New Market traders call off protests after MP's assurance

New Market traders have called off their midday protests against a second floor expansion at the market after receiving assurance of the local Member of Parliament (MP), reports bdnews24.com.

Traders occupied the road in front of Gate-1 on the south side of the New Market on Monday.

They gave speeches and chanted slogans. The protests blocked traffic between the Nilkhet intersection and the BDR Gate.

MP Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh arrived in the area around 4:45pm. He agreed to the protesters' demands and requested them to call off the protests.

"I agree with you," he told them. "New Market has its own particular tradition. I believe the city corporation will reconsider its decision."

"I will speak to the Dhaka South City Corporation mayor regarding the matter tomorrow."

The traders vacated the area around 5pm, allowing traffic to resume.

The protests were led by the New Market Traders Association.

"Some corrupt officials at the DSCC wanted to build a second storey at New Market," association member Mohammad Awlad Hossain told the news agency. "They would have ruined the structure of this historic market."

Police had tried to break up the protests but had been unsuccessful.

"Police requested them to leave the streets, but they did not listen," New Market Police Station Inspector (Operations) Sher Alam said. "However, there was no violence and they did not damage any vehicle."