Crowded by hawkers, beggars, footbridges losing their purpose

Footbridges built to ensure safe road crossings for pedestrians in the capital are gradually losing their purpose as hawkers and beggars occupy large portions of these structures. 
Temporary stalls, crowds of customers and people seeking alms have made many of the bridges difficult to use, turning what was meant to be a safety measure into a daily source of inconvenience for city dwellers.
Visits to several areas of the capital show that many foot overbridges are now partially occupied by small roadside businesses. Vendors place tables or spread cloth on the ground to display their goods, selling items such as socks, sunglasses, toys, mobile accessories and other small daily necessities.
As a result, the already limited walking space becomes even narrower, particularly during rush hours when pedestrian traffic increases. After office hours, congestion on these bridges becomes more noticeable as commuters struggle to pass through the crowded 
walkways.
Such scenes were recently observed at several foot overbridges in areas including New Market, Farmgate, Shyamoli, Kallyanpur, Motijheel and the bridge in front of the Le Méridien Hotel in Nikunja.
On many bridges, hawkers place small tables in the middle of the walkway to display their products, while others spread cloth along the railings to set up makeshift stalls. Pedestrians often stop to browse or bargain, further narrowing the passage. As a result, many people are forced to move slowly or push through crowds to continue their journey.
In addition to hawkers, beggars are also commonly seen sitting on the stairs or along the walking paths on these bridges. Some sit with their hands outstretched, while others approach pedestrians directly for alms. In some cases, beggars were seen grabbing the feet of passersby, creating uncomfortable situations for many pedestrians.
Adibul Islam, a regular user of the foot overbridge in front of the Le Méridien Hotel in Nikunja-2, said the situation has made using the bridge increasingly difficult.
"Foot overbridges are supposed to ensure safe crossing for pedestrians. But now it's difficult even to walk there. Hawkers occupy both sides of the bridge, and beggars sit on the stairs. 
Sometimes they even grab your feet. It makes the whole experience very uncomfortable," he told The Daily Observer.
He added that if the situation continues, many pedestrians may choose to cross busy roads instead of using the bridge.
"If this continues, many people will be forced to cross the road from below, even though it is risky. Using the bridge itself becomes too difficult," he said.
Another pedestrian, Frans, who regularly uses the Farmgate foot overbridge, alleged that such businesses continue due to the support of influential groups.
"People are somehow allowed to sit here; otherwise they wouldn't return after eviction drives. We often hear that they have to pay regular extortion money. Because of that, no one can remove them permanently," he said.
However, many hawkers argue that they are forced to sell goods on the bridges due to a lack of employment opportunities. Rafiqul Islam, a vendor selling items on a foot overbridge in the Kalyanpur area, said livelihood pressures leave them with few alternatives.
"We do not sit here out of choice. We do this because we have no other jobs. When eviction drives happen, we leave. But eventually we have to return somewhere to earn money, because we have families to support," he said.
Marufa Begum Nelly, executive magistrate of Dhaka North City Corporation, said authorities are regularly conducting eviction drives to clear sidewalks and foot overbridges.
"We are carrying out eviction operations regularly, and hawkers are removed from many places. But we cannot stand there all the time. When we move to other locations for operations, they return," she said.
She added that eviction alone cannot permanently solve the problem.
Urban planners say maintaining pedestrian-friendly infrastructure requires keeping sidewalks and foot overbridges free from illegal occupation. They stress that regular monitoring, strict enforcement of regulations and designated spaces for hawkers are necessary to address the issue effectively.
According to them, if foot overbridges remain occupied, pedestrians may increasingly cross busy roads at ground level, raising the risk of accidents and undermining the purpose of the structures.