Kamruzzaman Bablu :
Hundreds of illegal floating shops grab the railway tracks at different places in the capital city are posing serious risk of accidents.
Floating and mobile traders are carrying out their business on the nose of authorities concerned despite the risk of accidents. They are paying illegal toll as rent to a section of unscrupulous influential people, railway staffs and police, they alleged.
During a recent visit to different spots including Karwan Bazar, Jurain, Bonani, Mogbazar and Malibag area, The New Nation found that floating or mobile markets were set up on different rail lines. Different essentials especially fishes and vegetables are being sold and purchased in the floating and mobile markets. Despite fatal accident risk, the traders set up their shops on the railway tracks, while the buyers are often crowded to purchase different goods from them.
While talking, some buyers said they can purchase different sorts of necessary commodities from the mobile markets with cheaper rate than other markets. For this reason, they come to such markets to buy something ignoring life risk.
“I come to Karwan Bazar rail line market to purchase vegetables and fishes as I get the items from here in a cheaper rate,” said Alamgir Hossain, a local residence. He further said “When you will see the spots, you will seem that the railway lines are abandoned. But the lines are active and the makeshift shopkeepers move away rapidly, when any train cross the spot.”
Enamul Haque, a small trader of Banani rail line market told The New Nation, “I set up a shop on the railway track everyday morning for selling vegetable items. I move away with my shop, when any train comes. Then I come back to the scheduled place, when the train leaves the location. Thus I have been running my business for the last six years.”
He further said like him several hundreds of people have been running mobile or floating businesses on the railway lines regularly taking life risk. Khayer Mia, another trader of Mogbazar rail line market said “I don’t have capability to rent a good shop at any authorized market place. Consequently, I have been running the floating fish trade at the railway tracks. Though I know the work is very risky, but I don’t have other way to survive.”
Hundreds of illegal floating shops grab the railway tracks at different places in the capital city are posing serious risk of accidents.
Floating and mobile traders are carrying out their business on the nose of authorities concerned despite the risk of accidents. They are paying illegal toll as rent to a section of unscrupulous influential people, railway staffs and police, they alleged.
During a recent visit to different spots including Karwan Bazar, Jurain, Bonani, Mogbazar and Malibag area, The New Nation found that floating or mobile markets were set up on different rail lines. Different essentials especially fishes and vegetables are being sold and purchased in the floating and mobile markets. Despite fatal accident risk, the traders set up their shops on the railway tracks, while the buyers are often crowded to purchase different goods from them.
While talking, some buyers said they can purchase different sorts of necessary commodities from the mobile markets with cheaper rate than other markets. For this reason, they come to such markets to buy something ignoring life risk.
“I come to Karwan Bazar rail line market to purchase vegetables and fishes as I get the items from here in a cheaper rate,” said Alamgir Hossain, a local residence. He further said “When you will see the spots, you will seem that the railway lines are abandoned. But the lines are active and the makeshift shopkeepers move away rapidly, when any train cross the spot.”
Enamul Haque, a small trader of Banani rail line market told The New Nation, “I set up a shop on the railway track everyday morning for selling vegetable items. I move away with my shop, when any train comes. Then I come back to the scheduled place, when the train leaves the location. Thus I have been running my business for the last six years.”
He further said like him several hundreds of people have been running mobile or floating businesses on the railway lines regularly taking life risk. Khayer Mia, another trader of Mogbazar rail line market said “I don’t have capability to rent a good shop at any authorized market place. Consequently, I have been running the floating fish trade at the railway tracks. Though I know the work is very risky, but I don’t have other way to survive.”
