Hawkers rule sidewalks ahead of Eid

With the Eid drawing nearer, the hawkers and vendors have started occupying footpaths and roads. The picture was taken in front of the Chittagong New Market. PHOTO: STAR

These illegal street hawkers and makeshift shops have occupied the footpaths in many busy areas and roads, including New Market area, Station Road, Agrabad Commercial area, Chittagong Export Processing Zone, Momin Road, Kazir Dewry, Chawk Bazar, Muradpur, Sholoshahar Gate no. 2, Bahoddarhat, Dewanhat intersection and Aturer depot.

The illegal occupation of footpaths and roads by hawkers puts the passers-by into a miserable condition. The pedestrians are forced to undergo a great hassle to find their way through these occupied footpaths and come down on the streets.

Manjurul Hoque, a teacher of Chittagong Govt City College, said almost everyday he has to remain stranded in the jam for 15 to 20 minutes on the road at the New Market area on way to college.

Auditya Barua, a student of Chittagong (Govt) College, said "I always get late to my classes for the congestion."

Parveen Akhter, working at a non-government organisation, sometimes go to her office on foot due to traffic jam on the road.

"There is no space in the footpath to walk and on the road too due to illegal parking of vehicles," Parveen said. "And I face unpleasant greetings from the passers-by while stuck up in gridlock", she added.

Muggers and burglars can easily do their evil jobs and people frequently fall victim to different types of crimes in these situations.

A two kilometre-area of Station Road, in front of the New Market and parts of Jubilee Road has already been captured by the vendors. They expanded their business to half of the roads.

At least 1500 makeshift shops have been set up here. Most of the hawkers have been doing their business here for the five to ten years. Several of them are even for decades.

The hawkers said, "they were evicted several times but had to return to the professions again finding no alternatives."

Hasan, a hawker, said that they somehow were able to convince the authorities concerned showing their inability to go elsewhere.

"We are not able to possess shops in a market with the little investment we have. It compels us to run business in the streets under the open sky", he said.

The middle and lower class people are to depend on the hawkers and makeshift shops for their Eid shopping as well as normal shopping throughout the year.

Different kinds of second hand readymade garments, clothing, shoes, household goods, utensils and other items of everyday use are sold here at a bit cheaper rate, said Sharmin Akhter, a garment worker who was buying a shirt for her son.

She said, "I can't afford to shop at New Market or other shopping malls where the price of anything is higher."

"The vendors and makeshift shops offer us garments and other items at a rate that we can afford," she added.

Md Masud Rana, secretary of Chittagong Metropolitan Hawkers' Association, said occupation of footpaths and roads causes sufferings to the people, But we have to run our business for make a living, he added.

"We don't want to create public nuisance or cause hindrance to public or vehicular movement," Masud said.

The hawkers said they had long been demanding for their rehabilitation in any suitable and available space to run their business.

"We also don't want to pay toll to different quarters and be harassed at the same time, said Anwar Ali, a hawker at the New Market area.

"The authorities assure us of rehabilitation during eviction, but nothing is done later," he said.

"It is true that the Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) and Chittagong Development Authority (CDA) developed several markets such as Zahur Hawkers' Market for our rehabilitation. But many of us are yet to be rehabilitated, " he added.