Traders of Bangabazar Shopping Complex have expressed their dissatisfaction regarding the Dhaka South City Corporation’s “sudden operation” to demolish makeshift shops at the site.

They said the city corporation did not announce any specific date for demolishing their shops after the Eid vacation. As a result of the operation that started suddenly on Monday, they have to incur a lot of financial damages, which would worsen their plights caused by the fire incident on 4 April last year.

Sources at the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) said the authority started to dismantle the makeshift shops at the site of Bangabazar Shopping Complex on Monday afternoon as per a previous announcement.

Earlier, DSCC Mayor Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh had announced that the construction work of Bangabazar market would begin after Eid-ul-Fitr.

Anwar Hossain, a businessman at Bangabazar, told the Daily Sun, “I have become a beggar on the streets. I left all the products in my four shops after closing the sales before the Eid day. Today (Tuesday) I came here and saw there was nothing left of the shops and the products.”

He said, “All the businessmen should have been asked to evacuate their shops. Hundreds of traders like me went to their village homes to celebrate Eid. They will return and find that their shops were demolished and their goods were gone.

“The mayor earlier said they would conduct a drive after the Eid vacation, but the city corporation did not announce any specific date for demolishing shops. So, we did not remove the products from our shops.”

Another trader, Zahidul Islam, said, “It is illogical to take such a decision without thinking about small traders like us. How can we survive with our families if we are not resettled If we had known that our shops would be demolished at this time, would we have left our products in the shops.

“Moreover, we were damaged by a fire last year, but we have not been given any financial aid yet. Now, we have been evicted without being informed. We have suffered a lot due to all these things.”

Mohammad Hridhoy Khan, proprietor of Nurjahan Garments, said, “Earlier, four dates were announced for demolishing the shops, but that was not done on those dates. Currently, we have nowhere to go. It would have been better to dismantle the shops after making alternative arrangements for all the traders.”

Atiqur Rahman, a member of the management committee of Bangabazar Shopping Complex Owners Association, said they informed all shop owners about the demolition drive.

“Their allegations are baseless. However, the government initiative is positive for us and all the businessmen,” he added.

DSCC spokesperson Abu Nasher said the illegal shops were being demolished from Monday afternoon to set up a new market.

He further said a notice in this regard had been issued before Eid. All traders were informed. If they raise allegations of not issuing a notice of eviction, it would not be acceptable.

The eviction drive will be completed by Wednesday, he added.

After a fire gutted the Bangabazar shops last year, many institutions and individuals, including the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) and the DSCC, contributed to a fund of Tk6.19 crore to support the businessmen who suffered losses. But the money has not been distributed among the businessmen yet.

PM to inaugurate Bangabazar market construction this month

Sources at DSCC said a 10-storey commercial building will be constructed at a cost of Tk365 crore on 106 katha land in the Bangabazar area. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is expected to inaugurate the construction of Bangabazar Wholesale City Market within April this year.

There will be 3,215 shops in the new multi-storey building. The entire construction cost of the mall will be taken from the shopkeepers.  The construction of the new market could be completed by 2028.

According to the DSCC, there will be a total of 384 shops on the ground floor, 366 on the first floor, 397 on the second floor, 387 on the third floor, 404 on the fourth floor, 387 on the fifth floor, 404 on the sixth floor and 313 on the seventh floor of the market.