Some days ago, while passing through Panthapath on my way to work, I saw many people, including day labourers and rickshaw pullers, gathered with sombre expressions: the roadside food stalls they depended on for affordable meals had been removed.

The informal economy is not a leftover of "under-development" but continues to operate across advanced societies.

The Shyamoli gamcha market in Dhaka preserves Bangladesh’s cultural heritage through vibrant cotton cloths from Sirajganj, Narsingdi, Kushtia, and Chapainawabganj. Selling affordable gamchas and lungis, it bridges rural tradition with urban life, sustaining generations of artisans and traders.

Often, on my way to the office from Dhanmondi to Mohakhali, I pass through at least three or four major traffic signals -- the stubborn standstill at Dhanmondi 27, the long, impatient pause at Khamarbari, and the inevitable gridlock at Farmgate.