Faceless and placeless, primarily due to excessive reliance on imported cosmetics, most of these hybrid shopping arcades are devoid of any historical architectural reference and are often culpable of being cheap imitation of an alien Master Copy.

Not denying the fact that they have been able to draw a huge clientele, however select, more so because of the jazz combo of light, colour and even music, the shops within the concrete precinct are largely dealing in imported goods, a good enough reason for the swarming crowd. The appendage of an array of food outlets acts only as an appetiser for even the most reluctant of shoppers.

While they do provide to some extent the comfort of shopping around under one roof in controlled conditions, almost all of them have grossly, and with some disdain, violated building rules and code, particularly with regard to parking, setback and fire safety. No thanks to the decadent hand-in-glove understanding between the insatiable owner and some RAJUK officials, it may not be an exaggeration to pronounce most of these shopping centres unsafe for the thousands who linger there in complete innocence.

Not incorruptible though are the Architects, who under whatever circumstances, have sadly given in to the whims of the owner and the developers; their ethics as well as knowledge, and vow to practise Architecture as a profession buried deep in the building's foundation.

Architecturally the less said about these alien monstrosity the better, because the buildings are reminiscent of the frontality of the 5000-year old Egyptian paintings with only the fascia lavishly overdone and the other three sides touched with chalk wash.

At best the buildings are a misfit at a time when globally the broad outlook is to make buildings secular, contextual and responsive to the socio-economic needs of a culture.

Architect Qazi Muhammad Arif and Architect-Planner Ishrat Islam delve into a very contemporary issue that unless addressed by all concerned may yet be another unpleasant node in a city that can ill afford any.

The author is Professor in Architecture, BUET and Consultant to the Editor on Urban Issues, The Daily Star

Dr. Nizamuddin Ahmed, Architect, Professor, Dept of Architecture Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh