Tangail kitchen market sees no development in 33 years
Park Market, the main kitchen market in Tangail town, sees no development in 33 years, causing immense sufferings to the buyers and sellers.
Local people have been demanding development of the market since it has been launched over three decades back but to no effect.
According to the Tangail municipality, the then municipality authorities took an initiative to hold reforms of the Chhoy Ani Market, the then main market in the town, in 1977.
Later, a market was set up temporarily covering three acres of land of Tangail Park, a children park, area near the Bhasani Hall.
Reforms of the Chhoy Ani Market were made and the market started again. Later, the municipality started leasing out shops at the market and it was known as Park Market.
Currently the Park Market is known as the main kitchen market in the district town and there are around 700 permanent shops and 300 temporary shops in the market.
However, no drain was constructed for such a large kitchen market during the time. Even there is no alternative system to drain out water from the market.
Consequently, the whole market area remains covered with thick mud and water remains stagnant there most of the days. It is almost impossible to enter the market due to the mud just after a little rain.
During a recent visit to the kitchen market, it was seen that the activities of the buyers and sellers were going on in the thick mud and water while huge piles of garbage remained unattended at different places in the market.
Several traders at the market alleged that although the municipality authorities get revenue from the leased shops at the market, they are not so active to develop the market.
Many meat traders said there is no slaughter house in the market while 40 to 50 cows and goats are slaughtered every day. As a result, they are compelled to slaughter the animals on the open road.
Shamsul Alam, a resident of Victoria Road in the town, said the Park Market is now so dirty that it seems like a waste dumping place.
Nurul Haque, a resident of Registry Para in the town, said as all the roads through the market remain covered with mud, it is almost impossible to use the earthen roads during the rainy season.
Joy Saha, a rights activist and also a resident of Paradise Para area near the market, said as the market has no place for loading and unloading goods, it is done after parking the vehicles on the roads. As a result, the roads in the area remain muddy over the year.
"Although the municipality authorities have pledged for many occasions to hold developments of the kitchen market and its adjacent roads, nothing has done so far," he added.
Joaher Ali, general secretary of the traders' association at the market, said as there are no street lights, the whole market turns into a ghost area since the evening.
Abdul Barek, president of the traders association of the market, said despite repeated pleas, the authorities concerned are yet to take any steps to develop the kitchen market.
Contacted, Jamilur Rahman Miron, mayor of Tangail municipality, said they will develop the market as soon as possible.
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