HELEMUL ALAM and SHAHEEN MOLLAH

The two Dhaka city corporations have so far completed the leasing process for 17 makeshift cattle markets ahead of Eid-ul-Azha, with most leases going to BNP leaders or individuals linked to the party.

According to officials, 26 temporary cattle markets will be set up this year -- 11 under Dhaka South City Corporation and 15 under Dhaka North City Corporation.

The tender process has already been completed for eight markets in DSCC and seven in DNCC. The permanent cattle market at Gabtoli will also remain operational.

In DNCC, leases for seven markets have been finalised, while no bids were received for markets in the Merul Badda kitchen market area, the open space near the Mohammadpur 40 feet road in Basila, and the open space adjoining the Bhatara Sutibhola canal.

Tender processes are ongoing for four other markets, including Banarupa Housing, Swadesh Property in Badda, Mohakhali T&T playground, and Baro Beraid.

Meanwhile, the family of top-listed criminal Khandokar Nayeem Ahmed Titon, who was shot dead on April 28 near the Dhaka University area, alleged that he was killed over disputes related to the Basila-Mohammadpur cattle market tender.

Titon’s elder brother, Khondaker Saeed Akhtar Ripon, said Titon had collected the tender schedule for the market through a friend four days before his death, and rival groups wanted to stop him from participating in the bidding process.

He also alleged that another listed criminal, Imamul Hasan Helal alias Pichchi Helal, had collected a tender schedule through one of his associates.

The highest bidder so far in DNCC is Sheikh Farid Hossain, president of Dhaka North Jubo Dal, who secured the lease for Boubazar cattle market adjacent to Uttara’s Diabari through his company SF Corporation with a bid of Tk 14.15 crore against a base price of Tk 8.30 crore.

Farid told The Daily Star that although he is involved in politics, he is primarily a businessman. He said this was his first time leasing a cattle market at such a high price and admitted the final bid might have exceeded initial expectations.

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