▁X u anz ang ▁and ▁Ma ▁H uan . ▁The ▁Mor oc can ▁expl orer ▁I bn ▁Batt uta ▁and ▁the ▁Ven et ian ▁travel er ▁Nic colo ▁De ▁Cont i ▁visited ▁the ▁port ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 4 th ▁century . ▁The ▁historical ▁port ▁had ▁ship ▁trade ▁with ▁Africa , ▁Europe , ▁China ▁and ▁S out heast ▁Asia . ▁ ▁The ▁Portuguese ▁settlement ▁in ▁Ch itt ag ong ▁centered ▁on ▁the ▁port ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 6 th ▁and ▁ 1 7 th ▁centuries . ▁After ▁the ▁Portuguese ▁were ▁exp elled , ▁Ch itt ag ong ▁came ▁under ▁the ▁rule ▁of ▁the ▁M ug hal ▁Empire ▁and ▁was ▁named ▁Islam abad . ▁It ▁became ▁an ▁important ▁ship building ▁center , ▁c ater ing ▁to ▁the ▁M ug hal ▁and ▁Ott oman ▁nav ies . ▁After ▁the ▁rise ▁of ▁British ▁domin ance ▁in ▁Beng al ▁following ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Pl asse y , ▁the ▁N aw ab ▁of ▁Beng al ▁c eded ▁the ▁port ▁to ▁the ▁British ▁East ▁India ▁Company ▁in ▁ 1 7 6 0 . ▁ ▁Modern ▁ ▁The ▁modern ▁Ch itt ag ong ▁port ▁was ▁organized ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 7 ▁under ▁the ▁Port ▁Commission ers ▁Act ▁in ▁the ▁British ▁Indian ▁Empire . ▁The ▁port ▁began ▁formal ▁operations ▁under ▁a ▁commission er ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 8 . ▁Its ▁bus iest ▁trade ▁links ▁were ▁with ▁British ▁Bur ma , ▁including ▁the ▁ports ▁of ▁A ky ab ▁and ▁R ango on ; ▁and ▁other ▁Beng ali ▁ports , ▁including