The old Books Bazar near Hasan Square is going to vanish soon as local adminstration has removed the carts of the booksellers who had been there for over two decades.
This is a place where many grew up buying books from.
#RestoreGulshanBooksBazar
This is a place where many grew up buying books from.
#RestoreGulshanBooksBazar
According to the booksellers, the local police and DMC East told them to remove the book carts for two days as their heads were supposed to pay a visit. However, over a month has passed but the authorities are not letting them bring back their carts and resume the work.
These booksellers have been doing this amazing business here for more than 20 years. Amazing because they sell books which can cost thousands of rupees at 2/10 of the original rates.
Now they have no option but to bring only a small quantity of their stock from their home, and put them at display on parked cars, or racks. A seller rents an old car to keep his business running.
This change has almost ruined their earnings.
This change has almost ruined their earnings.
A seller named Abdul Raheem said that he was in this business because he was serving knowledge by giving precious books at nominal rates to the knowledge seekers. "Local govt in past used to support us a lot," he said, adding that this govt is bent upon destroying every thing.
Some facts: this place is meant to be a park. But as we can see, this is just a plain field with no sign of a park. Also, the booksellers only occupy a thin row in this ground and if the admin actually wants to recreate a park here, the sellers can be given some space too.
I tried to get a quote from DMC East chairman but he was too busy to reply me. Obviously, its all about priorities. They act promptly when its about evicting the people, and ignore them when its about resettling the affectees.
There is clealry no sign of any progress or development happening on this ground. Then why did the admin remove these booksellers? And why these people, having served the peolle here for 2 decades, cant be given some space to continue their business?
Why can't the city's urban planning take into account people like these booksellers who are backbone of our informal economy? Why evict them and ruin their livelihoods while also affecting citizens who avail their services?
Watch my complete short docu here:
