What an 'Open Market' looks like in my locality.

Weekly haat/open market is a very popular concept in rural Bangladesh. Haat means an open market in Bangla where sellers from different areas join to showcase their products and a huge crowd usually forms to buy their necessary products. I had no idea that I would witness something similar in the city. To my wonder, this Haat is much bigger and way more popular.

This haat was organized for many years, in this area called 'Meradia- Banasree, Dhaka; Bangladesh'. It usually takes place every Wednesday, from morning till evening. Although it's on a weekday but the amount of people who come here for shopping is huge.

I have heard that 10/15 years back, this place used to be an open space without the highrises you are seeing. That time it was probably much more like a regular haat. But now it's more like experiencing shopping in someone's front yard, in the middle of the streets.

There are no permanent shops, all the seller usually put their products on a sheet and showcase them like this. Some seller uses rickshaw vans, others sit on a bench.

Every Wednesday, the streets go so crowded I usually avoid going into this area. But couldn't resist this time as I had a shopping list too.

You can already guess, the price of the products is comparatively very cheap. I have found that it's almost 20-30% less than the regular market price. That's the major reason why so many people across the city come here for shopping.

Moreover, the variety of products they sell on this haat is more than enough. I mean you can find anything and everything that we use in daily life. You name it, you will find it.

From my experience, this haat is best for finding regular wear. You will find hundreds of shops that sell different types of clothes. Also, to find kitchen items, this can be the best place. I have seen some products which I haven't seen in other marketplaces. For example, some small kitchen gadgets.

What fascinated me most is the crockery shops. They have such a cute collection and the price is so reasonable, I wish I could buy some more.

I have bought a few products, some clothes, a few small serving dishes, some food products, a toy, and some more nitty gritty things. I'm very happy that I visited this place and had the experience of buying something there.

I would suggest anything planning to go there, be prepared to face a huge crowd, keep a bottle of water, a bag to carry what you would buy, and mental preparation to negotiate. You may not enjoy the shopping experience but will love the prices that I can guarantee.

Have a Happy Market Friday, everyone.