Education Desk:
Residents and students have complained of public suffering, illegal occupation and extortion surrounding a temporary fair set up for Eid-ul-Azha near DIT Market in Lakshmibazar, Old Dhaka. Government Shaheed Suhrawardy College Chhatra Dal president Md Jasim Uddin, general secretary Rabiul Islam Rubel and Kabi Nazrul Government College Chhatra Dal member-secretary Nazmul Hasan have been accused of regularly collecting money from the fair’s stalls and using an illegal electricity connection.
Residents and students said the fair began before Eid and has continued for about two and a half months, with no clear announcement of when it will end. A large section of an important route around DIT Market and Lakshmibazar has been occupied, causing regular problems for pedestrians, students and local businesses.
On Wednesday (August 12), stalls were seen beside DIT Market. A fair trader said there were four stalls and Tk3,350 was collected from each stall every day.
A shopkeeper who declined to be named said: “We have to pay Tk3,350 a day as stall rent. This money has been collected regularly since the fair began. Chhatra Dal’s Jasim, Rubel and Nazmul collect the money from our owners, and we pay them.”
Traders alleged that leaders and activists of Kabi Nazrul Government College and Shaheed Suhrawardy College Chhatra Dal were involved in running the fair and that the three leaders led the daily collection of Tk3,350 from each stall. The traders could not show any legal approval or written document authorising the collection.
Residents also alleged that the shops at the fair had been given unauthorised electricity connections, which they said posed a public-safety risk.
Students of nearby institutions have suffered most. Students of Mahanagar Mahila College, Kabi Nazrul Government College, St Francis Xavier’s Girls School and College, St Gregory’s High School and College, Dhaka Collegiate School, Jagannath University and Government Shaheed Suhrawardy College regularly use the route connecting Lakshmibazar and Johnson Road.
A St Gregory’s student said: “There used to be a coaching centre here. We were told to vacate its rooms because the fair and market space had been occupied. The entire market has been taken over.”
Farhana Yasmin, a student of Shaheed Suhrawardy College, said: “A fair like this should have a designated place and a fixed period. Seeing that it has run for about two and a half months, it appears to be operating to make money.”
A pavement trader beside DIT Market said: “Our business is also being harmed by the fair. Crowds often gather in front of our shops.”
Nazmul Hasan, member-secretary of Kabi Nazrul Government College Chhatra Dal, denied the allegations, saying: “The allegations in my name are completely baseless and planned. A group is making these allegations because we do politics in the area. I know nothing more about it.”
Rabiul Islam Rubel, general secretary of Suhrawardy College Chhatra Dal, said: “I am not aware of this. After learning about it, we gave them an ultimatum. We told them that if they did not remove the shops, we would go and dismantle them. They will probably remove the shops and leave. Otherwise, we will take action.”
When contacted by phone, Shaheed Suhrawardy College Chhatra Dal president Md Jasim Uddin said he was at a programme and would speak later.
Residents urged the relevant administration to investigate the fair’s legality, money collection, occupation and electricity connections and take necessary action.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report