Dhaka City is expanding in all directions due to its ever-increasing population through migration from the countryside. Most people don’t have the ability to buy land in the main city but have a desire to live in the capital. As a result there are huge new housing estates appearing on the periphery of the city in places such as Uttara. Along with the housing come the markets and business centers. A major issue in this development is the question of infrastructure, which architects and town planners are trying to address, sometimes with success.
Khilkhet is a famous bazaar in Uttara. Although Khilkhet Bazaar looks old it is in fact new. Unfortunately the local road is not in good condition, and with a little rain, the road becomes muddy. Despite this the area is developing rapidly and there are multistoried buildings in the area including the five star Dhaka Regency Hotel which is located just behind Khilkhet general market. There are also modern restaurants, education centers, shops and a shopping mall adjacent to the Bazaar, catering to an expanding population.
There is a rail line with the rail crossing making it at a high-risk area, but the local people don’t seem to care about this. There is a bridge over the rail line beside Khilkhet Bazaar, close to the market, which has also become market of floating shops for cloths, fruits, books, and newspapers. Beside this bazaar a shopping market named Mannan Shopping Center, which specializes in gifts and crockery, ceramics, cosmetics, ladies and gents garments.
There are about 300 shops in this bazaar. It opens at 7:00 AM and runs until 10:30 PM. Vegetables, fish, meat, rice and all kind of daily necessary products available here.