Dhaka Markets’ Streets

Shamoli Bazaar | শ্যামলী বাজার: The Shamoli General Market is very new and has grown dramatically since it was established three years ago on the east side of Shamoli Club Field. Three years before it was built the local people were dependent on the street markets to buy vegetable, fish and meat. There is also a modern BDR shop in the general market, which is now run by a local businessman. This market fulfills the daily needs of the huge number local people. The street market remains but does n’t have the same attraction for shoppers. Immediately adjacent to the market is a cinema that has been closed, which in turn affects the hawkers floating shops in the street market.

The street market close to the former cinema hall sells a wide range of fruit. The shopping center itself has Bangla food restaurants, stationery shops, a vocational training center, fashion product outlets, a mobile phone and electronics service center.

The general market is similar to any other community-based market in Dhaka. As Shamoli is situated in the western periphery of Dhaka it is not developing as quickly as new Dhaka. However, there are huge number low income, marginalized and working class people in the area as well as slum dwellers who are mostly environmental refugees. To these classes of people, Shamoli General Market and the street market are important as they sell a range of products at very reasonable prices.

There is no holiday for the market but on Fridays they attract less people. Before and after office hours is the busiest time for Shamoli as the main road links Dhaka with North Bengal and is thus always busy.

Car Market | গাড়ীর বাজার: The number of cars and motorized vehicles is increasing rapidly in Bangladesh despite the lack of infrastructure. Car retailing has become an important sector in marketing. Kuril Bishwa Road, Gulshan, Kakrial and Dhanmondi, are the four main car retail areas in Dhaka. The dramatic increase in car sales in the past decade has lead to major traffic congestion in Dhaka in particular. The demand for vehicles comes from the rich people who desire the luxurious new models of cars.

When looking the Dhaka traffic from the vantage point of any over-bridge one is confronted by a huge number of cars on the roads, which makes it difficult to believe Bangladesh is a developing country in which the majority of people are poor. The increased number of cars may be attributed to increased business activity and a high level of corruption that makes the country poorer. The centralized nature of power in Bangladesh also contributes to this situation. The power holding groups are the main clients of the car markets. On average 400-500 cars are sold each month in the car markets of Dhaka City. After Dhaka, the port city, Chittagong, is the second largest car market in Bangladesh. Friday is the official holiday of all car markets.

As the traffic jams of Dhaka increase due to the number of cars on the roads, congestion becomes a major issue for the city administration. However, the government is now thinking of an alternative transportation system for the city by introducing a modern train system, and generally increasing public transport. Unfortunately much of the blame for traffic congestion is placed on the shoulders of the rickshaw pullers. The World Bank and IMF have recommended that this ecofriendly vehicle be evicted from the main roads by declaring major roads as VIP (Very Important Persons) roads. However, the present democratic government has chosen to impose a large tax on cars imported to control the growth of the industry. Compared to other countries the number of cars in Bangladesh is not a large but they have become a headache for most people using the roads of Dhaka.

Farmgate Street Market | ফার্মগেট: Farmgate is a busy focal point in Dhaka City. It has been an important market area since Dhaka began to modernise. Bus, CNGs and rickshaws connect Farmgate to all important places in Dhaka City. It is, in short, a major communication hub for Dhaka.

Farm View, Shezan Point, Mahbub Plaza and many other multistoried modern shopping centres are located here as well as a large street market. This is one of the biggest street markets in Dhaka City and everyday large numbers of people gather in Farmgate to conduct business. They buy their necessary products and other commodities (which are usually cheap) in this street market. There are all kinds of cloths, toys, ladies’ and gents’ fashion products, electronic items, plastic items, crockery and all necessary things needed in family and personal life on sale here. Tea-stalls, restaurants, fast food outlets, juice shops, pan and cigarette shops and a number of hawkers are also found in this area all the time. Farmgate Street Market has a great significance for contemporary life of Dhaka City. The market starts at 7:00 AM and closes at 10:00 PM each day.

Beside the market there is a nice small park in this area, which is a good place for the wayfarers to rest and refresh and enjoy themselves.

Shishu Mela | শিশু মেলা: In 1994 the children’s recreational park named Shishumela (Children’s Park) was established opposite the ASHA Tower in Shamoli. This park opens every day at 11:00 AM and closes at 10:00 PM. Entry fee to the park Tk.20 per head. There are many funny and exciting rides available for children here. . Huge numbers of children come from Mohammedpur, Shamoli, Kalanpur and Agargoan to play at the park. There is a 3D cinema hall, a tunnel rail, a magic show and a learning center. Moreover, there is CD-VCD cassettes shops, a food corner, toys and fashion items shops selling goods inside the park. Every Friday and Saturday and all government holidays this park attracts huge numbers of parents and their children, particularly lower middle class and marginalized children and their parents, who don’t have the option to visit the modern Children Park because it is expensive. In a city of bricks, this is a really a good place for refreshment and peace.

Chandrima Uddan is situated beside the National Parliament of Bangladesh. The park has always been popular but it became more so after it was decided to bury Ziaur Rahman the late Bangladesh president here. The former BNP government built a monument dedicated to Ziaur Rahman in the form of a mosque centered on his mausoleum. The name was also changed to Zia Uddan by the Khaleda Zia BNP government. However, it is still popularly known as Chandrima Uddan both names now seem to apply. The park, although in the main city, is a protected area and not available for development.

It is a well-organized recreational area with an excellent plantation, lake and modern bridge at the entrance. Everyday thousands of people visit Zia’s shrine although young visitors seem more interested in recreation than the shrine. Most of the visitors come with friends and or family members and relax. Visitors from outside of Dhaka commonly come to visit Zia’s Majar to pay homage to the former President and founder of the BNP.

As thousands of people visit the park an informal market has been created where large numbers of hawkers sell recreation products and the Bangla snacks jalnuri, chanachur, badam, pan, cigarette, tea, coffee, toys, and posters of General Zia.

The park has also become a spot where couples can meet free from the strictures of home. Late in the evening it is also a place where prostitutes congregate to meet their main clients the rickshaw pullers, gypsies and homeless workers.

On Fridays and Saturdays huge numbers of visitors come to the park where they witness different types of street performances including Baul songs, the monkey dance, circus performances, magicians and bajimat (target shooting). Gambling is also available as part of the festive environment that has been created at Chandrima Uddan. The park provides an environmental balance to the unplanned, urbanized and often-chaotic Dhaka City.

Sukrabad Bazaar is adjacent to the historical Road 32, Dhanmondi where the residence of the founder of Bangladesh, Sheikh Mujiba Rahman, is located. Bangabandhu (Father of Nation) was murdered here, together his family members, on 15 August 1975. The house is now known as Bangabandhu Memorial Museum and is considered to be a memorial to the Bangladesh liberation war and movement. (During filming of Sukrabad Bazaar for Live Bits and Fresh Bits the day of national mourning was celebrated. The Mirpur Road, close to Sukrabad Bazaar was covered with the black posters, flags, festoons and banners with the Bangabandhu’s portrait).

Although Sukrabad Bazaar is a medium-sized market in Dhanmondi region it has retained its once important position as a shopping area. The inhabitants of Shukrabad, Shubabanbag and West Dhanmondi depend on the market for their daily needs particularly for vegetables, fish, meat, rice, and spices. The main bazaar consists of three small markets founded by a local entrepreneur. Within the bazaar there is a grocery shop, a Bangla food restaurant, school stationery shops and hardware shops. There is also a rickshaw station on the main road, which has photocopy shops, news agencies and key maker lining its sides. Altogether there are around one hundred shops. There is also a floating hawker’s market where Chotpoti Wallah (Bangla snacks) and Cha Wallah (tea sellers) offer their products. This Bazaar starts at 7:00 AM and closes at 10:00 PM everyday.

Uploaded on Aug 23, 2009

Mohakhali is an important and busy area in Dhaka City. Many important offices and institutions are located here. Mohakhali Bus terminal is one of the most important terminals of Dhaka City. Every day thousands of people, particularly from greater Mymensingh region, travel to this bus terminal. Moreover, the first flyover-bridge of the country was built at the Mohakhali rail crossing to reduce traffic-jams, which characterize the Bangladesh transportation sector.

Mohakhali General Market is situated beside the flyover bridge close to the Dhaka-Mymenshingh highway. Once it was a hawker’s market but in 1983 the Dhaka City Corporation built a two-storied modern building as part of the market. There are now 216 shops on two floors of this market that sell fish, meat, vegetables, eggs, rice and all kinds of daily needs on the ground floor and groceries, stationery, garment accessories, electric items on the second floor. A mosque is located on the first floor of this market.

Once this general market was heavily patronised but numbers have declined because of traffic congestion and competition from nearby markets. Although the Mohakhali General Market has lost it previous popularity it still has a great impact on the daily life of Mohakhali and nearby areas.

Many open-air fruits shops are found in front of Mohakhali General Market. A number of floating shops and hawkers are also seen on the road side area where low-priced goods, sunglasses, watches, toys, fashion items, shoes, belts, books, magazine, CDs and cassette are sold. However, the front side of the market has become very crowded because a small bus stop is located here for city services and long distance travel as well. As a consequence some restaurants and tea-stalls are busy catering to the local bus passengers. The bus stop also attracts a number of beggars who move around to hunt the passengers. At nighttime the place has become a shelter for homeless people.

Everyday the market opens at 7:00 AM and closes at 9:00 PM.

After independence the first government of Bangladesh gave priority to the objectives of the Independence War and tried to create an environment that recognized the millions who gave their lives in patriotic sacrifice. Today the Bangladesh government still gives a monthly allowance and other facilities to support particularly marginalized and injured freedom fighters of the country. To ensure continuous support for these groups the Bangladesh government and the Muktijuddha Kolan Trust established many business institutions. Mirpur-1 Muktijuddha market is such an institution.

In the early 1980s Muktijuddha Market was built in Mirpur-1 with a two-floor shopping center. It is now a five-storied building where the first three floors are a market and the two top floors are used for a garments factory. There are around 300 shops on each floor. This market is the oldest multi-storied market in the area, the now best-known market in the Mirpur area.

There are now many modern shopping markets in the area but Muktijuddha Market are still important and attracts a huge number of customers. All kinds of garment wear, crockery, plastic items, ceramics, cosmetics, electronics, fast food, and mobile phone are available in this market. Stationery shops and groceries are also found in this market.

There are many street shops around the main market, which add to the air of business and contribute to the congested streets full of rickshaws. In the street markets cloths, cosmetics, women’s items, fruit, herbal products are sold at low prices.

This market is open everyday between 9:00 AM and 8:00 PM. Some street shops and tea stalls, however, close late at night, around 11-12.00 P.M

Islam expanded in Bangladesh with the mission of the mystical spiritual leaders Pir Murshid and Pir Aulia, who came from Paroshoo (Iran and Iraq regions) in the Middle East. They were enlightened and devoted Sufis.

Although they was Muslims and devoted to the spread of Islam they always encouraged religions centering on one God and His Love, emphasising humanity above all. Because of this they were highly respected by all.

In Dhaka city there are 127 majar (shrines) devoted to spiritual leaders. Hazrat Shah Ali’s majar at Mirpur and Gulap Shah’s Majar are the most famous. The Shah Ali’s majar is situated in Mirpur-1 area.

In 1577 Shah Ali Baghdadi (called Baghdadi as he came from Baghdad) came to Hindustan from Bagdad. He moved to Mirpur, starting the mission in Dhaka by repairing the mosque at Mirpur, where he lived until he passed away in 1607. His shrine has become a centre for pilgrimage. Thousands of people come to pray every day, seeking good luck and or spiritual salvation. Every Thursday there is an organized special prayer session and many people gather to sing and make offerings.

The shrine committee established a market on the periphery of the majar where candles, agorbati (aroma) along with the Holy Quran and religious books are available for pilgrims to buy and make offerings. Along with religious products food, toys and posters are also on sale here. In the grounds there is also a place where beggars may beg under the banyan tree while the stoic singer of songs, to the accompaniment of local instruments arranges the sermon.

The income from the market is used for the development of the shrine. During Urosh (birthday of Shah Ali) a special celebration is organized for a huge number of devotee followers, from home and aboard, who come together to celebrate. During Urosh (and weekly prays) the management of the shrine distributes free khichuri (hospitality food). The food is supplied from the donations of the followers of Shah Ali. To fulfill their obligations the people donate money, livestock and food. Subadar Islam Khan, the successor of Shah Ali repaired and modernized the shrine and mosque in 1807.

There are two other markets in Mirpur with the name of Shah Ali. There are the three-storied market named Shah Ali Shopping Complex and the Shah Ali General market, built by the government. The government now administers the majar and its markets. All kinds of ladies, gents and baby wear; cosmetics, ornaments, electronic products, and food are widely available in Shah Ali Shopping Complex. The Shah Ali general market sells daily needs including vegetables, fish, meat, rice, fruit and grocery items. Beside the established shops many mobile small shops and hawkers are found in the market area.

Banarashi and Jamdani are examples of the world finest muslin cloth, which are proud products of the Bangladeshi heritage of weaving. Banarashi is an artistic, immaculately hand made sari cloth which is generally used for creating Bengali women’s wedding dresses, whereas the Jamdani is widely used by the elite classes for special event saris. Paradoxically this fine Bangladeshi cloth is hand woven by Pakistani refugees in the Mirpur Geneva Camp. Initially there were no showrooms or shops for the weavers to sell direct to customers. They made and supplied materials for sale in different cloth shops throughout Dhaka City. Unfortunately they did not get a fair price for their work, which led the weavers to establish their own retail outlets. In 1980 Banarashi Polli began with five shops. Now there are more than 150 shops where 800 artists work directly.

Mirpur Banarashi Polli is the only Banarashi market in the country. Basically three types of sari cloth are on offer – Jamdani, Katan and silk. Jamdani is the finest, most artistic and aristocratic sari cloth, which carries on the tradition of the famous muslin first created in Dhaka in the sixteenth century. Everyday many wholesale and retail customers come here from Dhaka and other parts of the country to purchase cloth. Businessmen also take orders for making Banarashi to the customer’s specific design and requirements. The price range for Banarashi is TK. 2000-70000 and depends of the design work and cloth quality. Banarashi is now exported to India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and some other Asian countries.