Syndicates capture Dhaka's cattle markets again

A number of syndicates, mostly Dhaka's ward councillors and ruling party men have allegedly taken the control of Dhaka's 23 cattle markets for Eid-ul-Azha. Apart from the city's permanent and biggest Gabtoli cattle market, there will be eight more temporary markets set up in Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) and 14 temporary markets will be in Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC), officials said. A number of DSCC and DNCC officials seeking anonymity told the Dhaka Tribune that several groups of the ruling Awami League's associate bodies including Jubo League, Chhatra League, Swechchhasebak League men and their families and friends are controlling all the cattle markets of DSCC just like the previous years. When the DSCC authorities opened the tender box for 12 temporary cattle markets this year, it was found that ward 9 Councillor AKM Mominul Haque Sayed was the highest bidder for two temporary markets under the city corporation. According to the city corporation act no public representative can submit a tender for any purposes of the city corporation. When contacted, DSCC Chief Executive Officer Khan Mohammad Bilal acknowledged the matter and said Mominul's tender had been canceled and the markets were given to another bidder. A bidder seeking anonymity told the Dhaka Tribune that the syndicates in both Dhaka south and north city corporations bought schedules and submitted them after their own internal bargaining. “A large number of schedules have been sold but not everybody submitted them for the threat of the Awami League men,” the bidder added. Sources said the city corporations' ward councillors and their associates have become the highest bidders for the 12 temporary cattle markets of Dhaka south. Besides, a Awami League group and a Jatiya Party group have been battling it out to capture the Balurmath temporary market at Shyampur under the jurisdiction of DSCC.Shyampur and DoniaMost cattle markets are going to set up at the same locations as the previous years. However, two new cattle markets at Shyampur and Donia have been added tp Dhaka south. The locations of the DSCC temporary markets are going to be Jigatala-Hajaribagh, Dhupkhola, Rahmantganj playground, Meradia Bazar Khilgaon, Sadek Hossain Khoka playground, Shahjahanpur Moitri Shangha ground, Brothers Union Balurmath, Postogola-Shashanghat, Lalbagh Delwar Hossain playground, Kamrangirchar cattle market, Jatrabari kitchen market, free space adjoining Kamlapur Rail Station, Shyampur and Donia. The locations of the DNCC temporary markets are the open areas near Khilkhet-Banorupa Residential Project area, Eastern Housing at Mirpur section 6, the bridges at Uttara 15 and 16, Mirpur section 6, open space adjoining Bhasantek Palli ground, Badda and the free space between Ashian City Housing and Bhatara. When contacted, concerned officials of estate departments at Dhaka south and north city corporations said they had leased all the temporary markets after inviting tender and following all city corporation rules and regulations.