Cancellation of Naya Bazar cattle market sparks fierce protests

Cancellation of Naya Bazar makeshift cattle market in the city at the last moment sparked fierce protests from the bidders yesterday.

The Dhaka City Corporation selected 13 sites for cattle markets for the coming Eid-ul-Azha and invited tenders, but the chief estate officer of DCC announced the names of the highest bidders for all the sites but one in presence of the bidders at Nagar Bhaban yesterday.

During the announcement, the officer received a call over his mobile phone at around 3:00pm, prompting him to cancel the site.

Chief Estate officer Abu Taleb said he acted as per instructions from the chief executive officer of the DCC.

The angry bidders for Naya Bazar cattle market strongly protested the sudden cancellation of the site and staged demonstrations. They also forced the officer to announce the names and the amounts in the tenders submitted for this site.

The agitating bidders also took out a protest procession in the Nagar Bhaban area at around 5:00pm.

The pro-Awami League bidders alleged that the pro-BNP men with the help of influential quarters have the site cancelled after they sensed that they won't get the site this year as their bid amounts are lower than the amounts quoted by Pro-AL men.

Last year, the pro-BNP men took up a lease on this cattle market for Tk 70 lakh, but the DCC cancelled the site this year even after Tk 1.8 crore was quoted as the highest bid amount, said Ward 71 Awami League leader Abu Sayed.

The deadline for submitting the tender schedule for cattle markets was 12:00 noon yesterday and the tender box was opened at 3:00pm.

DCC sources said 447 tender schedules were sold and the offers for the 12 cattle markets total around Tk 1.80 crore.

The amount include Tk 34 lakh for the market site at Postogola, Tk 8.2 lakh for Agargaon Basti ground, Tk 12.60 lakh for Taltala Bus Stand, Tk 7.25 lakh for Meradiya Haat, Tk 45.5 lakh for Uttara Azampur, Tk 2.27 lakh for Kamalapur Brothers' Union ground, Tk 32 lakh for Hussaini Dalan Raod (from Chankharpul to Bakshibazar traffic signal), Tk 1.05 lakh for Dhupkhola ground, Tk 1.03 lakh for Rahmatganj playground, Tk 1.71 lakh for Jhigatala-Hazaribagh ground, Tk 33.33 lakh for Khilkhet Tanpara and 1.27 lakh for Sunrise Sporting Club ground.