Karwan Bazar kitchen market not shifted even in 15 years

3-alternative markets build at Tk 350 cr

Mahfuja Mukul: Karwan Bazaar occupies an important place in the heart of the capital. There are 2,301 shops including warehouses in this raw kitchen market. According to the type of business, eight associations have also been formed in the largest raw material market of the country. Market place belongs to Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC). The market means innumerable people, movement of vehicles. In order to reduce congestion in the city center, initiatives were taken to relocate this market. But even after 15 years, the market is still there. The work of the project is going on slowly.
The government took up a project in 2008 to relocate the Karwan Bazar market. It was decided to decentralize this large market and move it to three places. Locations were selected for the area adjacent to Aminbazar embankment, Mohakhali and Jatrabari. The work of one of them is finished, one is in progress and the work of one has come to a standstill.
It can be seen on the spot that the construction work of Mohakhali Raw Market under Dhaka North City Corporation has been completed. However, due to the small size of the shop, the traders objected from the beginning. In the meantime, the raw material market was converted into Covid-19 hospital to solve the crisis due to the increasing incidence of Covid in the country. Corona patients are still being treated there.
Kitchen market traders have been reluctant to run vegetable business in multi-storey buildings from the very beginning. For this purpose, a one-storey tin shed is being constructed at the vegetable market adjacent to Aminbazar embankment. However, it can be seen on the spot that the construction work here has been stopped for a long time.
Dhaka North City Corporation Chief Property Officer (Joint Secretary) Mozammel Haque said that three raw markets are being constructed under the project. The construction work of Mohakhali kitchen market has been completed. It is currently being used as a Covid-19 hospital. However, the construction of kitchen market adjacent to Aminbazar embankment has not been completed as yet.
On the other hand, the construction work of Jatrabari kitchen market has not been completed. However, work is underway in this market of tinshed. According to Dhaka South City Corporation, the work will be completed in June this year. Allocation of about two thousand raw materials will start from July. This will increase the revenue of the government.
Dhaka South City Corporation Chief Executive Officer (Additional Secretary) Farid Ahmed told that the construction of Jatrabari kitchen Market will be completed in June. I hope to be able to start the work of allocating two thousand shops in July.
Advertisements were also given to the traders of Karwan Bazar to bring their business in the newly created kitchen market. But the traders expressed reluctance to come from Karwan Bazar to the newly constructed market of Mohakhali. Many have been doing business in Karwan Bazar for a long time. No one wants to leave the old place. Many traders want to cling to the Kawran market for fear of losing permanent buyers.
Lakshmipur store owner Abul Kashem Khan has been selling groceries in Kawran Bazar for 47 years. He told that he has been doing business in Kawran Bazaar for 47 years. I have many permanent buyers. If I go to a new place, I will lose the buyer. I will not leave Kawran Bazaar anywhere.
Shop space in Mohakhali kitchenmarket is not more than 110 to 120 square feet, which traders do not consider business friendly for wholesale items. Like traders, multi-storey buildings are never the right plan for the kitchen and vegetable market. The multi-storey building is suitable for shopping malls. For this purpose, kitchen market is being constructed in tinshed near Jatrabari and Aminbazar embankment. However, traders claim that Kawran Bazar traders will not go to these places.
Bangladesh Shop Owners Association President. Helal Uddin told that Kawran Bazar will not be shifted to the three kitchen markets under construction. Kitchen markets will have to be built at Basila, Savar and Jatrabari, the entrances to Dhaka. There will be more gatherings in Mohakhali. Space needs to be increased for the market. There is no material market in short range. I don’t think traders will leave Kawran Bazaar and go anywhere else.
In view of the rapid population growth and growing demand in the Dhaka metropolis, the ‘Three Kitchen Market Construction Project in Dhaka City’ was undertaken in July 2006. The project was scheduled to be completed in June 2010. Initially, the cost of the project was estimated at Tk 206.46 crore. Although 15 years have already passed, the work of a kitchen market has been completed. Work on Aminbazar and Jatrabari is still pending.
The cost of the first revised project increased from Tk 206.48 crore to Tk 331 crore. Leads with time. The period was extended from July 2006 to June 2012. Now the total cost of the project is Tk 350 crore.