Market owner waives 2 months’ rent for 350 shops in Chattogram

Sarwar Morshed, owner of the N Zahur Shopping Centre and the City Centre at the Hathazari Sadar upazila of Chattogram, has waived the rents of April and May for 350 shops in both his malls. 

He also decided to keep the malls closed till Eid due to the coronavirus crisis during a meeting with the shop-owners associations on Saturday morning.

Mamunur Rashid Mamun, general secretary of the City Centre Traders' and Owners' Association, said they had a meeting with the mall owner in the morning. 

"There it was decided that malls will not open before Eid, and the owner announced waivers of shop rent for two months," he said.

Sarwar Morshed said many traders expressed uncertainty about being able to pay the rent if the market was not opened. "So, I waived the shop rent."

The decision was welcomed by the Hathazari Bazar Traders' Association. Shafiul Azam, president of the association, said the mall owner had shown humanity by standing beside traders during this crisis.

Apart from New Market, 11 other shopping malls have been declared closed till Eid in Chattogram city.