In cities like Dhaka, Chattogram, and Rajshahi, walking has become a daily challenge. Sidewalks, which should serve as safe spaces for pedestrians, have been overtaken by hawkers, makeshift stalls, construction materials and even political banners. What should be a basic right has turned into a constant risk, forcing people onto dangerous roads and worsening traffic congestion.
Visit New Market, Gulistan, or Farmgate in Dhaka, or Reazuddin Bazar in Chattogram, and the problem is evident. Instead of offering safe passage, sidewalks have become contested, commercialised spaces. The result? Accidents are rising, traffic flow is disrupted, and pedestrians-especially children, women, the elderly, and people with disabilities-face daily threats.
The reasons behind this crisis are complex. There is no formal system for managing street vendors, many of whom rely on sidewalk stalls for survival. Eviction drives by city authorities are temporary at best-hawkers often return within days, protected by informal political networks. In many cases, illegal fees are collected in exchange for access to public space, with law enforcement turning a blind eye.
But blaming hawkers alone is neither fair nor productive. They are citizens, too, trying to earn a living in a system with few alternatives. The solution lies in urban planning that balances livelihood with pedestrian rights. Many global cities have adopted models like hawker zones, night markets, or rotational stalls-designated spaces where street vendors can operate without obstructing public movement.
Bangladesh can learn from these examples. What's needed is a coordinated, long-term sidewalk management policy. City corporations, urban planners, and local administrations must work together to reclaim sidewalks for pedestrians-through proper planning, relocation strategies, and strict enforcement.
Ultimately, a city's progress is not measured by the number of roads or flyovers, but by how safely and freely its people can move. If walking becomes a daily battle, the city fails its residents. It's time to take honest, inclusive action-before sidewalks are lost permanently to chaos and control.
A. R. Salauddin Ferdous
Dhaka
ferdous5803@gmail.com
