Mayor`s initiative must work

THE Dhaka South City Corporation Mayor Mohammad Sayeed Khokon’s decision to allow the vendor to run their shops on footpath at Gulistan and in greater Motijheel area only from late evening in working days to create space for movement of pedestrians and traffic is no doubt a welcoming step. The decision reported in The New Nation on Thursday has been taken at a meeting of hawkers’ leaders, local representatives and law enforcers has asked vendors that they can use footpaths for trading only after 6.30 in the evening. It appears that the meeting has also taken into consideration the disadvantage of small vendors allowing them trading opportunity in the evening. The action is designed to reducing troubles for city traffic and movement of pedestrians because overcrowding of city footpaths is critically adding to traffic congestion and other setback to city life. The restriction will not be applicable however in the weekend and other public holidays. It appears to be a highly sensible decision and in our view it must not fail.

The new system will be applicable for all footpaths and streets in other areas such as Paltan and Zero Point areas. It is awful that Motijheel business district is now an open space for vegetable vendors in several hundreds blocking traffic movement. So also are Baitul Mukarram’s footpaths. It is true new restrictions will seriously impact the income and livelihood of small vendors but one must accept that city centers, its streets and footpaths are no place for chaos and disorganized business. What is important is that vendors must have allocation of space or shops in new markets; who want it and can afford it and those who want to change profession may be offered jobs in public and private bodies. In fact the Mayor’s initiative include such offer although we don’t know how far it will bear fruits. The point is that vendors need opportunities for business that respective organizations must look at; but they can’t be allowed to block the city streets because they need a place for trading.

What is most important is that local muggers, political leaders and police are routinely giving protection to footpath vendors to run business in return of daily payment of hefty levies that run several crores from busy business places. In fact they are holding them in the trade to keep running their illegal source of earning. They have their linemen for collection while vendors are enjoying electricity free of cost. Police and electricity authorities know it but don’t take action. This is a parallel system at work and the question is whether or not the new initiative will get the real backing of police and representatives of the local bodies, away from their pledge they publicly made in the meeting. But we hope the Mayor’s initiative will survive and it must also be copied at other places.