Dhaka, Nov. 16 -- Business owners and residents in Nilphamari have expressed strong dissatisfaction over the "abnormally high" tender rates set for shop allocations in the municipality's newly constructed two-storey super market.

On 12 November 2025, the municipality issued a notice announcing the tender for 81 shops. The construction was carried out by contractor firm Messrs Robbani Enterprise.

According to the notice, the price per square foot has been fixed at Tk 7,000. Shop sizes range from 94-98 sq ft for smaller units and 190-200 sq ft for larger ones.

As a result, the total cost of each shop amounts to several lakhs of taka-far beyond what local traders consider reasonable. Many describe the rates as "excessive, unrealistic, and...