From Zahura Market to Zahura Square: A tower that tells Dhaka’s evolution story
Banglamotor's Zahura Square, previously named as Zahura Market or Zahura Mansion during the Pakistan era, once stood alongside New Market and Sakura Market as one of Dhaka's most recognisable commercial centres
In 1969, when Apollo astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins visited Dhaka, the city was gripped by excitement. People climbed rooftops and crowded balconies, eager for a glimpse of the men who had walked on the moon. Among the gathering points was Zahura Market, where hundreds assembled for a fleeting look at history.
At the time, Zahura Market, also known as Zahura Mansion, stood alongside New Market and Sakura Market as one of the capital's most recognisable commercial centres.
Today, many who pass through Banglamotor do not realise that Zahura Square is the same place. Yet for more than three decades, this site was deeply woven into Dhaka's urban memory, not as a modern tower, but as Zahura Mansion.
Built on vision and unlikely ground
The market was named after Zahura, the wife of businessman Haji Abdur Sattar, a prominent contractor of the 1960s. Sattar supervised the construction of several important buildings across Dhaka, including structures in Old Dhaka, parts of Dhaka University, Green Super Market and Sakura Market.
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Zahura Market, however, was a personal endeavour. According to family members, the land was acquired around 1967 or 1968. Before development, the site had an unusual past. It reportedly served as a monkey farm, where animals were kept for export. The surrounding area was largely barren, consisting of low-lying land and a nearby sawmill, where the BSMMU Hospital now stands.
At that time, Dhaka was only beginning to expand in this direction. Historian Afsan Chowdhury notes that with the emergence of New Market and Zahura Market, residents no longer had to rely entirely on Old Dhaka for their daily needs.
"Except for clothes, almost everything was available there," he says. "It became the primary local market for the area."
A 'VIP' shopping destination
The three-storey building housed a variety of services and specialty shops. On the ground floor were travel agencies, communication services and Saudagar Agency, known for importing mosaic and marble at a time when such materials symbolised affluence.
There were around 15 to 20 shops on the ground floor. Singer opened one of its early outlets there, opposite to Janata Bank. The market also featured a 'VIP General Store', which functioned much like modern supermarkets, offering imported and hard-to-find goods. It quickly became popular among Dhaka's elite and foreign residents.
Nearby, Darul Kabab catered to an exclusive clientele. Locals recall that it was not frequented by the general public, but rather by affluent and well-known visitors.
Antique items could be found at Shelly Gift Corner. Guilders Dry Cleaners was another well-known name, offering automated services comparable to present-day Bandbox.
Zahura Mansion stood out for its architectural layout. Shops surrounded an open central courtyard, with the sky visible above. The ground floor space also served as a parking area, accommodating dozens of cars.
The Yusuf Bakery, now located a short distance from Zahura Square, was once part of the market complex itself. There was also Bakery East.
In addition, the market housed shoe shops, a store selling railway tracker purses and several pharmacies. United Drug Stores was widely recognised. There was also Ruma Pharmacy, believed to be Dhaka's first 24-hour pharmacy.
A design that created community
Zahura Mansion stood out for its architectural layout. Shops surrounded an open central courtyard, with the sky visible above. The ground floor space also served as a parking area, accommodating dozens of cars.
More importantly, the courtyard became a social hub. Residents gathered there for group chats under lampposts, while a nearby fuchka stall drew regular crowds.
For Jamil Uddin, who grew up in the area, the market felt like an extension of home. "We played football here and spent most of our time in this space," he recalls. "During rain, it would become even more lively."
He also remembers Pakistani soldiers visiting New Amin Hotel inside the market in the late 1960s, calling out to children playing nearby.
Zahura Mansion stood out for its architectural layout. Shops surrounded an open central courtyard, with the sky visible above. The ground floor space also served as a parking area, accommodating dozens of cars.
The structure enclosed an open central space on all four sides. This ground floor area, capable of accommodating around 50 to 60 cars, also served as a gathering place. Under the lamppost, boys, young men and elderly residents from nearby neighbourhoods would sit and chat. The nearby fuchka stall added to the lively atmosphere.
Jamil Uddin, a regular visitor since childhood, says, "Haji Abdur Sattar was my uncle. Zahura never felt like a market to me. It felt like our own place. We spent our time there chatting and playing football. When it rained, it was even better."
He adds, "It was the late 1960s. Pakistani soldiers used to come to eat at the New Amin Hotel. When we played nearby, they would call out to us, 'Hey babu, idhar aao, idhar aao.'"
By the 1980s, parts of the second floor had been converted into medical diagnostic and physiotherapy centres. Among them were a diagnostic centre run by Shamsul Alam Chowdhury and a physiotherapy centre established by Professor Dr Mohammad Taslim Uddin. There was also a branch of Muslim Sweets.
Towards the late 1980s, the area developed into a hub for tile shops. At that time, Paribagh Road had not yet been constructed, and the only main road was what is now Kazi Nazrul Islam Avenue.
Famous for doctors' chambers
The market was not only known for its commercial identity but also for its doctors' chambers. The second floor housed consulting rooms of some of the city's most prominent physicians.
Alongside these were a few shops. One business exported seafood such as jellyfish and squid from Cox's Bazar to Taiwan and Hong Kong, though it did not last long.
Nearby stood a well-known gemstone shop offering both local and international stones. It was also a place where reputed astrologers practised. Afsan Chowdhury recalls, "Many of my friends, after failed romances or in hopes of winning someone's affection, would visit these astrologers."
The third floor served as a residential mess. According to locals, several film industry artists lived there at different times. It is also said that a pilot from Biman Bangladesh Airlines once resided in the building.
The premises also housed the regional office of the Palestine Liberation Organization and the East Pakistan branch of Service Civil International, a Europe-based organisation established after the Second World War to assist in relief and rehabilitation efforts. In Dhaka, the branch was largely run by university students, with occasional participation from foreign volunteers.
Badminton and theatre at night
In its early years, the market was among Dhaka's first multi-storey commercial buildings. It attracted a diverse crowd, from ordinary visitors to prominent cultural figures.
Intellectuals such as Abdullah Abu Sayeed were regular visitors. Around the same time, a young Hossain Mahmud Russell, newly graduated, set up a small office on the second floor, exporting marine fish.
Russell recalls that several major newspapers once operated offices in the building, making it a familiar address for media professionals.
During the 1970s and 1980s, the building became a gathering place for progressive political and cultural movements. It also hosted offices of various social and regional organisations. Early meetings of groups such as the Bakerganj District Association were held here.
After independence, Zahura Mansion became a centre for professional training for those seeking opportunities abroad. As part of the Banglamotor movement, it witnessed many significant political events.
Shakil Uddin Khan, a resident of Kathalbagan, recalls passing through the market in the 1990s on his way to play at Panthakunja. Entering from Banglamotor, he would pass Yusuf Bakery and climb the sloped entrance before heading to the playing grounds.
At the time, this route served as the main road through Banglamotor, while another gate led into the neighbourhood. At night, people played badminton, and during winter, stage dramas were regularly performed. The doctors' chambers and shops often remained open until eleven or even midnight.
He also remembers a very different landscape. Panthapath was largely waterlogged, with no proper road. Khodeza Khatun Government Primary School stood opposite Baitul Mobarak Mosque, with little development around it. The road was later constructed during Hussein Muhammad Ershad's rule, and with the development of the VIP Road, the area rapidly transformed.
After the death of Haji Abdur Sattar, his children handed the market over to a developer, marking the beginning of a new chapter for the site. Construction work began around 2010 to 2011, replacing the old three-storey Johura Mansion. In its place now stands the 14-storey commercial complex Navana Johura Square, developed by Navana Real Estate Limited and fully handed over in 2016.
Today, the building is a bustling hub of commerce and activity. The ground floor up to the third floor houses around 50 to 60 shops, specialising in marble, ceramics and kitchen fittings. From the fourth floor to the top, one side of the building is occupied by a range of corporate offices. These include establishments such as The Report newspaper office, life insurance companies and Star Tech, known for laptops, computers and electronic gadgets, alongside more than 20 other offices.
On the opposite side, the upper floors accommodate 35 residential flats, blending commercial and living spaces within the same structure. The property is now overseen by the third generation of Haji Abdus Sattar's family, continuing his legacy in a modern and evolving urban setting.
