Poor infrastructure a major barrier for traders, shoppers

OUR CORRESPONDENT
PABNA, Mar 15: The weekly Nagarbathan Haat, a market that sits once a week, in Jhenaidah Sadar Upazila, is still operating with poorly developed infrastructure much to the inconvenience of both traders and shoppers.
Although lakhs of taka are collected in revenue from the weekly market, traders and buyers coming from far and near face endless sufferings here for want of most commonly required basic infrastructure.
Since establishment of the market, no complex or shed has been built here by the government to facilitate trade and business activities.
During the rainy season, there is no end to suffering of traders and buyers who have to buy and sell in knee-deep water.
The tin canopy erected at the time of its construction is also lies in a dilapidated condition.
Despite all the bad conditions, the government continues to collect revenue as usual from the market.
Malek Mia, a meat trader, has been trading beef in the open space at Nagarbathan Haat for a long time.
He says most of the tin canopy in the market is in a ramshackle state. Buyers face difficulties for having to do shop in submerged marketplace
standing in muddy water during the rainy season.
Running business activities is also tough then for the traders.
Around 700 to 800 traders of all types constantly suffer due to this problem in the Nagarbathan weekly market.
For the convenience of traders, the government built a market building in Nagarbathan Haat three years ago at a cost of more than Tk 300 million (Tk 3 crore).
This building was constructed to provide modern facilities to the traders and make shopping easier for the buyers. But that building is still under lock and key.
There have arisen some complications over allocation of shops in the market building. As a result, the traders are forced to continue trading in old, unhealthy environment.
According to the authorities concerned, there are several hundred shops in Nagarbathan market, most of which are privately owned.
The facility consists of three dilapidated tin sheds built a long time ago.
The traders set up shops in the open space and some straw made sheds in the remaining areas.
Considering interests of the traders, the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) authorities built the two-storey market building.
Although its construction was completed in 2022, it has not been opened till today.
According to the Jhenaidah Sadar Upazila LGED office, an initiative was taken to build a two-storey building for the development of the market in 2021 under the nationwide rural market infrastructure development project. An allocation of Tk31million (Tk3.10 crore) was given for this.
In August that year, the tender was submitted and the work order was given to the contractor on September 12.
After receiving the work order, the contractor started work. It was completed in September 2022. But even after two years, no shop has been allotted to any trader for the reason unknown.
Meat trader Malek Mia told The Financial Express, "Why should we have to sit here when there is a new building? We have to face knee-deep water during the monsoon and suffocating environment during summmer."
"No one thinks about us. Even though there is a new building in the market, there is no opportunity to do business there.This building should be inaugurated immediately and business opportunities should be provided," he added.
Grocer Amir Hossain told the FE, "We do business in open areas of the market with a bamboo pole and tin roof. Although there is no problem during the winter, there is a lot of trouble during the rainy season due to muddy water. Although the market has a new building, there is no opportunity to do business there. Since the building has not been used for a long time, dogs and foxes have started living there."
Jhenaidah Sadar Upazila Engineer Md. Abul Kalam Azad told The Financial Express,"The market building has been built for the convenience of traders. After construction, it was handed over to the land office in 2022. Currently, the deputy commissioner and upazila administration have taken initiatives for this. I hope that it will be possible to hand over the building to the traders soon."
Jhenaidah Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Abdul Awal told The Financial Express, "The market building has been constructed at the initiative of the land ministry and the local administration. Earlier, there were various complications including regarding allotment of shops, so a committee has been formed to resolve those. It will be inaugurated very soon; then traders will get the opportunity to do business in a beautiful environment."
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