Who do the pavements and footbridges belong to?

Anyone who has ever taken a long walk through the streets of Dhaka can vouch that it is unfriendly to pedestrians. On an average day, a pedestrian must tread through pavements filled with makeshift stalls, potholes or waste dumps, or poorly maintained, dirty footbridges which are all but taken over by vendors. While these makeshift stalls provide sources of employment and sell everything from vegetables to books, clothing to trinkets, they also take up scarce urban space, obstructing pedestrians from moving around the city in peace.

However, it's not only the small-scale traders who encroach upon public spaces in the city, but also shops, construction companies and other businesses, which use the streets as their own storage unit or dumping ground, unapologetically blocking foot traffic with bricks, construction rods, containers, sewage, and so on. Residents throw their household garbage right on the streets, with no concern as to how it affects the urban living condition. Meanwhile, motorcyclists plough through the pavements in violation of the law, and even park their vehicles on walkways.

The two mayors and relevant authorities seem hardly alive about the pathetic state of affairs in Dhaka city. With Dhaka ranking the second worst liveable city in The Global Liveability Ranking for the third year in a row, it is imperative that these pavements and footbridges are cleared off and returned to the pedestrians. For this, instead of just arbitrary mobile drives, we need planned rehabilitation of vendors and hawkers, and strict action against those businesses or individuals who misuse the streets as if these were their private property. Law enforcers must implement existing laws instead of letting off wrongdoers for money and turning the other way.