Hawkers reign over sidewalks
Illegal makeshift shops on both the sides of Reazuddin Bazar and New Market area block view of the shops and walkway for the pedestrians. The picture was taken on Tuesday. Photo: STAR
Hawkers have been occupying footpaths and portion of thoroughfares in New Market and Reazuddin Bazar areas in the port city for long, creating tailbacks due to indifference to the problems by the law enforcement agencies. The hawkers on one-kilometre footpaths on both the sides of Station Road at New Market intersection and Jubilee Road as well as a good portion of adjoining roads have been causing sufferings to the pedestrians. People, most from middle income groups, go to these markets for shopping and fall victim to different types of frauds, criminals and snatchers. Moreover, business activities at around 110 big and small markets located at the adjoining Reazuddin Bazar and Tamakumandi Lane are also being directly and indirectly affected as hundreds of hawkers set up makeshift shops by keeping planks and stretching tarpaulins on these sidewalks hindering the front sides and walkways of these markets. This age-old hub of wholesale and retail business for all sorts of consumer items like garments, electronics, cookeries, footwear are still first choice of the middle income families. The consumers now prefer other spots like Terribazar due to unpleasant hassle by the hawkers. Traders of these markets said their business in the last Ramadan has decreased by 30 to 40 percent compared to the previous years due to presence of the hawkers on the footpaths who completely blocked the entrance to the market. Abdullah Al Baki Masum, a trader of Jalsha Market, said during the Ramadan they (hawkers) spread tarpaulins blocking the front view in such a way that it was quite difficult for the consumers to find the markets from outside. Traders of roadside markets including Nupur Market, Mohiuddin Market, Jalsha Market, Gazi Tower, MK Super Market, BM Super Market, Siddique Market, Bangabandhu Databbya Chikitshalay Market, Darul Fazal Market, Amtal CDA Market, Safina Bitan, Rasul Tower, Madina Market, Book Society Market, New Book Society Market and School Market were the worst sufferers, Masum said. Traders mostly wholesalers faced a huge loss in the last Ramadan due to poor presence of consumers, he added. The hawkers are usually allowed to use these footpaths during the Eid-ul-Fitre and Durga Puja on humanitarian ground but they have kept the spots occupied for the last few years. Law enforcement agencies launched drives in different times to vacate the footpaths in vain to patronisation by the political parties. Traders alleged leaders of several hawkers associations who control these makeshift shops, have good relation with the political leaders. The hawkers' organisations are Chittagong Metropolitan Hawker Samity, Chittagong Footpath Hawker Samity, Chittagong Hawkers League, Bastuhara Hawker Samity and Vashoman Hawker Samity. The footpaths have become unsafe for the pedestrians as well as the consumers as most of them are villagers. They easily fall victim to a section of frauds who sell fake watches at high price through fraudulence, said Salam, a pedestrian. Besides, female customers often face eve teasing and are harassed by the hawkers, he added. Tamakumandi Lane Traders' Welfare Association submitted a memorandum to Mayor ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury on October 20 urging immediate steps for evicting the hawkers from the footpaths. Association Organising Secretary Syed Hossain said both the traders and the consumers are losing interest as the situation is worsening day by day. Masud Rana, general secretary of Chittagong Metropolitan Hawkers Samity, said permanent allotment of a space in the city for thousands of hawkers to do business can be a solution to the problem. Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Kotwali police station Mohiuddin said a political decision is needed to solve the problem. CCC acting mayor Jouhar Lal Hazari emphasised discussion with all sections to resolve the problem.
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