Blockade, strike worry hawkers

Visitors to the Dhaka Shishu Park are main customers of Chatpati-Fuchka seller Manik Mia, the only breadwinner of his family.

But after the BNP blockade started on Jan 5, Manik's customers are down to a trickle.

The blockade has led numerous deaths in arson and bombings since Jan 5.

Number of visitors to the Shishu Park have dropped sharply, even on holidays.

Manik opens his shop daily, hoping to boost sale.

“No visitors, no sale. As sale drops, I have less money for running the shop next day,” he said.

Ticket seller Abdur Razzak said the number of visitors have dropped to half .

“Visitors rarely come now after the blockade started,” he said.

He said more people have turned to the International Trade Fair.

Manik said he would earn much every winter . " But this is truly a winter of woes due to the political turmoil, he said.

“Now I am struggling to run my family,” he said.

More than 100 other eateries , hawkers selling toys, ornaments, housekeeping products, nuts, candyfloss also operate in the park daily.

They all are facing what Manik faces -- a huge drop in income.

It's no different for hundreds of thousands of hawkers in Dhaka. The makeshift shops are seen closed many days during the blockade.

The footpath hawkers said people were leaving home less often . Those who did were going back with very few buying their products.