Evicting hawkers!
Photo: Prito Reza / driknews
A staff correspondent's front-page report of 3rd October on the matter was published in a local English daily. The proposal of evicting all hawkers, given for reducing traffic congestion, seemed rather off the mark to me! The hawkers may block the pedestrians' flow on footpaths to an extent, but its impact on the flow of road traffic is somewhat marginal. It may aggravate the jam in one or two roads, particularly around Baitul Mukarram, but it is not a reason for traffic congestion in most city roads. Will the eviction of hawkers, as proposed, not lead to another opportunity of flow of 'Bakshis' for our policemen? They can always arrange an unofficial daily fine, while the hawkers carry on their trade! The hawkers are rather poor and transient traders who cannot afford a regular shop or stall to sell their wares. This step, if adopted, may lead to many lower income people and their families being cut off from their livelihood. The co-relation between clearing footpaths and the improvement of traffic flow is rather a subjective opinion and need not be considered for adoption. Rather, motorcycles indiscriminately driving in both directions on footpaths along busy roads are the bigger culprits. Not only they cause annoyance, but often lead to injury of pedestrians on footpaths. I have personally felt this hazard, many a times, while walking on footpaths around the first circle in Gulshan, while the motorbikes coming from behind have brushed my arms! When pointing it to the traffic police, they say that only sergeants can take action. The sergeants, usually riding on their official motorcycles, are sometimes just as guilty. Further, they often park their motorcycles on the road, blocking the flow of vehicles. This is an area of traffic management that certainly needs to be controlled!
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