The latest auction for the sale of Hisor’s well-known “Kharbouza” teahouse, held on December 12, saw no bidders, and the property remains unsold. The high asking price is cited as the main reason.
According to the State Unitary Enterprise for State Property Sales, the auction had been announced a month earlier, but no potential buyers came forward. A representative of the enterprise told Asia-Plus that this was the eighth attempt to sell the teahouse, all unsuccessful due to its steep valuation.
Authorities have been trying to sell the building for over a year. The State Committee on Investment and State-owned Property Management (GosKomInvest) has valued the property at 34.9 million somonis (over $3 million).
The melon-shaped teahouse was inaugurated on October 27, 2015, as part of celebrations for the 3,000th anniversary of the city of Hisor. It was intended to become a city landmark, create 100 jobs, and host a pilaf center. However, none of these plans materialized — the teahouse operated for only about three months. Officials say the facility was never used efficiently.
Investment, bankruptcy, and stagnation
The teahouse was built on a 4.7-hectare plot with a total investment of around 35 million somonis. The main investor was Murodali Alimardon, former head of the National Bank of Tajikistan and the bankrupt Agroinvestbonk. After the bank's collapse, the teahouse was seized by the state.
The building had also been listed for sale in 2024, but according to the GosKomInvest, no interested buyers came forward during that time.
“The asking price is too high, and that’s why no one wants to purchase it. Auctions are held monthly, but no applications are submitted. The price cannot be reduced, as the property is part of the financial reconciliation with Agroinvestbonk, and its valuation is fixed by a government decree,” said a representative of the privatization department, speaking anonymously.
