Bangladeshi’s Dholaikhal packed with secondhand car parts, handy mechanics

DHAKA, June 27 (Xinhua) — In Bangladesh’s capital city of Dhaka, Dholaikhal is the main service center for worn-out vehicles and the best place to buy old motor parts.
The secondhand car parts market has held its fame and glory here for decades.
Established in the 1960s near the river Buriganga in the old part of the capital, it is now well-known as a second-hand parts industrial zone with some 5,000 repair shops that employ about 40,000 people who are capable of restoring a run-down vehicle overnight to its original condition.
Dholaikhal is like a treasure trove, housing everything from thousands of nuts and bolts to heavy engines, from whole chassis to tiny bearings. There are also wheel drums, springs and basically all parts big or small needed for motor vehicles in every direction you look.
Dholaikhal mechanics have no formal education, but they poss a high quality of craftsmanship.
Mohammad Jasim Uddin is one such car mechanic without a formal education. He has been working here in Dholaikhal since his childhood.
“I have gained hands-on experience in repairing automobile parts over the last forty years.”
He said his work includes many types of repair work, such as fixing gear boxes, engines and breaks.
“We can repair European-made engines here, too,” he said enthusiastically.
“Parts that are not available in this country can be repaired here. If we were provided with government support we could do even better as there are so many skilled people.”
Mohammad Nur Hossain is an owner of an automotive spare parts and repair shop at Dholaikhal.
“We sell used spare car parts. We repair accident-damaged cars and we stock parts from different countries like Japan and China,” said Nur Hossain.
Driver Ratan Ali’s go-to place for car trouble is always Dholaikhal.
Dholaikhal’s mechanics have incredible expertise, he said, adding that thousands of people like him rely on the Dholaikhal’s repair shops and their mechanics.
“I have come from the Srinagar area of the Munshiganj district on the outskirts of Dhaka. I have been a professional driver for about 35 years. For any trouble with my vehicle, I come here,” said Ali.
He said that all kinds of auto parts are available here.
“There are spare parts available from leading global companies including those of Chinese and Japanese makers. The prices of secondhand parts are relatively cheaper than new ones here. That’s why we come.”  Enditem