New Market, Dhaka

The market started in 1952 by CBD during the period of Nurul Amin, the Chief Minister of East Pakistan. Construction was completed in 1954. This heralded the beginning of a new area of development towards modernizing Dhaka. During 1950's and 1960's, it was the most popular place for shopping as well as recreation. Novelty, an ice-cream shop, was one of the most popular destinations of the young people. During the 1980’s, 3 more New Market blocks were constructed on the north under Dhaka City Corporation, for example, New Super Market for rockeries, Bonolata for kitchen market, Chandrima and Gausia market for varieties of items and D block for groceries, each having over thousand shops. Rickshaw ride or walking along the narrow lanes of old Dhaka for shopping was not a happy experience for families. New Market area is triangular in shape with high arched entry gates on three sides. There were spaces for 440 shops and a triangular lawn at the center. The total area was 35 acres (140,000 m²) of land. Old Dhaka was too conservative, noisy and crowded. Ironically, Mr. Nurul Amin’s modernization project boomeranged as people talked against it. Some believed New Market and Shahbagh Hotel were made exclusively for Nurul Amin’s family.