Relocation riddle yet to resolve

Around 300 wholesalers of the kitchen market in Karwan Bazar have unanimously agreed to relocate their shops to the proposed Amin Bazar and Jatrabari wholesale markets after extensive discussions with a DNCC body.

However, most businesses -- including retailers selling groceries, clothes, hardware and electronics items -- are reluctant to relocate from Karwan Bazar, saying it will affect their trade.

The situation arose following a series of meetings, the last of which was held on July 23 between traders and a 13-member committee of Dhaka North City Corporation.

DNCC formed the body on June 13, comprising local ward councillors, Awami League and Chhatra League leaders, Karwan Bazar business community representatives, and DNCC officials.

Shamim Hasan, councillor of ward-26, was made the convener, and Mutakabbir Ahmed, zonal executive officer (zone-5) of DNCC, was made the member secretary.

At the meeting, wholesalers demanded construction of three roads -- one from Beribandh to the newly-constructed Amin Bazar wholesale market, and two others on both sides of the newly-constructed Jatrabari wholesale market.

They also demanded a shade to be built in front of the Jatrabari wholesale market.

"All the committee members have agreed to these demands after discussing them with the wholesalers, and we are preparing a resolution to be forwarded to the city corporations' engineering and estate departments. We expect updates from the authorities concerned within a month," said Mutakabbir.

Once the wholesalers of the kitchen market relocate, around 60 to 70 percent of the area will be empty, he said, adding that the remaining businesses will also be relocated gradually.

Some traders have claimed that the newly-constructed markets at Jatrabari and Amin Bazar are not wholesale-friendly.

They expressed concerns over the size of their shops in the new locations, stating that they were too small.

The wholesalers, however, said they decided to relocate as the authorities have assured them of providing the required space and necessary arrangements, said Shamsul Alam Bulbul, general secretary of Karwan Bazar Kachamaal Paka Arat Byabshayee Malik Bahumukhi Samabay Samity.

"The makeshift wholesalers will move to Amin Bazar market, while the permanent wholesalers will move to Jatrabari," he said.

Meanwhile, Md Saifur Rahman Chowdhury, general secretary of a separate traders' body representing the wholesalers', stressed that starting anew at a different location would require three to four years, and this will damage their businesses.

He instead suggested constructing a modern, multi-storied market within the Karwan Bazar area and relocating the traders there.

The DNCC has been working for years to relocate the wholesale market from Karwan Bazar, as it is believed to cause traffic congestion in Dhaka.

In 2006, the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) approved a Tk 206 crore project to construct modern markets in Mohakhali, Amin Bazar, and Jatrabari areas, aiming to improve the supply system for farm products and reduce traffic congestion in Karwan Bazar.

The project was suspended until 2013 and resumed with a revised budget of Tk 264 crore.

In the meantime, the Mohakhali kitchen market was later transformed into a Covid-19 dedicated hospital during the pandemic. At present, the hospital is being used to treat dengue patients. DNCC has plans to turn it into a full-fledged general hospital in future, said DNCC Spokesperson Mokbul Hossain.

Currently, DNCC owns four markets at Karwan Bazar with 1,789 permanent and 180 temporary shops on around 24 bighas of land.

Of these, 814 permanent and 180 temporary shops are planned to be relocated to Amin Bazar, spread across 13 acres of land, and housing 1,165 shops, according to Mutakabbir.

Similarly, the Jatrabari wholesale kitchen market will have 912 shops, accommodating 895 shops from Karwan Bazar on 5.21 acres of land.

The construction work for both Amin Bazar and Jatrabari is already 90 percent complete, he added.

Visiting the Jatrabari and Amin Bazar markets recently, this correspondent found the five-storey complexes have been constructed with the structure of shops inside.

Prof Adil Mohammed Khan, executive director at the Institute for Planning and Development (IPD), cited various issues regarding the relocation including a lack of trust and cooperation between the authorities concerned and stakeholders.

He also said the inappropriate design of the newly-constructed markets in the designated places is a matter of concern.

Prof Adil suggested that authorities modify the market designs based on traders' demands and ensure necessary construction and renovations.

DNCC Mayor Md Atiqul Islam said, "It is not a feasible option to maintain the Karwan Bazar wholesale market in the heart of the capital. It is imperative for the businesses to vacate the area as per Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's decision."

In response to the traders' demands for three separate roads at Amin Bazar and Jatrabari, Atiqul said they are currently in communication with their engineering offices.

"If there is sufficient space available in the two designated areas, they will proceed with constructing the additional roads," he said.