Bhulta-Gausia footpaths cleared of hawkers: relief for commuters, but fears of re-encroachment linger

The familiar face of the Bhulta-Gausia road on the Dhaka-Sylhet highway at Rupganj in Narayanganj has changed after hawkers were evicted from its footpaths. Where raw markets and shops selling daily essentials once occupied lanes of the four-lane road and its pavements, those stalls are gone — and so is the old chaos.

Since the eviction, the picture has also changed across Rupganj's Bhulta-Gausia, Rupshi, Murapara and Kanchan areas. Only CNG auto-rickshaws, rickshaws and battery rickshaws now stand by the roadside, and the heaps of garbage that used to litter the area are no longer seen.

The road is a vital stretch of the Dhaka-Sylhet highway because of the traditional Gausia Market. For nearly two years, illegal shops built over about one kilometre of footpath and carriageway — from Golakandail Majid Plaza to Bhulta's Redwan Tower — made it extremely difficult for pedestrians to use the road.

On 13 October, an eviction drive was carried out against illegal structures and hawkers in Bhulta-Gausia and nearby areas, freeing roads and footpaths occupied for a long time. Residents say pickpockets, ointment gangs and muggers have also disappeared.

A visit to the area showed that more than five hundred illegal shops and structures were removed from both sides of key roads, including the Bhulta flyover approach at Sawghat, the Asian Highway road, Rupshi, Murapara and Kanchan. With the temporary stalls gone, the chronic traffic and crowd congestion has eased somewhat, bringing relief to pedestrians and vehicles alike.

Another drive followed at Sawghat in Golakandail on 14 October. At the initiative of local political leaders, Rupganj police and the traffic department are running regular special drives against footpath occupation and extortion. On the morning of 17 October, a joint drive led by Kanchan municipality also cleared the Kanchan Bazar footpaths, with local BNP and affiliated leaders present.

Rupganj Thana BNP president Advocate Mahfuzur Rahman Humayun said: "Those involved in extortion have only one identity — they are extortionists. No one will be allowed to run illegal activities using anyone's name, identity or influence." He added that they had inspected and monitored the area several times since the eviction, carried out drives on their own initiative where public interest required, and launched a large tree-planting programme to keep the area green.

Bhulta Union Jubo Dal general secretary Ariful Islam Arif said: "Our observation shows that some owners of buildings and land beside the road play a role in illegally seating hawkers, which is very regrettable. There are also allegations of taking financial benefits or advance money from illegal hawkers, and in places people try to run these activities using the names of influential persons."

Yet anxiety persists among residents, who say that without strict surveillance the footpaths may be occupied again. One local, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the area had become unfit for movement because of hawkers and floating criminals, and the eviction had brought much relief — the question now is how long the pleasant environment lasts.

A pedestrian named Manju said hawkers had occupied even the road itself and pedestrians have now been freed from that; if political leaders and the administration remain sincere, the whole of Rupganj upazila can be made beautiful, he said.

The evicted hawkers have not been forgotten either. At the initiative of Narayanganj-1 (Rupganj) MP Mostafizur Rahman Bhuiyan Dipu, space has been arranged for them at Balur Math on Singlab Road, west of Gausia Market. Anyone can now run a business in the open space without paying any money.

Businessmen say Jubo Dal activists of Bhulta Union and administration officials are keeping watch. But conscious citizens believe that unless this vigilance continues without interruption, the occupiers may return — which is why, in their view, there is no alternative to regular monitoring if the gains of the eviction are to last.