in central Agrabad. The city's other commercial hubs Strand Road, and Sadarghat are also situated nearby.

History

The area was originally a village which was incorporated into the city in 1947. After the end of colonial rule, the modern financial district developed during the 1950s.

Commercial activities

Many of Bangladesh's largest companies, as well as various multinational firms, have their headquarters or branches located in Agrabad. There are many private commercial banks including AB Bank Limited, Bangladesh Commerce Bank Limited, BRAC Bank Limited, The City Bank Limited, Dhaka Bank Limited, Dutch Bangla Bank Limited, Eastern Bank Limited, IFIC Bank Limited, Mercantile Bank Limited, Mutual Trust Bank Ltd., National Bank Limited, NCC Bank Limited, One Bank Limited, The Premier Bank Limited, Prime Bank Limited, Southeast Bank Limited, Standard Bank Limited, Trust Bank Limited, United Commercial Bank Ltd., Uttara Bank Limited etc.

Some Islamic commercial banks also located at Agrabad they are Islami Bank of Bangladesh Limited, Export Import Bank of Bangladesh Limited, Shahjalal Islami Bank Limited, Al-Arafah Islami Bank Limited.

Major foreign commercial banks located in Agrabad include Citibank NA, HSBC, Standard Chartered Bank, Commercial Bank of Ceylon, State Bank of India and National Bank of Pakistan.

There are many Specialized development banks are Bangladesh Krishi Bank, BASIC Bank Limited,

There are also located kinds of Non-bank financial institution, Insurance company, Telecommunication company and others multinational companies are located. Chittagong Chamber of Commerce & Industry, The World Trade Center Chittagong (WTC Chittagong) etc. commercial building located in the Agrabad Commercial Area.

Institutions and structures

;Government buildings

* BSTI Building
* Bidyut Bhaban
* BTCL Building
* BSCIC Building
* Chittagong Government Office Buildings (CGO)

; Other high-rises
* Aziz Court Imperial
* Banani Complex
* C&F Tower
* Makkah Madina Trade Centre
* World Trade Center Chittagong
*Madina Tower 71

; Government Colonies
* Agrabad CGS (Masjid) Colony, aka Chittagong Government Service Colony
* Agrabad Multi Storied Colony
* Agrabad Government C&B Colony
* Bangladesh Bank Colony
* Bahutola Colony
* Gazetted Officers' Colony
* Health Colony
* Postal Officers' Colony
* P. T. & T. Colony
* WASA Staff Colony

; Shopping Complex
* Akhtaruzzaman Center
* EBL ( Eastern Bank Ltd) Street Market
* Lucky Plaza
* New Dubai IT Bhaban
* Southland Center
* Singapore Bangkok Market

; Community Centre
* Agrabad Community Center
* Agrabad Convention Hall
* Guljer Convention Center

;Hotel & Restaurant
* Hotel Agrabad
* Orchid Business Hotel
* Landmark Hotel
* Shangri-La Chinese Restaurant
* Silver Spoon
*Best Western Alliance Hotel

Tourism

Ethnological Museum

The Ethnological Museum established in 1965, is the only ethnological museum in the country. It offers the visitors the chance to acquaint with the lifestyles and heritage of various ethnic groups of the country. The museum authority had collected rare elements used in the everyday lives of different ethnic groups, of which some had already become extinct while some were on the verge of extinction. It contains four galleries and a small hall. Three galleries of the museum feature diverse elements of twenty nine ethnic groups in Bangladesh, while the rest of the gallery displays the lifestyles of some ethnic groups of India, Pakistan and Australia.

The sculptures of the people of different ethnic communities and a piece of broken Berlin Wall attracts visitors, which close to display since 2017. People can get the impression of different festivals, livelihoods, and cultures of the communities from the murals set up at the hall room. These are reminiscent of the museum in the film ''Planet of the Apes''. Around 200–300 people visit the museum every day.

Jamboree Park

Jamboree Park is the most visited stunning urban park located at SM Morshed Road at central Agrabad. The park offers a dazzling view at night with several hundred lamps on its pool-like body of water and walkways.

Agrabad Deba

Agrabad Deba ''pool'' (small body of water in Bengali) is about 14 acres human-made water reservoir is being this place in the Agrabad commercial area beside Sheikh Mujib Road since the last century. The pool is a place for flyfishing, where it arranging fishing competition every year. It was dug for the Bangladesh Railway and employees of the Port of Chittagong as well as the Chittagong city dwellers during the British period to carry out their daily chores and other activities. After the water reservoir owned by the Bangladesh Railway.

Karnaphuli Shishu Park

''Karnaphuli Shishu Park'' is a recreation park for children located in Jamburi Field near the Bangladesh Bank Colony.

Education

''Private medical colleges''
* Chattagram Maa-O-Shishu Hospital Medical College

''Colleges''

* Agrabad Mohila College
* Government Commerce College

''Schools''

* Agrabad Balika Bidyalay
* Agrabad Government Colony High School
* Bangladesh Bank Colony High School
* Hatey Khari School & College
* Khawja Ajmeri High School
* Silver Bells Kindergarten & Girls' High School
* T & T High School

Health

* Chattagram Maa-O-Shishu Hospital

Media

* Bangladesh Betar, Chittagong

Transportation

Transport in Agrabad is similar to that of the city, Chittagong. Several roads are present throughout the area. There are various bus transport systems and taxi services, as well as smaller 'baby' or 'CNG' taxis, which are basically tricycle-structured motor vehicles. There are also traditional manual rickshaws, which are very common.

The Agrabad Access road and Sheikh Mujib road are a major arterial road, is the main way to access the area by motor vehicle and otherwise. Those are considered a very busy and populated road, and though are currently 2-lane road.

Agrabad Access Road

Agrabad Access Road is a main commercial road located at Agrabad. It is extended to the south side, between Double Mooring Thana and Halishahar Thana. The road started from Badamtali, and crossed Bepari Para, Shantibag, and Boropool.

Sabdar Ali Road

Sabdar Ali Road is a main commercial road located at Agrabad commercial area in central Agradad. It is extended to the eastern side, beside Agrabad Access Road. The road started from Badamtali and connected with Commerce College Road with surrounded to the total commercial area.

Strand Road

Sister areas

Gallery

File:Unidentified buildings at Badamtali (01).jpg, Badamtali
File:Agrabad access road, Chittagong .jpg, Agrabad Access Road
File:Ctg Agrabad4.jpg, Top view of Agrabad
File:Ctg Agrabad2.jpg, Top view of government colony
File:Top view of Postal Officers Colony from C&F Tower (03).jpg, Aerial view of Postal Officers Colony from C&F Tower
File:Agrabad Officer's Tenis Club (03).jpg, Agrabad Officer's Tenis Club
File:CGO Building (01).jpg, Chittagong Government Officer's Building
File:Makkah Madina Trade Centre (01).jpg, Makkah Madina Trade Centre

See also

* Chittagong
* Chittagong district
* Chittagong Division
* Chittagong City Corporation

References

External links

{{Chittagong, state=collapsed

Neighborhoods in Chittagong
Financial districts in Bangladesh