Cox's Bazar

Cox's Bazar in Bangladesh is the world's longest natural beach (120 km). It is located 152 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 Lieutenant Cox (died 1798), an army officer serving in British India. It is also one of the fishing ports of Bangladesh.

The history of the place goes back to 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 and his retinue moving into 1000 palanquins halted there for some time. A place named Dulahazara, meaning "1000 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. After Independence it remained as part of East Pakistan. In 1971, the wharf was used as a naval port by Pakistan Navy's gunboats. This and the nearby airstrip of Pakistan Air Force was the scene of intense shelling by the Indian Navy during the Bangladesh Liberation War.