Dhaka Kawran Bazar is a major business district and wholesale market place of Dhaka city, the capital of Bangladesh. Farmgate, a major bus junction of Dhaka City are located few hundred kilometers from Kawran Bazar. In the late eighteenth century, a Marawari (Indian ethnic group that originates from the Rajasthan region of India) merchant Kawran Singh first established the market. The place is named after him.
The Kazi Nazrul Islam Avenue, an important street to the city, passes on the west of Kawran Bazar. Pan Pacific Hotel Sonargaon, a five star hotel is located at one end of the wholesale market of Kawran Bazar. The main offices of the Daily Prothom Alo, the Daily Star (Bangladesh), The Independent, and several other newspapers are located here. Furthermore, the office and studio of Television channels Ekushey Television, RTV, Mohona TV, NTV, ATN Bangla, and ABC Radio, ATN News are located at Karwan Bazar. Bangladesh’s second largest shopping mall, The Bashundhara City is located near Kawran Bazar. The main campus of Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology was located here. International electronic manufacturing company Samsung Electronics has one of her overseas R&D centers in Karwan Bazar.
The market in Kawran Bazar is the biggest and most famous wholesale general market in Dhaka City. The market has 1255 stores, out of which 55 were owned by the Dhaka City Corporation. There are also hundreds of small temporary shops in and around the market. As of 2002, the wholesale market has daily revenue of 50 million Bangladeshi taka. The market operates 24/7 all year around. Starting at from midnight till dawn, the vegetables, fish and goods come from around the country. Many trucks and pick-ups carry and bring commodities here from different parts of Bangladesh. Traders of Kawran Bazar supply goods to shops in Dhaka as well as other parts throughout the country. Many traders also export goods to foreign markets. The early morning is the peak hour for the wholesale. Because of the market, all restaurants and tea stalls in and around Kawran Bazar stayed open for 24 hours.
