200-year-old market needs infrastructural development

The oldest and most prominent market of Barishal, Babuganj Bazar, has a risky infrastructure that may collapse any time and lead to casualties.

At present, the 200-year-old market comprises over 400 ill-constructed shops, three residential areas, and a rickety narrow road filled with potholes, which becomes waterlogged in the monsoon, leaving the market closed for months.

“The road is so dilapidated and narrow that in case of any fire, which is likely to break out anytime, even the smallest vehicle of the fire service cannot enter the market premises,” said Md Arifur Rahman, a crockeries trader of the market.

Traders told The Business Post the market became a permanent trading place in 1908 and was last renovated 22 years ago. 

They said they face four consistent problems – waterlogging, narrow and dilapidated road, inadequate drainage, and waste disposal system.

Despite being the largest market in the vicinity, it is now failing to attract crowds as traders said buyers cannot even come by rickshaw because of the bad road condition.

“Once upon a time, thousands of buyers used to visit the market. However, due to its dilapidated state, it is becoming desolate,” said trader Shimul Shikdar.

“We have contacted the local government representatives several times, but they have turned a deaf ear to us. If this situation continues, we would have no way but to shift our shops to some other places,” he added.

When the market was established some 200 years back, it was known as Nawabganj, said centenarian Abdul Majid Bepari.

A few locals built makeshift shops on some 1,800 decimals of land in the Khudrakathi area and began trading at the market, he said.  

“A conflict arose between local landlords (locally called Babu) and the Nawabs, and they engaged in a bloody battle in 1908. In the end, the Babus won the battle and established the market in their name, inviting traders from all over the country to start business there,” he added.

Arifur said the problems of the market had been there for the last two decades. 

“However, responding to our requests, the then Member of Parliament (MP), Golam Faruque Ovi, initiated a road renovation project in 1998,” he said.

“The state of the market is so frail that if anything happens, such as a fire or an earthquake, it might collapse in a minute. The traders are living in fear as their life is under threat,” said Fakrul Alam Khan, convener of Babuganj Bazar Committee.

He told The Business Post the government had allocated Tk 3,87,00,000 for the market’s renovation. 

“However, the project has not been initiated yet, and we have got no response from the authorities concerned,” he added.

Upazila Engineer of the Local Government Engineering Department in Babuganj Md Monowarul Islam told The Business Post they would start the renovation soon.

Local MP of Barishal-3, Golam Kibria Tipu, told The Business Post he had been informed about the allocation for the renovation.