Sylhet Bureau:- The sidewalks of the spiritual capital Sylhet have once again been taken over by hawkers. As a result, pedestrians are in trouble. And reckless extortion is being done by making hawkers sit on the sidewalks. And CCIC officials and some gangsters are involved in this extortion, as a result, the hawkers are not being stopped at all.
It can be seen from the ground that hawkers have taken over all the important roads in the city, starting from Court Point, Queen Bridge, Zindabazar Point, Amberkhana Point. Around 1500 floating hawkers are operating their business by occupying both sides of the road from after Zuhr prayers till midnight. It has now become difficult to walk on the city roads. However, the police administration is mysteriously silent on this issue.
Although the hawkers have been rehabilitated on the Lal Dighi side of the city, after the political change on August 5, the hawkers have taken a step further and occupied the middle of the road. Vehicles are somehow moving on one side of the road. Due to this, the level of traffic congestion has increased many times more than before. Even in this situation, traffic police members have been seen playing a silent role. Public anger is also growing over this.
It has been seen on the ground that floating traders have occupied the sidewalks and both sides of the main road in the city's Bandar Bazar, City Point, Surma Market, Zindabazar, Chowhatta, Laldighirpar, Medina Market, Amberkhana, Upshahar and Tilagarh areas and set up their stalls. In this situation, it has become difficult for pedestrians to walk. In addition to these areas, the entire area from Amberkhana to Surma Point, Taltala to Dhopadighirpar in the city has been taken over by hawkers. Now vegetables, fruits, clothes, shoes and cosmetics are being sold on the sidewalks.
Shops have been set up by occupying the sidewalks on both sides of the road from the Bandar Bazar Collector Mosque intersection. Among them, on one side of the sidewalk on the left side of the road, a chowki has been set up to sell clothes and shoes, and on the other side, a stall has been set up to sell vegetables and fruits in vans. And transport workers are illegally parking their cars on the main road and picking up and dropping off passengers.
In addition to occupying the sidewalk in front of the city hall, shops have been set up on the main road. The situation in the area from Bandar Bazar, the road in front of Jail Road, Mahajanpatti, to Osmani Shishu Park is even more dire. Shops have been set up on both sides of half a kilometer of the road.
From Amberkhana Point, Airport Road, Dargah Mazar Road, one side and both sides have been occupied in some places. Illegal stands have been set up on the rest of the roads. Vehicles are being parked on the main road and passengers are being picked up. In this situation, traffic jams have been created throughout the entire city. It takes half an hour to cross a road that can be crossed in just five minutes.
Commuters and pedestrians have expressed their displeasure over the chaotic environment. They say that such a situation in the heart of the city is unacceptable. It seems that no one is watching. As these shops occupy the roads and sidewalks, it not only makes it difficult for pedestrians to move, but also increases traffic congestion and damages the beauty of the city.
Sources said that these floating hawkers on the city's sidewalks collect a daily fee ranging from 50 to 200 taka per shop. And the main responsibility of this is carried out by the linemen appointed by the hawker leaders. Although an average of 100 taka is collected daily from 1500 shops on the sidewalks, the total amount stands at 150,000 taka.
They collect the money every day and divide it among some CSIC officials and employees as well as local gangsters.
Traders said that now the campaign to free the sidewalks from encroachment is not being carried out like before. Basically, hawkers start setting up stalls after noon. After evening, the entire sidewalk is occupied by hawkers.
Sylhet City Corporation Chief Executive Officer Mohammad Rajai Rafin Sarkar said, "Everyone's goodwill is needed to keep the sidewalks free from encroachment. It is seen that hawkers are encroaching on the sidewalks under the patronage of some leaders of different political parties. However, the City Corporation will soon launch a campaign to ensure smooth movement of pedestrians."
Sylhet Metropolitan Deputy Police Commissioner (Traffic) Mohammad Mahfuzur Rahman said, "Keeping the sidewalks free of encroachments is primarily the job of the City Corporation. Still, we often conduct drives to ensure normal movement of the public."
