Shyam Bazaar, one of the busiest bazaars in old Dhaka, is facing severe traffic congestion due to the many illegal shops, occupying the roads, causing immense difficulty to the inhabitants of the area.
The residents alleged that local leaders and police have been aiding the owners to establish their shops between Farashganj and Lalkhuti ghat as they collect extortion money from the traders on regular basis.
After visiting the area, a Dhaka Tribune reporter found that only about 8-10 feet width of space is available for pedestrians and traffic, after half of it has been taken up by the illegal establishments.
The available space is too narrow to allow even two rickshaws to move alongside each other.
Maruf Hassan, an inhabitant of the area, said the situation had deteriorated to such an extent that in times of medical emergency, an ambulance could not enter the Shyam Bazaar area due to the traffic congestion and had to take a detour to get to the area.
Locals said they had to take the longer route through Jatrabari or Motijheel or via Gulistan to go to Gabtali from Postogola, due to the choked streets in Shyam Bazaar.
Shop owners and traders who wished to remain anonymous alleged that they have to pay Tk50-350 to Shaym Bazaar committee daily, in addition to paying extortion money to local powerful leaders and police to run their businesses smoothly.
Talking to the Dhaka Tribune, Akter Hossain, a hotel owner in the area, said he gives Tk230 to the bazar committee and Tk80 to police, on a daily basis.
Shop owners said the rates to be paid to the bazar committee depended on the space occupied by the shops and could vary from Tk50 for shops occupying a small space to Tk 80-Tk100 for bigger shops. The committee charged Tk 150 for small tin-shed shops on the footpath, and Tk250-300 for shops on the road.
Similarly, the police charged sums ranging from Tk20 to Tk80-100.
Mohammad Sahid, president of Shyam Bazar Banik Association, denied that the bazaar committee had been taking money from the shop owners, though he said some warehouse owners could have been taking money. Rafiqul Islam, officer-in-charge of Sutrapur police station, denying the charge of extortion said: “no police officials is involved in any kind of extortion.”
