DHAKA: Shutdown and countrywide indefinite blockade have cast chain impact at Karwan Bazar. The van-drivers are passing lazy time as the goods-laden trucks carrying vegetables are not coming in the market.
There are no vegetables or other kitchen food items in the wholesale shops. As a result, the goods carrying folks also have no work to do. There is dearth of retail purchasers.
Moreover, no gatherings were seen at the tea stalls. Selling has decreased at other shops like ‘Dabri’, milk-sour-juice and rice-cake (Chitoi Pitha) shops. Earlier, a rice-cake shop used to sell from 600 to 700 pieces of cakes which have come down to less than 200 pieces daily.
It was Saturday midnight, when some 10/12 young van-drivers were gossiping on a van. They were discussing about the petrol bomb attack on a truck in Bogra in the evening.
One commented that if bombs are thrown in this manner then the drivers would not drive their vehicles and in that case, we have to starve without any earning. Everyone supported the comment.
These youths were the van-drivers of the capital’s Karwanbazar market. Though they were gossiping and passing idle time they had scare of starving in their mind.
Whenever banglanews approached to them, they understood that we were media men. Everybody in chorus told the media that ‘just write something for us. If the blockade and shutdowns linger, what we will do. How long it will continue?’
The van-drivers informed the media that they have never experienced such lengthy blockade programme in their life. One Sanaul was very much anger at this prevailing situation. He came to Karwanbazar from Kaliganj at 3:00pm and has only managed only one trip. So, he fears that his whole night income will not be more than around Tk 250.
One Rafiq approaching us said that at this midnight only one truck was unloaded while earlier, hundreds of trucks carrying vegetables, kitchen food articles were unloaded. Then, the owners of those articles did not get vans for carrying while now the vans are not getting goods to carry.
There are at least 300 van-drivers at Karwan Bazar. Each person usually earns from Tk 600 to Tk 700 daily. It has now sharply fallen to around Tk 250 daily creating an adverse impact on their livelihood.
One truck driver Ashiqur, who was unloading his goods, informed the media that it took ten hours to reach here from Chittagong after facing much hurdles on his way.
He carried bean and kidney-bean vegetables. Ashiqur’s truck’s windshield was partially damaged a week back in Bogra by the blockaders, but still he is driving the vehicle risking his life only for livelihood.
In the country’s northern areas Bogra, Gobindaganj, Palashbari points are very much risky while from Chittagong’s Mirsharai, Feni and Comilla’s Chouddagram are also risky alike as perceived by the truck drivers.
Just at the moment, a truck entered Karwanbazar. Soon, the few dozens gossiper van-drivers rushed behind the loaded truck. But only a handful of van-drivers would get work. So, what? At least, let us try our luck. Only ten vans got work and then the rest again engaged in gossiping.
This truck came from Chittagong after journeyed for ten hours instead of six. This truck has carried both vegetables and 13 tons of MS rod, told by driver Abu Bakar Siddique.
The MS rod will go to Bogra. On the way, Abu Bakar came to know over cell-phone that three persons were killed at Majhira of Bogra. He was informed that he would bring his truck outside Dhaka and wait till daylight as something is visible in day time but in the darkness of night everything is invisible.
Meanwhile, Abu Bakar estimated his loss and profit. Now, we are working for two days instead of one day. At this, businessman Shafiul retorted that it matters little to you as you are taking truck fare at the rate of Tk 9,000, instead of Tk 4,000 earlier. A light quarrel also took place between them over the matter.
However, vans ply empty if trucks do not come. Similar impact at the wholesale market too. Selling also goes down in unrest situation. Those, who receive their goods, are also in uncertainty, as told by the whole-sellers of carrot and cucumber. If goods do not reach on time then how they will make profit. They are sustaining loss for the last one month.
Carrot middleman Mohammad Solaiman said that he is incurring loss from Tk 10,000 to Tk 15,000 daily as his goods are not coming on time. But he is to pay the rent of the godown.
Daily laborer Abdur Rahim said that he used to earn Tk 500 per night but it is now only Tk 200. Some one thousand daily laborers are sustaining a loss of Tk 3 lakhs daily.
Arif, a poly-bag seller, informed the media that earlier he used to sell 250 pounds of poly-bags daily, now it has come down to less than 100 pounds.
He cannot earn now Tk 500 per night. After paying the rent of the shop he gets no saving.
Tea-stall owner Mozammel, who lives on hand to mouth, is passing a precarious time. Earlier, he used to sell about Tk 20,000 but now it is less than Tk 8,000. Two hundred tea stalls are now suffering the impact of blockade.
The earnings of the street food ‘dabri-boot’ sellers are also facing the suffering.
In this way, small businesses are also suffering losses. In Karwanbazar, several crores of taka are invested but bringing the loss at same volume now.
A simple equation is that the earning of everyone either of traders or laborers has turned one third of their previous income. The overall loss will be some crores of taka per night as estimated by experienced businessman Mozammel. Though the opinion of the experts could be obtained but how Mozammel, an experienced trader, can be ignored?
BDST: 1554 HRS, FEB 08, 2015
