anganj to Tongi and Joydevpur to Mymensingh last month following a crash in which four people were killed when a train ploughed through a crowded makeshift fish market close to rail tracks near Karwanbazar level crossing on September 11. The drive continued for about a month in the capital’s Airport, Uttara, Tejgaon, Karwanbazar, Maghbazar, Malibagh, Khilgaon and Jurain areas. Even on Monday, the authorities evicted shops and slums beside the railway lines from Uttara’s Kosaibari to Tongi. This correspondent found plenty of makeshift shops and bazaars along rails in Tejgaon, Karwanbazar, Maghbazar, Malibagh and Gandaria areas the same day. The structures include shops, restaurants, motor workshops and rickshaw garages. Vendors were seen selling vegetables, fruits and others in the middle of two tracks while many people were doing shopping there. Rezaul, a vegetable trader in Khilgaon area, said, “A few weeks ago, railway authorities knocked down my shop. But local leaders took money from us and permitted to do business again on the same site.” “This time I had to give Tk 6,000 to a local leader to start my business again.” Khodeza Begum, a slum-dweller, said, “When some people are crushed under the wheels of a train, railway people come and evict us. But things turn normal after a few days. This is nothing new to us.” A Malibagh resident said it is a common scene that vendors reappear immediately after an eviction drive. Some corrupt railway officials in league with local leaders collect money from makeshift shops along rail tracks, he mentioned. Nurunnabi Kabir, divisional railway estate officer, said, “We started the eviction drive in September and have already evicted illegal structures along rail lines from Kamalapur to Tongi.” In last one month, the railways demolished around 3,000 makeshift shops and a few concrete structures in the city, he added. “We are still continuing the drive in Dhaka.” He claimed, “We have deployed some Ansar personnel after eviction along rail tracks. They are continuously guarding the tracks.” At least 268 people were killed on 300-kilometre rail tracks in and around the capital in last eight months, half of whom were killed on 11-kilometre track from Kamalapur railway station to Banani, according GRP and railway officials. Railway sources said there are 26 makeshift markets along rail tracks in Dhaka division (east zone), including Arichpur, Ashkona, Khilkhet, Nakhalpara, Karwanbazar, Malibagh rail gate, Khilgaon, Gopibagh, Doyaganj Bridge, Gandaria Bazar, Jurain Bazar, Shyampur Bazar, Pagla, Narayanganj station, Ashuganj station, Narsingdi station and Joydevpur.
Thursday, October 23, 2014
Makeshift markets reappear along rails:Daily Sun
anganj to Tongi and Joydevpur to Mymensingh last month following a crash in which four people were killed when a train ploughed through a crowded makeshift fish market close to rail tracks near Karwanbazar level crossing on September 11. The drive continued for about a month in the capital’s Airport, Uttara, Tejgaon, Karwanbazar, Maghbazar, Malibagh, Khilgaon and Jurain areas. Even on Monday, the authorities evicted shops and slums beside the railway lines from Uttara’s Kosaibari to Tongi. This correspondent found plenty of makeshift shops and bazaars along rails in Tejgaon, Karwanbazar, Maghbazar, Malibagh and Gandaria areas the same day. The structures include shops, restaurants, motor workshops and rickshaw garages. Vendors were seen selling vegetables, fruits and others in the middle of two tracks while many people were doing shopping there. Rezaul, a vegetable trader in Khilgaon area, said, “A few weeks ago, railway authorities knocked down my shop. But local leaders took money from us and permitted to do business again on the same site.” “This time I had to give Tk 6,000 to a local leader to start my business again.” Khodeza Begum, a slum-dweller, said, “When some people are crushed under the wheels of a train, railway people come and evict us. But things turn normal after a few days. This is nothing new to us.” A Malibagh resident said it is a common scene that vendors reappear immediately after an eviction drive. Some corrupt railway officials in league with local leaders collect money from makeshift shops along rail tracks, he mentioned. Nurunnabi Kabir, divisional railway estate officer, said, “We started the eviction drive in September and have already evicted illegal structures along rail lines from Kamalapur to Tongi.” In last one month, the railways demolished around 3,000 makeshift shops and a few concrete structures in the city, he added. “We are still continuing the drive in Dhaka.” He claimed, “We have deployed some Ansar personnel after eviction along rail tracks. They are continuously guarding the tracks.” At least 268 people were killed on 300-kilometre rail tracks in and around the capital in last eight months, half of whom were killed on 11-kilometre track from Kamalapur railway station to Banani, according GRP and railway officials. Railway sources said there are 26 makeshift markets along rail tracks in Dhaka division (east zone), including Arichpur, Ashkona, Khilkhet, Nakhalpara, Karwanbazar, Malibagh rail gate, Khilgaon, Gopibagh, Doyaganj Bridge, Gandaria Bazar, Jurain Bazar, Shyampur Bazar, Pagla, Narayanganj station, Ashuganj station, Narsingdi station and Joydevpur.
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