Where Will Pedestrians Walk?

Dear Sir,

Footpaths are meant to ensure safe and convenient movement for pedestrians. Yet in our cities, they have increasingly become occupied by roadside shops, illegal structures, motorcycles, rickshaws and other obstructions. As a result, pedestrians are often forced onto busy roads, exposing themselves to accidents and worsening traffic congestion. Children, women, elderly people and persons with disabilities face the greatest difficulties.

Periodic eviction drives provide only temporary relief. Within days, encroachment often returns, raising questions about the effectiveness of enforcement and monitoring. The authorities must move beyond short-term drives and ensure continuous supervision, strict legal action against repeat offenders, designated spaces for hawkers and disciplined parking arrangements.

A footpath is public infrastructure, not private property. Keeping it accessible is not a favour to pedestrians but a basic civic responsibility. I therefore urge the authorities to take sustained and coordinated action to reclaim footpaths and restore them to their rightful users - the pedestrians.

Mohibul Hasan Rafi
Student, Chattogram Government City College