About us
The Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry is an association of industrialists and businessmen of Bangladesh in general and Chattogram in particular. It consists of firms, companies and corporate bodies engaged in trade, commerce, industry, agriculture, manufacture etc. It was established in 1906, named as Chittagong Chamber of Commerce. At the initial stage the Chamber’s activities and its number of members were limited. It had no office, but official activities i.e., the meetings and even general meetings also were done at the residence or personal office of the President (CCCI) and any other influential Members of the Chittagong Chamber of commerce. It was possible only due to its limited number of members. It is mentionable that, one of the general meetings of the Chittagong Chamber of Commerce ‘held at the office of M/S Bulloch Brothers and Company Ltd., dated 15th august , 1919’. Most of the Members were Europeans (English). From its inception to the partition lf India the Chamber was conducted by the European businessmen and industrialists. Trade and commerce, particularly business transactions of Chattogram were in the hands of the Europeans. Besides the Chittagong Chamber of Commerce, there were many other such organizations working in Chattogram before the partition of India.
They were, the Indian Merchant’s Association, the Muslim Chamber of Commerce, the East Bengal Chamber of Industries and the Bengal Chamber of Commerce. Among all chambers and associations, the Chattogram Chamber’s activities were prominent. It was involved in promoting and protecting the trade, commerce and industry of the country since its inception (1906). Basically as an advisory organization, the Chittagong chamber started its work from the beginning. Like other chambers, the Chittagong Chamber had its representatives in various trade, commerce and industrial organizations of the Government, Semi-Government and autonomous bodies. In 1928, a Board of Commissioners was reconstituted to operate the Chattogram Port.
In this Board of Commissioners three representatives of members were taken from the Chittagong Chamber of Commerce. Like the Chittagong Chamber of Commerce three representatives were also taken from the Indian merchant’s Association. During the period from 1906 to 1947 we found its involvement only tin the Port and no other involvements were seen in this regard. But there are various Sub-committees had been working for the development of trade and commerce of the country in general and Chattogram in particular.
The Sub-committees are: a) Licensed Measurers Department (LMD) Sub-committee of Management, b) Finance Sub-committee, c) Taxation Sub-committee, d) Shipping Sub-committee, e) Exporters Sub-committee, f) Importers Sub-committee, g) Industrialists Sub-committee, h) Lighterage and Inland Water Transport Sub-committee and i) Insurance Sub-committee. It has already been said that the European businessmen were the main architect and driving force of the Chamber during the British regime.
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