The renowned "Kharbouza" national teahouse in Hisor has once again been put up for auction. The bidding for the property is scheduled for March 11, according to the State Committee on Investment and State-owned Property Management (GosKomInvest).
An official source within GosKomInvest says the starting price for the teahouse is set at approximately 34.9 million somoni (over $3 million), the same as last year.
The melon-shaped teahouse, which spans more than 4,000 square meters, was inaugurated on October 27, 2015 with participation of the country’s president, 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 before it was shut down. Officials say the facility was never used efficiently.
The main investor in the project was Murodali Alimardon, the former head of Tajikistan's National Bank and the founder of the now-bankrupt Agroinvestbonk. After the bank's bankruptcy, the teahouse was confiscated by the state.
The "Kharbouza" building has been listed for sale several times, most recently in December 2025, but has yet to attract any buyers.
A representative of GosKomInvest told Asia-Plus in December last year on the basis of anonymity that 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,” he said.
