How Dhaka Shopped in the 1950s: Bazaars & the Birth of New Market

What did shopping in Dhaka look like before modern shopping malls?

Archival photographs from 1952 and 1953 reveal the everyday commercial life of Dhaka's bazaars, from crowded textile markets and independent vendors to tailors and shoemakers. Buying, selling, making and repairing were all part of this bustling market environment.

At the same time, Dhaka New Market was being built between 1952 and 1954, introducing a planned shopping complex while traditional bazaars continued operating.

This Bangladesh Time Capsule documentary explores how Dhaka's shopping culture was changing, using authentic historical photographs to uncover the people, places and activities behind everyday commerce in the 1950s.