Take stringent measures to free pavements from encroachment

The pavement and foot-over bridges in the capital city of Dhaka were supposed to be for pedestrians, but the reality tells a different story. Because in this city, there is hardly any space on the sidewalks for people to walk. And the reason for the lack of space is that most of the sidewalks and foot-over bridges in the capital are occupied by makeshift shops. In some areas, even sidewalks are being used as parking spaces for vehicles. As a result, just as traffic congestion is increasing on the roads, so is the inconvenience for the public, accompanied by the looming risk of accidents.

The available information indicates that the capital city Dhaka has approximately 163 kilometers of sidewalks, out of which more than 2 lakh hawkers have occupied 108 km. Among the major issues faced by the densely populated capital, traffic congestion is one of the foremost concerns. Most places are affected by the occupation of sidewalks by shops, leading to obstructed traffic flow on the roads. Furthermore, due to traffic congestion, pedestrians also lack the opportunity to walk on the sidewalks. So, we believe that engaging in business on the sidewalks at the expense of pedestrians' convenience can never be justified. It seems that the authorities are turning a blind eye to addressing the plight of those affected by such circumstances. There are allegations that in exchange for encroaching on every inch of these sidewalks, hawkers have to pay rent. And these rent payments involve transactions with some unscrupulous police, leaders of political parties, and local rowdies.

According to urban planners, to build a city as an ideal urban center, there must be provisions for people to walk safely. However, in Bangladesh, this is entirely overlooked. In the capital city, the sidewalks for the general public seem to have become a kind of business establishment. The main responsibility of the city corporation to build a modern city is to ensure encroachment-free sidewalks. It is incumbent upon the two corporations to ensure the creation of safe and encroachment-free sidewalks for pedestrians by clearing each sidewalk.

However, the truth is that, sometimes eviction operations are carried out to free the footpaths of the capital, but after the operation, encroachments on footpaths or roads recur. This type of assertive display by encroachers implies that they receive covert support from influential individuals behind them. The question arises: why do these operations persistently end in failure? Why is it truly challenging to achieve encroachment-free roads or sidewalks in urban areas? Therefore, it is essential to find answers to these questions and solve them.

We must remember that a city where people can walk with joy is a civilized city. However, does any resident in our city actually experience such convenience? Making the footpaths and foot-over bridges of Dhaka free from encroachment is not only possible through eviction operations. Therefore, after achieving encroachment-free status, residents also need to be conscious to ensure that it wouldn’t be happening gain. So, we hope that instead of politics, the government will take initiatives for the welfare of the people by making efforts to make the footpaths encroachment-free. Besides, the government will take strict measures against members of the law enforcement agencies who are accused of unethical dealings regarding pavements, ensuring accountability.