Dhaka South City Corporation continued dismantling makeshift shops at Bangabazar market in the capital鈥檚 Fulbaria area for the second consecutive day on Tuesday amid allegations that the eviction started without giving traders adequate time.
Visiting the market area between 11:30am and 12:30pm on Tuesday, it was observed that around half of the makeshift shops had been demolished using an excavator since Monday morning.
Earlier, DSCC mayor Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh announced on March 13 that the construction work of Bangabazar market would start after Eid-ul-Fitr.
After a devastating fire at the Bangabazar Market on April 4, 2023, which affected 3,845 traders and resulted in goods valued at Tk聽288.350 crore being reduced to ashes with an additional Tk聽14.70 crore in losses attributed to structural damage, plans were made for the construction of a new 10-storey commercial building at the site.
However, around 15 traders at the makeshift shops alleged that the demolition was started without giving them any specific date, resulting in their goods being looted from the shops as the drive started on Monday 鈥� the first day after the Eid and Pahela Baishakh holidays.
Md Billah Hossain Miron, owner of three shops named Bismillah Garments, said, 鈥榃e knew that the demolition would start after Eid, but no fixed date was announced for it. I came from my village Lakhshmipur last night after learning about it.鈥�
Another trader named Habul Hossain, who rented shop number 1085, said that he was unaware of the demolition, resulting in goods worth around Tk聽40,000 being looted from his shop.
Several other traders also alleged the same that their goods were looted.
Regarding this matter, Abu Naser, spokesperson for DSCC mayor, said that a notice had been given before Eid over the market construction.聽
鈥榃e informed the market committee about the demolition following the proper process. It is not the DSCC鈥檚 responsibility if someone misses the notice,鈥� he said.
The DSCC hopes to complete the demolition work within this week, he added.聽聽
Bangabazar Shopping Complex committee general secretary Zahirul Islam said that the committee announced the date for demolition on April 4 using loud speaker and it also verbally informed the shops owners about it.聽
鈥楾he shop owners were told to vacate their shops the night before Eid. The demolition was supposed to start from April 14, as that day was a public holiday, so it began on Monday,鈥� he said, claiming that no goods were in the makeshift shops of the market.
However, like several other traders, Md Asad, who rented shop number 1110, said, 鈥楴o announcement was made mentioning the date. Goods worth around Tk聽60,000 were looted from his shop.鈥�
Asad said he came from his Munshiganj village this morning after learning about the demolition on Monday night.聽
A billboard on behalf of the DSCC, erected in front of the market, reads that the construction work of Bangabazar market would start after Eid-ul-Fitr to rehabilitate the affected traders.
Prime minister Sheikh Hasina has given consent to laying the foundation stone of the building. Thus, all business activities in the makeshift shops were instructed to be suspended after Eid, it reads.
According to the Bangabazar Shopping Complex committee, there were 2961 temporary shops in the market.