Asia's largest mall rides on nation's textile success

20 Jul '05

1 min read

In a country that has only about 6 percent of wealthy populace, Bashundhara City in Dhaka, is an oasis.

A mall, claimed to be the largest in Asia, took six years in the making and stands eight-story tall with 2,000-store retail.

One can get gym to games, fabrics to readymades, jewellery to jeans and what not.

A visit to the city literally transports you to another world, what with squalor and slums dotting the countryside.

All that also speaks of the elite society that is mushrooming in the country among havenots.

Embarking on westernisation mode, "Why should we be left behind?" questions owner of the mall, Rehman.

Capital city Dhaka, teeming with a population of 10 million flaunts amusement parks and posh restaurants, besides a BMW showroom.

Though seeped in poverty, the evidence of wealth seems all pervading, and its the textiles that drives the nation's economy, today.

Success in the sector, particularly from exports of apparels, textiles and allied products have been reaping incomes sent the country's economy gallopping at 5 percent a year, over the last decade.

Naturally then, poverty has been slowed bringing in socio- economic revolution and malls like Bashundhara aptly sums the spirit of enterprise that will see for more.

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