Zia Memorial Museum, Chittagong Division, Bangladesh

4shep1947 5:00 PM Jun 19, 2015

Two places to visit in Chittagong.
Chittagong is not an attractive city, the traffic, noise and pollution being abominable. So one has to dig deep to find pleasant places to visit. Being a history buff I decided to visit the Zia Memorial Museum. This is located on the north side of Shahid Saiffuddin Khaled Road. After much explanation and discussion of my LPG map with my hotel staff, the CNG driver assured me he knew exactly where to go and everything would be taken care of. An hour later, after criss-crossing most of north Chittagong and asking directions from atleast half a dozen people all pointing us in different directions, we finally arrived at the Zia Museum. In order to avoid a punch up as nearly happened with me when the driver demanded double the agreed fare for getting lost, the best reference point for this museum is the new Radisson Blu Hotel located right next to the road leading to the Chittagong Club. This road separates the hotel from the museum on the right-hand side. If this isn't enough, the road leading to the museum is located across Shahid Saiffuddin Khaled Road from the Stadium. The museum charges Taka 75 and opens at 10.30am. As with many museums the building itself is as interesting, if not more so, than the exhibits contained therein. The Zia Memorial Museum is housed in an old British Circuit House built in the style of a Tudor Mansion. One exhibit shows the transmitter which Major Zia Rahman declared the country's independence from Pakistan in 1971. Another roped off area of the museum indicates where the then President Zia was assassinated in 1981 with blood stains an' all! After the museum I walked up Mehdibagh Road and found the World War II Memorial Cemetary. This beautiful garden is maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and contains 751 graves including 378 UK, 214 Indian, 101 African and 19 Japanese graves. The cemetary is closed between noon and 2pm. Both the Museum and the Cemetary are well worth visiting even just for a bit of respite from the cacophony in the rest of the city

4Hassan Mahmud Tanvir 5:00 PM Dec 21, 2015

Worth visiting.
This is located near my home. I have been there couple of times. If you have much interest in history - worth visiting place. You will get to know Bangladesh ex president Major General Mr Ziaur Rahmans life.