Mainimukh Bazar: Thriving hub of Rangamati’s agro economy
The weekly market supplies cattle, poultry nationwide
Kalpana Chakma, a resident of a remote village in Rangamati's hills, journeys to Mainimukh Bazar every Saturday to sell her homegrown beans, eggplant, and cabbage. Selling vegetables and poultry is the main source of her family's livelihood.
Mainimukh Bazar, situated in Rangamati's Langadu upazila, serves as a crucial platform for countless others like her to make a livelihood through the sale of diverse agricultural produce.
This weekly Saturday market attracts a multitude of vendors and buyers, offering vegetables, livestock, poultry, fruits, daily necessities, and more, forming the core of the local agricultural economy.
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Wholesalers from across the country come to purchase these organically produced goods.
Monika Chakma, an elderly seller at the market, said, "Our lives depend on this market. For years, I have sold vegetables and poultry. Today I brought potatoes. Demand for potatoes grown in the hills has transcended the local community in recent days."
There are over 300 permanent shops at the market and an additional 500 temporary stalls are set up each Saturday. Two distinct zones cater to vegetable sales by marginal indigenous farmers, where women represent a significant portion of the sellers.
Md Shakhaowat Hossain Sohel, general secretary of the Mainimukh Bazar Traders Welfare Association, said that the market is one of the largest and oldest in the three hill districts, boasting weekly sales between Tk2.5-3 crore.
He further emphasised the market's role in supplying locally produced vegetables and livestock to various parts of the country, including Chattogram, through a network of wholesalers.
Notably, Mainimukh Bazar has become a crucial source of domestic cattle and goats, particularly during the Eid-ul-Adha festival. Over 700 cows and a similar number of goats are brought to the market for sale each week.
Local resident Abdur Rahim brought three cows for sale. He said that they sell quickly due to demand from local buyers, cattle farmers, and wholesale traders.
Brisketu Chakma, a jhum farmer and goat rearer, brought two goats to market.
"I buy other necessities for the family after selling the goods each week. Everything is easily available here and products can be bought and sold without any hassle," he said.
Chattogram poultry trader Saiful Islam purchased 200 kg of indigenous chickens from the market.
"I transport them by launch to Rangamati and then by road to Reazuddin Bazar in Chattogram. I am a regular supplier at that market," he said.
Its strategic location, connected as it is to Rangamati by water and Khagrachhari by road, facilitates easy transportation of goods nationwide. Moreover, residents from nearby upazilas like Dighinala and Baghaichhari can easily access the market by boat.
Mohammad Sharif, a garment business owner from Narsingdi, has operated in Mainimukh Bazar for three years, supplying clothes to various shops. He finds the market accessible despite its remote location due to good communication links with Rangamati and Khagrachhari districts.
Preparations for the bustling Saturday market begin on Fridays. Traders from across the country arrive and reside in the surrounding hotels and boarding houses, contributing to the booming local economy.
By Saturday morning, men and women arrive by boat, laden with vegetables, poultry, and even cattle transported across the water. The market teems with activity by 10am, with buyers and sellers filling the spaces.
By afternoon, traders meticulously gather various goods for sale by boat. Hundreds of workers tirelessly load and unload goods at the launch ghat, continuing well into the night.
