Zihad Hossain Rahat, (Raipur) Lakshmipur

In Raipur of Lakshmipur, there have been complaints of occupying the footpath and trading.

An extortionist gang is grabbing around two and a half lakh taka per month by renting footpath in daily and monthly basis.

The circle is taking one lakh taka per month by paying pavement rent on Raipur-Faridganj and Raipur-Haydarganj roads. Moreover, this gang is collecting another one and a half lakh taka by trading the pavements on Godown Road, Morag Hata, Muri Hata, Alia Madrasa adjacent to the pavements and the nearby roads.

Itching ointments, eggs, fruits, teas, chapatis, blisters, scraps and various other items are involved in sidewalk encroachment. Complaints have been made that these shops doing business on the footpath collect 100 taka per day.

There is a discount of 500 taka for the traders of footpaths including cobblers who pay monthly subscription instead of daily subscription. By doing this, they contribute 2 thousand 500 taka per month. However, the business community of the footpath is reluctant to say who is collecting.

About 200 shops are occupying the footpath and making a living. Besides adding large amount of money. Along with the increase in accidents due to footpath encroachment, traffic congestion has also increased.

On last Sunday (June 2), a woman named Maryam (23) was injured when she was hit by a battery-operated auto-rickshaw while walking with her three-year-old child. Another pedestrian saw the incident from a distance and ran and slapped the auto driver. Illegal occupation of footpath is the main cause of the accident. Such accidents have become a daily occurrence here.

The name of a young man named Nashir has emerged as involved in extortion of illegal possession trade. He collects GP money for CNG and autorickshaws. However, he denied the fact of collecting subscription money.

In this regard, Raipur Municipality Mayor Gias Uddin said, We are trying to normalize the movement on the footpath. Evacuation operations are ongoing. I have not received any complaint of extortion. However, due to the lease, the levy is levied. I will take action according to the rules if I get a complaint that someone has taken extra money.

Raipur Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Yachin Farooq Majumder said that all the shops built on both sides of the road are illegal. We cannot eliminate them alone. The police station has been evacuated several times. As they were not evicted permanently, if they were evicted in the morning, they were occupied again in the afternoon. I myself have tried many times, but with no good results.

Upazila Nirbahi Officer Md Imran Khan said that after talking to the DC Sir, everything will be evicted permanently along with the concerned people.