Staff Reporter :
Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Md Tajul Islam on Thursday called for shifting wholesale and retail kitchen markets to the government’s stipulated places to reduce public sufferings and traffic jam in Dhaka.
He warned that punishment is a must if anyone establishes a shop occupying the road used for the movement of the transports and city dwellers.
The minister told journalists while visiting the Gabtali kitchen market area stipulated for shifting the Karwan Bazar wholesale kitchen market.
Dhaka North City Corporation Mayor Md Atiqul Islam was also present in the event.
The minister said, Karwan Bazar kitchen market was established many years ago. The kitchen items are sold in the retail markets in different areas in the city for long.
“It is difficult to bring vegetables, fish and other products from different parts of the country to Karwan Bazar. The traders used to bring those items also are being sufferers,” the minister said.
As Dhaka is very densely populated city, there are huge traffic jams and other problems to carry the products to the retail markets from Karwan Bazar, Tajul Islam said.
“We have already started efforts aiming to select convenient points in different areas for reducing traffic congestions and related public sufferings,” the minister said. The minister said, wholesale and the retail kitchen markets should remain in designated places.
“If wholesale kitchen markets are shifted outside the city then it will be better for all the city dwellers,” Tajul Islam said.
The LGRD Minister said that they are working for ensuring the traders interest keeping upheld.
“We want that traders will not be losers for the shifting efforts and no public suffering to be created,” he said.
“It is not possible to direct traders suddenly to be shifted. It is also important that where will they go?” the minister said.
Tajul Islam said that the traders must be shifted if any well convenient place fixed for them.
Replying to a query of the journalists, the minister said the ministry, mayors, councillors of the two Dhaka city corporations and all concerned are working together for making a better city for all.
In replying to another query from journalists, the minister said that the mayor and councillors will decide how many markets are needed in any area and in no way the wholesale and retail markets will remain here and there.
