Traders fear Tk 50cr loss
8,000 shops under water in Khatunganj market
A Chittagong :
Khatunganj, the country’s biggest wholesale hub of daily commodities, has gone under tidal water since last Friday because of cyclone Komen and the nonstop heavy rainfall.
Local businessmen and traders said they had never experienced such a sudden flood in the area, and it would cost thousands of businessmen several crore taka losses.
According to Khatunganj Trade and Industries Association sources, tidal and rain water flooded more than 8,000 small, medium and large shops, organisations, banks, insurance companies and other trading offices at Khatunganj, Chaktai, Asadganj, Korbaniganj and adjoining areas.
Sayed Sagir Ahmad, General Secretary of Katunganj Trade and Association said, “Tidal water often flood the nearby low-lying areas during rainy season, but the flood seen from Friday last had not occurred in last 30 years.”
The flood damaged goods worth more than Tk 50 crore at Khatunganj and Chaktai areas, he added.
Sagir said the entire nation would be affected from this disaster as most of the demand for commodities in the country was met by Khatunganj, Chaktai traders and importers, he added.
Most of the shops were closed due to weekly holidays and the shop owners could not save their goods from the flood, said Omar Azam, general secretary of Chittagong Rice Merchant Association adding that he did not experience such flood in those areas even in 1991, or any other times before.
“I did not experience such a flood in those areas even in 1991, or at any other times before this,” he added.
He also said about 350 rice wholesale shops and about 1,200 other retail shops and business organisations at Chaktai would count great loss due to the sudden flood.
According to Khatunganj Trade and Industries Association source, there are about 8,000 businesses establishments in Khatunganj that trade rice, wheat, edible oil, sugar, pulse, peas, onion, ginger, garlic and other daily necessary commodities from abroad and distribute them to different parts of the country.
About 10,000 businessmen and traders are involved in the regular trading.
Importers of Khatunganj, Chaktai, K?banigonj and adjoining areas import goods mainly from Canada, Australia, Brazil, Pakistan, Russia, Ukraine, China and India through different trading houses based in Singapore, Australia, USA and Canada, the source added.
Canadian envoy to visit Cox’s Bazar’s flood-hit areas: Canadian High Commi-ssioner in Dhaka Beno?t-Pierre Laramée will visit Cox’s Bazar on Sunday to see the flood situation there.
During his visit, the Canadian envoy will go to the flood-affected areas to learn about the ongoing situation in and around Cox’s Bazar.
The diplomat will also visit the reconstructed Buddhist temples in Ramu if the weather and road conditions permit, said a media note on Saturday.
Khatunganj, the country’s biggest wholesale hub of daily commodities, has gone under tidal water since last Friday because of cyclone Komen and the nonstop heavy rainfall.
Local businessmen and traders said they had never experienced such a sudden flood in the area, and it would cost thousands of businessmen several crore taka losses.
According to Khatunganj Trade and Industries Association sources, tidal and rain water flooded more than 8,000 small, medium and large shops, organisations, banks, insurance companies and other trading offices at Khatunganj, Chaktai, Asadganj, Korbaniganj and adjoining areas.
Sayed Sagir Ahmad, General Secretary of Katunganj Trade and Association said, “Tidal water often flood the nearby low-lying areas during rainy season, but the flood seen from Friday last had not occurred in last 30 years.”
The flood damaged goods worth more than Tk 50 crore at Khatunganj and Chaktai areas, he added.
Sagir said the entire nation would be affected from this disaster as most of the demand for commodities in the country was met by Khatunganj, Chaktai traders and importers, he added.
Most of the shops were closed due to weekly holidays and the shop owners could not save their goods from the flood, said Omar Azam, general secretary of Chittagong Rice Merchant Association adding that he did not experience such flood in those areas even in 1991, or any other times before.
“I did not experience such a flood in those areas even in 1991, or at any other times before this,” he added.
He also said about 350 rice wholesale shops and about 1,200 other retail shops and business organisations at Chaktai would count great loss due to the sudden flood.
According to Khatunganj Trade and Industries Association source, there are about 8,000 businesses establishments in Khatunganj that trade rice, wheat, edible oil, sugar, pulse, peas, onion, ginger, garlic and other daily necessary commodities from abroad and distribute them to different parts of the country.
About 10,000 businessmen and traders are involved in the regular trading.
Importers of Khatunganj, Chaktai, K?banigonj and adjoining areas import goods mainly from Canada, Australia, Brazil, Pakistan, Russia, Ukraine, China and India through different trading houses based in Singapore, Australia, USA and Canada, the source added.
Canadian envoy to visit Cox’s Bazar’s flood-hit areas: Canadian High Commi-ssioner in Dhaka Beno?t-Pierre Laramée will visit Cox’s Bazar on Sunday to see the flood situation there.
During his visit, the Canadian envoy will go to the flood-affected areas to learn about the ongoing situation in and around Cox’s Bazar.
The diplomat will also visit the reconstructed Buddhist temples in Ramu if the weather and road conditions permit, said a media note on Saturday.
