Sylhet Bureau

A joint meeting of leaders of various political parties in Sylhet, high-ranking officials of the administration, Puja Celebration Council, various Puja committees and the Sarasati Puja procession management committee was held on the occasion of the upcoming Sarasati Puja. The meeting was held at the office of the Commissioner of Police (SMP) on Saturday. SMP Commissioner Rezaul Karim presided over the meeting.

As per the decision of the joint meeting, some guidelines were adopted. Like the rest of the country, on February 3, the followers of Sanatan Dharma will celebrate Sri Sri Sarasati Puja in Sylhet with religious fervor and on February 4, the procession will start from the Queen Bridge in the city at 9 pm every Tuesday. It is requested to use musical instruments such as dhak, dhol, kasa, etc., except for the sound system, in the procession. Any musical instruments should be controlled in front of the mosque so that no one's religious sentiments are hurt. No political songs or slogans can be played. No disorder can be created.

Sylhet jawkers occupy sidewalks again, reckless extortion going on

The sidewalks of the spiritual capital Sylhet have once again been occupied by hawkers. As a result, pedestrians are in trouble. And reckless extortion is going on by making hawkers sit on the sidewalks. And the police, CCIC officials and employees, as well as some unscrupulous street vendors, are not far behind in this extortion. As a result, the hawkers cannot be stopped at all.

It can be seen on the ground that hawkers have occupied all important roads in the city, starting from Court Point, Zindabazar Point, Amberkhana Point. About 1500 floating hawkers are operating their business by occupying both sides of the road from after Zuhr prayers until midnight. It has become difficult to walk on the city roads now. However, the police administration is mysteriously silent on this issue.

Although the hawkers have been rehabilitated on the Laldighir side of the city, after the political change on August 5, the hawkers have taken a step further and occupied the middle of the road. The vehicles are somehow moving on one side of the road. Due to this, the level of traffic congestion has increased many times more than before. Even in this situation, the traffic police members have been seen playing a silent role. Public anger is also growing over this.

It has been seen on the ground that floating traders have occupied the sidewalks and both sides of the main road in the city's Bandar Bazar, City Point, Surma Market, Zindabazar, Chowhatta, Laldighirpar, Medina Market, Amberkhana, Upashahar and Tilagarh areas and have set up their stalls. In this situation, it has become difficult for pedestrians to walk. In addition to these areas, the entire area from Ambarkhana to Surma Point, from Taltala to Dhopadighirpar in the city has been taken over by hawkers. Now vegetables, fruits, clothes, shoes and cosmetics are being sold on the sidewalks.

Shops have been set up on both sides of the road from the Bandar Bazar Collector Mosque intersection. In this, on one side of the sidewalk on the left side of the road, clothes and shoes have been set up in vans, and vegetables and fruits have been arranged. And transport workers are parking their cars on the main road and illegally standing and picking up and dropping off passengers.

In addition to taking over the sidewalks of the road in front of Nagar Bhaban, shops have also been set up on the main road. The situation in the area up to Bandar Bazar, the road in front of Jail Road, Mahajanpatti, and Osmani Shishu Park is even more dire. Shops have been set up on both sides of the half-kilometer road.

From Amberkhana Point to Airport Road, Dargah Mazar Road, one side and sometimes both sides have been occupied. Illegal stands have been set up on the remaining roads. Vehicles are being parked on the main road and passengers are being picked up. In this situation, traffic jams have been created throughout the city. It takes half an hour to cross a road that can be crossed in just five minutes.

Passengers and pedestrians have expressed their annoyance over the chaotic environment. They say that such a situation is unacceptable in the heart of the city. It seems that no one is watching. As these shops occupy the roads and sidewalks, not only does it make it difficult for pedestrians to move, but it also increases traffic congestion and damages the beauty of the city.

According to relevant sources, these floating hawkers collect a daily fee of Tk 50 to Tk 200 per shop from the city's sidewalks. And the main responsibility of this is carried out by the linemen appointed by the hawker leaders. Although an average of Tk 100 is collected daily from 1500 shops on the sidewalks, the amount stands at Tk 150,000. They take the money every day and divide it among the police, duty police, traffic police, some officials and employees of the Bandar Bazar outpost, including the local street vendors.

The traders said that now the campaign to free the sidewalks from encroachment is not being carried out like before. Basically, the hawkers start setting up stalls after noon. After evening, the entire sidewalk is occupied by the hawkers.

Sylhet City Corporation Chief Executive Officer Mohammad Rajai Rafin Sarkar said that everyone's goodwill is needed to keep the sidewalks free from encroachment. It seems that hawkers are occupying the sidewalks under the patronage of some leaders of different political parties. However, the City Corporation will soon launch a campaign to ensure smooth movement of pedestrians.

Sylhet Metropolitan Deputy Police Commissioner (Traffic) Mohammad Mahfuzur Rahman said that the job of keeping the sidewalks free from encroachment is mainly the City Corporation's. Still, we often conduct campaigns to ensure normal movement of the public.

Sylhet Forest workers' holds strike, sit-in programme in Sylhet

Field-level officers and employees of the Sylhet Forest Department have submitted a memorandum to the advisor of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, including a work stoppage and sit-in program, to protest the attacks on colleagues and demand punishment for the attackers

On Sunday noon, the memorandum was presented by the forest officer after the programme was completed in front of the temporary office of the Forest Department at Sheikhghat in Sylhet city.

At the end of the location program, the leaders submitted a memorandum to the Advisor of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change through Sylhet Division Assistant Forest Conservation Officer Md. Nazmul Alam.

It is worth noting that on January 30, 2025, local miscreants attacked forest workers while they were on duty in the Dhalapara range of Tangail. At least 15 people, including some forest officials, were seriously injured and other workers were also terrified.

Bangladesh Diploma Foresters Council convener Abdul Ahad, central member Riaz Uddin, Sylhet regional branch president of Forest Guard Welfare Association Mohammad Ali Taher, and all levels of officials and employees of Sylhet Division were present at the work break and accommodation program.

Speakers at the program said that forest workers are often attacked while performing their duties at the field level, but no effective measures are taken to ensure their safety. Despite working with their lives to protect the forest, they have been deprived of fair benefits for a long time. Demands were made during the sit-in program for the administration to intervene quickly and resolve the crisis to ensure the safety and fair rights of forest workers.