Wikipedia

Al Batʼha (Riyadh)

Not to be confused with Al Batʼha Sub-Municipality.

Al-Batʼha (Arabic: البطحاء, romanized: al-Baṭʼḥāʾ, lit. 'the wide valley'), also simply romanized as Batha,[1][2][3] is a colloquial umbrella term used for the partial agglomeration of six neighborhoods in downtown Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, that are primarily situated along the al-Batʼha Street on the either edge of the now-dried up stream of Wadi al-Batʼha,[4] located between al-Murabba and the Qasr al-Hukm District. It is one of the oldest commercial districts in Riyadh and the financial nerve center of the city's downtown area,[5][6] covering east of al-Futah and al-Dirah whereas west of al-Amal, Margab, Thulaim and to some extent, al-Oud. It emerged in the 1940s as Hillat al-Kuwaitiyyah (Arabic: الحلة الكويتية, lit. 'quarter of the Kuwaitis') during World War II when a number of Kuwaiti merchants and traders chose to set up an auction market just outside the northeastern fringes of the erstwhile walled town.[7][8]

Al-Batʼha
البطحاء (Arabic)
আল বাথা (Bengali)
ബത്ത (Malayalam)
Little Bangladesh
Commercial district
Al Batha Street on the side of al-Amal district, 2024
Al Batha Street on the side of al-Amal district, 2024
Nickname: 
Hillat al-Kuwaitiyyah (formerly)
Map
Coordinates: 24°38′47″N 46°42′55″E / 24.64627°N 46.71524°E / 24.64627; 46.71524
Country Saudi Arabia
CityRiyadh
RegionOld Riyadh
Emerged1940s
Named forWadi al-Batʼha
Boroughs
List
Language
 • OfficialArabic
 • SpokenBangla, Hindi, Urdu, Filipino, Malayalam
Map

Besides being a open-air marketplace that hosts a number of large and medium-scale trading centers,[9] the surrounding locality has been the heart of the city's Bangladeshi community since the oil boom of the 1970s,[10][11] alongside Indians, Pakistanis, Filipinos and Sri Lankans, who altogether contribute in almost 70% of the economic activity in the area.[12][13][14][15]

Traditional Kuwaiti goods accounted for majority of Batha's imports during the early days of its emergence , however, products from various countries like the United Kingdom, Spain, China, Taiwan, Switzerland, Vietnam and Thailand soon began increasing the diversity of Batha's trading centers.[16]

Public transport services were introduced In the area in the 1960s.[17] 1977, the Riyadh Municipality created the al-Batha Sub-Municipality,[18][19] one of the 16 sub-municipalities of Riyadh, that also includes two of five neighborhoods that constitute the Batha area, namely ad-Dirah and Margab.

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    Al Batha Street, 1983
  •  
    Bat’ha Street, 2014

References

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  1. ^ "Downtown Batha still an attraction". Arab News. 2014-05-06. Retrieved 2023-07-01.
  2. ^ "Four more arrested in Batha daylight robbery". Arab News. 2016-05-24. Retrieved 2023-07-01.
  3. ^ "Riyadh municipality in drive to clear Al-Batha of illegal stores". Saudigazette. 2013-05-28. Retrieved 2023-07-01.
  4. ^ Cuddihy, Kathy (2012). Anywhere But Saudi Arabia!: Experiences of a Once Reluctant Expat. Barzipan Publishing. ISBN 978-0-9567081-3-7.
  5. ^ "تاريخ "البطحاء" لا يحترق "2"؟". Al Riyadh. 2007-10-07. Archived from the original on 2021-06-02. Retrieved 2021-05-29.
  6. ^ Koelbl, Susanne (2020-09-15). Behind the Kingdom's Veil: Inside the New Saudi Arabia Under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Mango Media Inc. ISBN 978-1-64250-345-6.
  7. ^ Dawsarī, ʻAbd al-Raḥmān ibn ʻAlī (1995). أوليات سعودية (in Arabic). دار الندى الدولي،. ISBN 978-9960-27-899-5.
  8. ^ محمد, قشعمي، (2001). بدايات (in Arabic). دار الكنوز الأدبية،.
  9. ^ "ماهو سر "البطحاء" والفشل؟!". Al Riyadh. 2013-08-27. Archived from the original on 2021-06-02. Retrieved 2021-05-29.
  10. ^ "طرد البنغاليين...لماذا؟". Al Riyadh. 2009-08-16. Archived from the original on 2016-12-07. Retrieved 2021-05-29.
  11. ^ "البطحاء تستنشق رائحة الخطر والمخالفات من أنفاس العمالة الوافدة". صحيفة الاقتصادية (in Arabic). 2009-10-17. Retrieved 2021-05-28.
  12. ^ ""بطحاء الرياض" يذر الرماد في العيون". www.dammamsheds.com. November 2016. Archived from the original on 2021-06-02. Retrieved 2021-05-29.
  13. ^ Asian Business. Far East Trade Press. 1995. p. 70.
  14. ^ "البطحاء.. سوق الغربة وتجاوز القانون". صحيفة الاقتصادية (in Arabic). 2012-07-24. Retrieved 2021-05-29.
  15. ^ "Batha 'home' to expat workers in Riyadh". Arab News. 2013-01-24. Retrieved 2023-07-01.
  16. ^ "تاريخ " البطحاء " لا يحترق "1" ؟". www.alriyadh.com (in Arabic). 6 October 2007. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
  17. ^ Motabalawwd@, متعب العواد (حائل) (2018-02-27). "بعد 59 عاماً.. الرياض وجدة: إحالة «خط البلدة» و«مناحي» للتقاعد". Okaz (in Arabic). Retrieved 2023-07-01.
  18. ^ "اهلا وسهلا بكم في بلدية البطحاء". Archived from the original on 24 March 2021. Retrieved 2021-05-29.
  19. ^ الرياض, أمانة منطقة. "Batha'a Sub-Municipality". www.alriyadh.gov.sa. Retrieved 2021-10-11.
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