It is Bangladesh's first world-class shopping mall, Bashundhara City, located on the northern side of Panthapath close to the Saarc fountain crossing.

Bashundhara Group built the 19-storey mall at a cost of about Tk 400 crore on 4.5 acres. "I assume it is the 12th largest mall in the world and the largest in South Asia," a Bashundhara Group official said, adding the mall has 1.5 lakh square feet on each floor.

"We have tried to offer people comprehensive service," said Md Khalekuzzaman, senior executive director of Bashundhara Group. Bashundhara City is different from other sprawling shopping malls, as it will be a mix of commerce and recreation.

Built by Vistaara Architects Private Limited in association with three foreign architect groups, the mall has a unique architectural beauty to fascinate people.

A few steps inside is the atrium adorned with a large glass dome 143 feet above that cost around Tk 5 crore. It looks like a large globe from down, substantiating the name "Bashundhara" that means the Earth. Also, the four skylights of polycarbonate shields let 60 percent of daylight into the mall making the area look natural.

"We have used 38 mm stained glass imported from Saudi Arabia," said MA Sattar, senior executive director (construction) of Bashundhara, adding 18 pairs of elevators and 22 pairs of escalators were brought in from Switzerland.

"We used foreign equipment in most places as we wanted to maintain international standards," Sattar said. The mall will become a major attraction for foreigners as well, once it is opened by Prime Minister Khaleda Zia possibly on August 5.

The mall has 29,000 units of shop spaces from one to six levels, with the smallest unit on about 160 square feet. The first floor will be an IT mall having computer showrooms with accessories and other shops with electronic goods, electrical gadgets and car showrooms and sanitary wares.

The second and third floors will have garment shops. Saris will be sold on the fourth floor, while the fifth floor will house jewellery shops. "It will probably become the largest gold market in South Asia as almost all gold merchants in Bangladesh set up shops here," said a Bashundhara City official. Already, 500 shops on different floors began decorating the interior.

The mall has ample recreational facilities on offer. A multiscreen movie theatre with digital sound system will screen both local and foreign films. Each of the three parts of the theatre can accommodate 262 people.

A bowling and billiard centre and video games will also be there. The mall will introduce ice-skating for the first time in Bangladesh. "It is thrilling. It will be an added attraction for us," said Syed Ashraf, a college student.

Children are not going to be deprived, as a theme park is under construction on the seventh floor. Decorated with replicas of Eiffel Tower, Statue of Liberty and India Gate, the park can accommodate 160 children at a time. Kids will take pleasure in roller coaster, bumper car, flying carpet and highway cars.

Connoisseurs of food would like to visit the international food court that has 120 shops. They can enjoy cuisine and take to fast food shops and restaurants.

For fitness, Bashundhara City has set up a world class gymnasium in an agreement with Gold's Gym Franchising Inc of USA. Gold's Gym has gym, swimming pool and spa in it. They have arranged it on separate floors for men and women. As many as 600 members responded to the gym," another official said.

The mall has two-storey car parking space in the basement able to accommodate at least 1,200 cars. The authorities said it would be sufficient as no more than 1,200 cars would be parked at a time. A street incorporated through the site parallel to Panthapath will maintain the segregation and lines of cars into different entries to the mall and avoid traffic jam.

The mall authorities said they took measures to make the mall earthquake-proof. "It can endure a major quake measuring 7.5 on Richter Scale," an official said. The building automation system, automatic fire alarm, and smoke and heat detectors and CCTV system have been installed for security.

"Bashundhara Group does not look forward to huge profit out of it but wanted to create something unique," a high official said on hopes people would enjoy being here even if they cannot afford to purchase.