Locator map of Chittangong Division in Bangladesh Lietuvių: Čitagongo regiono vieta Bangladešo žemėlapyje (Photo credit: Wikipedia)Bangladesh has a bright history of wooden ship which is locally known as Shampan or Sulluk and exporting those to different part of the world. Up to 19th Century, about 900 tons capacity wooden boats were built in this part of the world by different shipyards and of course they had no good facilities. But at the end of 19th Century when steel body ships replaced the wooden body then we lost the market and gradually those shipyards were going missing as they were losing their market.
In the middle of 20th Century some of the Government and Private Shipbuilding Industries started these building industries in different form to build steel body ships for domestic market. At this point we are introducing our self as specialized shipbuilders and ship liners.
Foreign cargo ship "Al Kuzaimah" in Chittagong Port. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)We are getting preparation to be specialized shipbuiler and we are coming very soon to make luxurious river and coastal trip such as forward to Teknaf, Kutubdia and Sundarban by cruising vessel as well.
History of Shipping Industry of Bangladesh
Bangladesh is a riverine country with 9,000 sq km internal river water with 700 small and large rivers as well with 24,000 km navigaable river routes. These are divided into first class and second class navigable channels. This river routes are considered and worldwide recognized as cheapest mode of transportations. We have 720 km long coast line with about 2 lac sq. km sea areas, which is one and half times of total land area, where we have complete right of economic activities.
,Due to natural geographical location and nature of the land, from the very ancient days we achieved a colorful history of building boats and ship both for internal and foreign markets. During that period many Asian and European came to this land to order and buy new ships. In Chittagong areas those ships were built.
In the 14th century, when Ibn Batuta came to this land on foot and returned by wooden ship, which was built by one of dockyard in Sonargaon. Today also we can see many wooden boats in Museum of Europe, built in this part of the world.
In 17th Century, the full Fleet of Sultan of Turkey was built in Chittagong by different shipbuilding industries. The maximum ships of the huge Fleet of Mughal Empire were also built here. Some of sailing wooden war ships used in famous Trafalgar War in 1805 was also built in Chittagong. A ship named ‘Alfred’ was built in 1818 at Chittagong Shipyard and later the Imperial Fleet of Germany purchased it in 1848 and renamed it as ‘Deutschland’ (Germany)(picture below) which was overhauled greatly to prepare for the fight in the winter of that year and fitted with 32 guns. Thus we can see that culture of shipbuilding and repair is deep rooted in the heritage of Bangladesh. [To be Continue]
