Prime minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday inaugurated construction of the 10-storey Bangabazar Nagar Wholesale Market.

The new market comes after a devastating fire on April 4, 2023, which destroyed over 2,931 shops in Dhaka’s Bangabazar Shopping Complex, severely impacting the livelihoods of thousands of traders just weeks before Eid.

The planned 10-storey building will occupy 106.28 katha of land and feature four blocks, five general stairways, six emergency stairways, and 3,213 shops ranging from 80 to 110 square feet each.

Each floor will also include a 250 sqft food court and separate toilet blocks.

The market will be equipped with eight lifts-four for passengers and four for goods. The roads around the market will be 7-10 feet wide to ensure easy access. Additionally, the building will feature an advanced firefighting system and underground parking for 169 cars and 109 motorcycles.

A total of 2,961 shops will be allocated to the shop owners affected by the fire in Bangabazar, Gulistan, Mahanagar, and Adarsha Hawkers Market. An additional 244 shops will be distributed through application process.

Dhaka South City Corporation has stated that the market construction will be completed by December 2026.