Dhaka district administration takes initiative to launch ‘Jantar Bazar’

The Dhaka district administration has taken the initiative to establish a fair price market called 'Jantar Bazar' with the aim of controlling the rise in market prices of daily necessities and bringing relief to public life.

Dhaka Deputy Commissioner Tanvir Ahmed made the announcement at a view-sharing meeting at the government ground adjacent to Zaker Dairy Farm in Mohammadpur Beribandh area on Saturday (January 4).

At the event, Dhaka Deputy Commissioner Tanvir Ahmed said that a special market will be launched from the first day of February to directly connect farmers and consumers. In this market, daily necessities including fish, meat, milk, eggs and vegetables will be supplied at affordable prices.

The aim of this initiative is to control the prices of products by establishing direct relations between farmers and consumers, avoiding the influence of middlemen. Initially, six places in Dhaka have been identified for such markets. Its scope will be expanded in phases, he also said.

The places initially selected for the establishment of the public market are Mohammadpur (government ground adjacent to ULAB University), Mirpur (adjacent to Golartech ground), Kamrangir Char (adjacent to Kurarghat Medical Intersection), Badda (adjacent to Satarkul Bara Beraid Bazar Cemetery), Gulshan (Dhelna Mosque ground) and Demra (government land adjacent to Sarulia Bazar).

While discussing various aspects of the management of this market, he said that to establish this market, infrastructure will be built at government places and local entrepreneurs, students and unemployed youth will be involved. There will be only a retail sale system and a fixed price list will be followed for purchasing products. Buyers will receive a code by paying digitally, which they can show to collect the products.

Deputy Commissioner Tanvir Ahmed said that they believe that through this market, it will be possible to control the market by ensuring the supply of food products at fair prices. And so the government's Agriculture Department, Ministry of Commerce and the Department of Consumer Rights Protection will cooperate in this initiative.
District administration sources say that software will be created for accounting and overall activity management; so that the purchase and sale price of each product will be displayed online.

Moreover, the notable features of the proposed fair price market are- the market will be operated under the supervision of the district administration in cooperation with the concerned government departments and organizations. Products will be collected and transported from the place where the price of the product is comparatively low and brought directly to Dhaka for sale. Any farmer, rancher or producer will be able to sell their own products directly in that market. Local entrepreneurs or students will be given responsibility for purchase, sale and transportation management. Each product will be sold at a price determined by the district administration or the concerned committee.
The sale price will be determined fairly by adding the actual transportation cost and reasonable profit paid to the entrepreneurs to the purchase price.

The residents of the area present welcomed the project and said that this initiative will be of great help especially for low-income people. However, they emphasized on crowd control and ensuring safety.