Bongo Bazar blaze: Tragedy to triumph as businesses rebuild

For decades, Bongo Bazar has been a hub for entrepreneurs of all shapes and sizes to thrive and a shopping paradise for the people, from not only Dhaka, but all parts of the globe. Such is its global popularity that it is one of the only places in Dhaka to have translators readily available for international customers.

At its peak, it has served as a home of over 5,000 vendors and it has touched the lives of hundreds of thousands of people. For a select few, it has also given them their identities. We had the opportunity to speak to a few of these individuals to learn more about how their lives were shaped by Bongo Bazar, as well as the many trials and tribulations it had to endure since its inception.

A place of significance

Bongo Bazar traces its roots back to the early 1980s and some of the individuals we got the chance to speak to have literally seen it all. "I remember when this place used to be a field for horses to rest in. I used to come here with my friends to play football," recalls Jamal.

"I remember the beginning days when Bangladesh was slowly transitioning as a global textile manufacturing hub and the garment industry was flourishing, as my father and uncle were involved in the business. The first wooden structure was built when I was growing up," he adds. Bongo Bazar very quickly emerged as a hub and a platform for local entrepreneurs to buy and sell garments.

It was a trading hub as well as a safe haven for anyone aspiring to try their luck in the garments business. "Our store was initially located near Bongo Bazar. The building caught fire one day and Bongo Bazar took us in after the incident and gave us a place to continue our business. In fact, all of the store owners from our market relocated to Bongo Bazar after the fire," Jamal elaborates.

Over the years, it has built itself up as one of the top clothing hubs of Bangladesh, boasting all kinds of brands and categories. This has not only attracted the attention of the people of Dhaka, but also the world, as hundreds of entrepreneurs from different nations visit Bongo Bazar to source products for their businesses. The need to bridge the communication gap between buyer and seller has given rise to many translators throughout the years, a very unique fact about Bongo Bazar.

"Most of these translators are kids who grew up in a nearby colony," explains Abdul. "Upon first glance, you won't be able to guess that these individuals are fluent in multiple languages. They used to mingle with foreigners when they visited the stores and over the years, picked up on their languages. They have passed this knowledge from one person to another, and built a network of translators who each specialise in a specific language," he adds.

We spoke to one such translator named Rabea, capable of speaking fluent English, Arabic, Malay and even a little bit Korean. "I was born near Bongo Bazar and my friends would tell me stories of how they met people from different countries and learned their languages. They would teach me and when I got a bit older, I would visit Bongo Bazar myself and interact with different individuals. Over the last 10 years, I have been picking up on different languages and making a living for myself," she states.

A story of trials and tribulation

The RMG sector of Bangladesh has thrived over the past few decades and a lot of its success can be attributed to Bongo Bazar. Despite its success and charms though, Bongo Bazar has been experiencing a slight decline in recent times. 

Throughout the decades, this place had to go through its fair shares of trials. The same place that has sheltered thousands of lost and displaced vendors over the years have had instances where they themselves struggled to get things back on track. There have been incidents of fire in 2006, 2010, 2015 and most recently, 2023. There have been incidents of building collapses in 2013 and 2019. It had to endure several economic meltdowns and navigate through an entire global pandemic.

Bongo Bazar is no stranger to the process of rebuilding. However, they are having the toughest time shaking off the aftereffects of the 2023 fire. "I have witnessed almost every setback Bongo Bazar has had to endure and my business has recovered from it all, but things are different this time around," Jamal claims.

"I would say that Bongo Bazar had lost some of its shine over the years but the most recent incident has further swayed peoples' opinion of us. They don't think we are the same anymore," he adds. A lot of regular customers haven't returned to Bongo Bazar after the most recent incident and have gone elsewhere to source their products. This has had a damning impact, particularly on smaller vendors like Jamal, who have lost a majority of their clients.

"I am still paying off debts related to the products I lost in the fire. A lot of my clients who owe me have turned a blind eye to the situation. Business has been very bad and the economic condition of the city doesn't help our cause either. The committee has done its best to lower rent, but due to the limited availability of space, even their hands are tied at this point," Jamal states. He mentioned how smaller businesses struggle to compete with those who are more successful over the space available, and how a lot of them are being driven out. Jamal also revealed how vendors with export quality items have all the power.

However, hard times create smart individuals. There are many vendors who had the foresight to branch their businesses out online and they have been able to navigate the situation better than most, regardless of the size of their business or the category of their products. Sadly, such cases are few. "Some of my friends have shifted their focus to selling their products online but I don't know how to operate social media well enough to use it to my advantage," regrets Jamal, who admitted to never having the need to learn the nuances of social media because his business was booming till now. There are many individuals just like him who have found themselves at cross roads and don't know what to do.

Even the translators have been affected by the declining business, as Rabea recalls, "We were 30, but now only 6 of us remain. A lot of us were forced to look for other work opportunities. Some of us decided to go back to the village because we were struggling to make ends meet. I know things will get better. Sadly, most of us don't have the luxury to sit and wait."

Weathering the storm

Even though the situation is getting dire with each passing day, the spirits of the various vendors remain unbroken, as they soldier on through yet another journey of rebuilding. This is perhaps one of the only places in Dhaka where you will find hundreds of families who have dedicated years and generations to building their businesses. They made Bongo Bazar and vice versa. They have gotten back up from under ashes before. The never-keel-over attitude has been ingrained into individuals like Jamal, Abdul, and Rabea and their willingness to persevere is testament to that.

Disclaimer: Certain individuals have been interviewed under the condition of anonymity. Therefore, their names have been omitted to protect their identities.