Dhaka: Bangladesh Fisheries Development Corporation (BFDC) on Thursday officially launched the country’s first ever specialized government fish market at Jatrabari in the city, aiming to ensure marketing and selling of fish in hygienic environment.

State Minister for Fisheries and Livestock Narayan Chandra Chanda MP inaugurated the six-storey market named “Dhaka Metropolitan Fish Marketing Facility Centre” constructed under Fish Marketing Facilities Installation project in Dhaka city.

There are 183 rooms, including 61 storage rooms, as well as a bank and a restaurant in the specialized market.

The project aims to ensure unloading, marketing and selling of fish in hygienic environment in the city and supply of formalin-free fish for the city dwellers as well.

From this market constructed at a cost of Tk 7.29 crore, the authority is hoping to earn annually Tk 80 lakh from the fish traders as rent, said an official release.

As there is no modern fish unloading center in the mega city, fish are unloaded and marketed in unhygienic environment creating threat to environment and public health.

BFDC took the initiative to launch the specialized fish market in the city to ensure proper marketing facilities for the fish traders.