The name Nilkhat comes from the Bengali word “Nil”. During the English colonial period Nil was cultivated here so the area was named Nilkhat ( Nil + Field).
However in modern Dhaka Nilkhat is famous as a book and printing market. It is the second largest book market of Dhaka City. It is located near Dhaka University. Hence the main clients are the students of Dhaka University. This market was established in 1979 and is now managed by the Land Ministry since 1980.
Along with local and international books and publications Nilkhat is famous for low priced printing, photocopying, stationery and educational materials. There are 2500 book stalls in this market. Everyday about 15-20 thousand students come here to fulfill their needs.
This market is divided into two parts; the book section and the print section. Print section’s weekly holiday is on Friday and the book section’s holiday is on Tuesday. Huge quantities of books and publications have been distributed around the country from here. This is the target market of students from low and middle class families.