Eid-ul-Fitr, the main religious festival of Muslims, is knocking on the door. After this is Pahela Boishakh, the festival of Bengali life. Shopping centers in the capital have gathered around two nearby festivals. Along with this, mobile Eid markets have accumulated on the sidewalks of different areas of the capital. Low-income people are flocking to the temporary shops set up on pavements and open spaces to buy their favorite products including clothes, jewellery, shoes, sandals, cosmetics at relatively low prices.
After noon on Friday (March 29), a large crowd of buyers and sellers can be seen on the footpaths adjacent to the main roads of Mirpur-10, Mirpur-2, Mirpur-13 of the capital. A lot of shops have been set up on the sidewalks in these areas focusing on low income people.
Some shops have been set up on the road as there is less traffic on Friday. Not only the low income people, but also the upper and middle class are flocking to the footpath mobile shops to buy various products including household goods, clothes, sheets, pillows.
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Sidewalk traders said that apart from low-income people, the middle class is also coming to shop at their shops. Customers are even coming with cars. The sidewalk store has a collection of trendy designs and colors that customers love in a budget. Apart from this, household items and women’s bahari bangles and jewelery are available on the footpath. As there are many products on the sidewalks, customers are liking some things, they are buying them.
Earlier, on March 22, the Mirpur Division of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) started an operation to evict hawkers in Mirpur-10 area. Hawkers were removed from several roads that day. However, three days after that i.e. from 25 March, the hawkers again sat on the pavement.
Last Friday, it can be seen on the surface, hawkers are sitting on the footpaths on the east and west side of Mirpur-10 metro rail station. Besides, the hawkers have occupied the footpath on both sides in front of Mirpur-10 Fire Service and Civil Defense Training Complex. There are mostly pants, shirts and shoe shops. From the fire service gate to the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, buyers are sitting with hundreds of shops selling shoes, clothes and shirts. These shops are also crowded with customers.
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There are temporary shops for shoes, clothes, pants on the footpaths of two metro rail stations at Mirpur-10. A few fruit sellers are also sitting.
The vendors are selling everything from glasses to shoes and clothes on the pavement of Mirpur-13 road. Girls’ clothes, shoes, bags, cosmetics items shops are crowded in No. 10 Ideal College and Hope Lane. Artificial plants and other items for decorating the house can also be seen on this footpath.
Besides, shirts, pants and shoes were seen to be sold on the footpath adjacent to Mirpur-10 Shahali Plaza and on the footpath of Mirpur-2 road. The pavement opposite Shahali Plaza was occupied by fruit sellers.
Raju Hasan, a shirt seller of Mirpur-10 Goal Square on Friday, told Jago News, ‘Evicted a few days ago. We are sitting again since two or three days ago. This is how business is done here. Always panic when the eviction starts. We also do not want to sit temporarily. We want a solution to this.’
Shamim Ahmed, a shoe shopkeeper at the fire service gate, said, ‘I have been doing business here for four years. Sometimes we are told to get up, we get up. Then sit again. Where do we go? I have invested a lot of money by borrowing on Eid.
Regarding the Eid market, he said, ‘Selling is good. After noon and after Iftar, the crowd of customers is high. We sell the product at a low profit, and the customer is happy.’
DMP Mirpur Division Deputy Commissioner of Police (DC) Jasim Uddin talked about footpath encroachment. He told Jago News, ‘We conducted a raid on the footpath a few days ago. I don’t know whether the hawkers are occupying the sidewalk or not. If the hawkers sit again, I will ask the OC of the concerned police station to take action.’
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Kamrul sells girls’ clothes on the street in front of Ideal School. He said, ‘There was a problem last week. Now the administration is letting sit. It seems that there will be no trouble before Eid.’
However, some traders said that the local influencers managed the administration and took permission to sit on the pavement before Eid.
What is the price on the sidewalk?
Talking to the vendors on the pavement, it is known that they are selling various ornaments (earrings, rings) for girls for 30 to 500 taka. Girls’ shoes 150-400 taka, Bag 150-500 taka, Veil 100-250 taka, One piece 250-500 taka, Three-piece 400 to 1500 taka, Children’s frock 200-400 taka, Little boy’s pants 200-500, Shirt 150-600 taka, shoes are selling at 200-600 taka. Boys’ jeans pants are being sold at Tk 400 to Tk 1,000, shirts and Punjabis at Tk 300 to Tk 1,000, flip flops at Tk 200-250, shoes and loafers at Tk 400 to Tk 1,500.
The Vilas-Arpa couple was looking at bangles on the sidewalk in front of Ideal School. Their house is Mirpur-14. When asked what he is buying, Bilas told Jago News, ‘Mostly household items. Bed sheets, curtains, bedspreads. I also bought a belt for myself and earrings and bangles for my wife. These little things are best found on the sidewalk.’
Neela Akhter is a resident of Mirpur’s Kalshi area. He was shopping with his son in Mirpur-13 Hope Lane. He told Jago News, ‘I went out for shopping on holiday. Bought two shirts, pants and Punjabi for son. Other purchases have also been made from Mirpur-10 market.’
Regarding shopping on the sidewalk, this housewife said, ‘Shopping malls are expensive. Does not give chance of marriage. There is opportunity to browse and haggle on the sidewalks. Good stuff is now available on the sidewalks too.
SM/EA/GKS
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