Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday inaugurated construction of four development schemes including the 10-storey building Bangabazar Paikari Nagar Market under the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC).The other three projects are: eight-lane Bir Muktijoddha Sheikh Fazlul Haque Mani Sarani from Postogola Bridge to Rayerbazar Sluice Gate, Nazrul Saroni at Dhanmondi Lake and modernisation of the Hussain Shaheed Suhrawardy Children Park, reports BSS.With opening of the construction works of the Bangabazar Paikari Nagar Biponi Bitan, the promise of the prime minister to construct a modern market at the site of the burnt Bagabazar Paikari Market by a devastating fire has come into reality.

A massive fire ripped through the capital's Bangabazar Shopping Complex on April 4, 2023, burning down over 2,931 clothe shops and ruining the livelihood of several thousand of traders just weeks before Eid.

The market will feature a 10-storey building on 106.28 katha of land, with four blocks, five general stairways, six emergency stairways, and 3,213 shops ranging from 80-110 sq ft each.

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

The market will have eight lifts - four for passengers and four for goods - and roads around the market will be 7-10 ft wide for easy access.

Additionally, the building will feature an adequate firefighting system and underground parking for 169 cars and 109 motorcycles.

Some 2,961 shops will be allocated to the fire-affected shop owners from Bangabazar, Gulistan, Mahanagar, and Adarsha Hawkers Market. An additional 244 shops will be available and allocated through an application process as per the rules.

According to the DSCC, the market construction will be completed by December 2026.

LGRD and Cooperatives Minister Md Tazul Islam, DSCC Mayor Barrister Fazle Noor Taposh, Dhaka-8 constituency lawmaker AFM Bahauddin Nasim, and Local Government Division Secretary Muhammad Ibrahim spoke at the function.