Traditional Home Services

Do you remember waking up to the calls of a street vendor shouting: “Lace, fita (ribbons)”? Or, others loudly announcing their trade for homemakers to avail their services as a locksmith, a fishmonger or a vegetable seller? This was a very common everyday scene in the residential areas of Dhaka until recent times, and it still is in some parts of the city.

In areas such as Gulshan, Banani or Baridhara these useful home services are not that much available these days due to some restrictions. But in other areas, such as Mohammadpur, Dhanmondi, Lalmatia and Adabar, residents still have the luxury of getting these traditional services right at home. According to locals, the services are still available, but the frequency of a vendor coming by has decreased substantially from a decade ago.

“We did not have Facebook or online shopping options like you people do nowadays,” said 50-year-old Somaeya Tareq. “I remember we hardly had to step out of the house as vendors selling everything from pots and pans to sarees, lungis, bed sheets, you name it, there was always someone with a basket on his head selling it. But now you won’t see these vendors that frequently. These days, pot-and-pan sellers use rickshaw vans instead of baskets that they would carry on top of the head. But the person who sells bed sheets still carries his goods tied up in a piece of cloth, just like the old times,” she added.  

This correspondent combed through the streets of Dhaka looking for vendors to learn about their trade, their life and how their services have evolved throughout the years.

Knife Grinder

Mohammad Selim, 35, lives at a slum in Kawran Bazar and travels to several places within the city with his grinder to sharpen all kinds of household knives and scissors.

“Five years ago, I was working as a mason in my home district of Habiganj, and later changed my profession to that of a blacksmith. But it was fairly tough to carry on with this profession in Sylhet as there was little work available, and also the pay was not enough to make ends meet. So, three years ago, I came to Dhaka and started my knife-sharpening business. Every day, I leave my home at 9 in the morning, carrying the tool of my trade which is locally called ‘shun machine’. It is a risky job to sharpen knives and boti (large kitchen knife) because if you slip, you might cut yourself with a very sharp cutting tool. Luckily, I am yet to meet with an accident. I also work on shil-pata (stone grinder). Hammer and chisels are required for cutting and denting the blunt surfaces. For each work, I get paid about Tk40 to 50, and until 4pm I earn an average of Tk700 to Tk1,000 every day. Though it’s fairly a hard job to do, I work for seven days a week. I do not work during Eid or other festivals. Since I am my own boss, I can take time off from work whenever I want, but then I will face financial difficulties,” said Selim.

Ash Seller

Parvin Akhter, 40, has been selling ash door to door in Dhaka for two years. She came to the city from Habiganj a few years ago and now lives with her family at Kamrangirchar.

“I have been working as an ash vendor for almost five years now. There are a number of factories at Kamrangirchar that produces ash, and many ash vendors collect their ware from there. Fly ash is mainly required for cleaning cooking utensils. You need very little money to start the business. Every week, I purchase a sack of ash for Tk300 and sell it to several houses in the city. Every day, I earn about Tk250-300, after other expenses. I do this business five days a week. I usually move around old Dhaka, Azimpur, Dhanmondi and Mohammadpur areas.”

Fish Seller

Mohammad Hafizuddin, 60, has been engaged in selling fish for more than 20 years. He started this business after coming to Dhaka in 1995 from Mymensingh district. He lives near Kawran Bazar so that he can buy fish at wholesale rate from the fish market there.

“Every day in the morning, I have to go to Kawran Bazar fish market to collect the fish. Kawran Bazar is the largest wholesale fish market where lots of varieties of fish are brought in from several regions of Bangladesh daily. I start selling from 9 in the morning everyday and continue till I sell out all the fish that I bought. In terms of price, the fish market is not stable, so sometimes I need to sell at a higher price. Every month, without other expenses, I make an average profit of Tk8,000 to Tk10,000. I sell my fish around Karwan Bazar,” said Hafizuddin.

 “Sometimes, when there is a price hike, we cannot buy fish at the regular deal. That is when we are forced to stop selling fish as people refuse to buy from us at a much higher price than the usual. I usually try to work as a regular labourer at those times,” he added.

Locksmith

Sumon Ahmed, 26, a locksmith, offers his services at Dhanmondi, Green Road and Kalabagan areas of the capital. He has been at this job for the last eight years.

“I got training on this skill from my older brother. He worked in this field for many years. Now I am skilled in opening locks, making keys and other related jobs. I have a temporary shop setup in the Kalabagan area. However, I move around several places at Dhanmondi, Green Road, Kathal Bagan and Kala Bagan every day. It is not an easy job because we need to open different kinds of locks, and new locks are introduced frequently for increased security. Sometimes, it takes a couple of hours to open a secured lock, thus, it is somewhat challenging for us. I also learned how to make keys. I usually collect the raw materials needed for making keys from Chowk Bazaar. But nowadays, the materials can be found at several places in Dhaka. Every day, I earn about Tk600 - 800.”

Broom Seller

Mohammad Nazmul, 20, lives at Khilkhet and he has been selling broomsticks for five years. He elder brother and father were also once engaged in this business.

“I work in a broomstick factory. Such broomsticks are made from certain grasses which grow in abundance in the Rangamati hill tract area. The grass needs to be cleaned and made into a suitable shape. For each broomstick, we spend around Tk15-20 and sell it for Tk40-60. So, I think this business is profitable and has a lot of demand, and it will be around for years to come. I do not see any other cleaning object taking over our traditional broomsticks.

Besides working in this factory, I also sell the brooms in residential areas. Every day, my earning ranges from Tk700 - 800. And I do not need to wait the whole day due to the high demand for my product in houses and offices,” said Nazmul.

Chicken Seller

Jewel Rana, 30, delivers live chickens to different households.

“When I came to Dhaka, I started working in a poultry store in the Cantonment area and learned a lot about the business. The best part is you do not have to have a large sum of money in order to start this business. So, I quit my job and bought 20 chickens in the beginning and made some profit. Now, I am doing this business independently. I purchase live chickens from the Tejgaon rail line area and sell them at Tejgaon and Green Road areas. Every day, I sell 15 to 20 chickens, and hence my monthly income ranges from Tk10,000 – 12,000,” said Rana.  

Nowadays, some vendors, such as those who fix gas stoves, announce their services using a megaphone, which is prohibited in the city. This correspondent spotted three such vendors in areas such as Gulshan, Banani and Mohammadia Housing Society at Adabar.

Hasinur Rahman has been in this trade for over five years now and works in the Mohammadia Housing Society area. “I am happy with what I do and a lot of people avail my services. My patrons give my number to their friends and family and that is how I get new clients. I carry a megaphone, but I do not use it anymore as it is strictly prohibited. Whenever the authorities spot anyone using a megaphone, it is immediately seized and sometimes we are penalised for creating noise,” said Rahman.

In a telephone conversation, Proloy Kumar Shaha, officer in charge of Rampura police station, told The Weekend Independent: “We do not allow vendors to use any sort of microphones or megaphones and it is forbidden. Special permission is needed for anyone who wants to make a public announcement over a megaphone or loudspeaker and you have to follow the rules. Offending vendors are escorted out of the area and given a warning.”

Abu Baker Siddique, officer in charge of Gulshan police station, said: “Whenever we come across vendors creating nuisance using megaphones, or even if we receive complaints, we look into the matter and the person is arrested under the DMP ordinance and sent to court. They are fined Tk50 to Tk500, or given a jail term ranging from one day to three days. Most people opt to pay the fine. In case of emergencies, one can write an application to the police commissioner requesting for permission to make a public announcement (over megaphone) and mention the time and area. If the request is found to be legitimate and suitable, permission will be granted and the police station in question will be informed. If there is no time to go through this lengthy process, you can write an application making your request through the OC to the police commissioner and the OC will acquire the permission for you over the phone. But you must follow the protocol.”

Photos: Writer, Internet

Traditional Home Services

Do you remember waking up to the calls of a street vendor shouting: Lace, fita (ribbons)? Or, others loudly announcing their trade for homemakers to avail their services as a locksmith, a fishmonger or a vegetable seller? This was a very common everyday scene in the residential areas of Dhaka until recent times, and it still is in some parts of the city. In areas such as Gulshan, Banani or Baridhara these useful home services are not that much available these days due to some restrictions. But in other areas, such as Mohammadpur, Dhanmondi, Lalmatia and Adabar, residents still have the luxury of getting these traditional services right at home. According to locals, the services are still available, but the frequency of a vendor coming by has decreased substantially from a decade ago. We did not have Facebook or online shopping options like you people do nowadays, said 50-year-old Somaeya Tareq. I remember we hardly had to step out of the house as vendors selling everything from pots and pans to sarees, lungis, bed sheets, you name it, there was always someone with a basket on his head selling it. But now you wont see these vendors that frequently. These days, pot-and-pan sellers use rickshaw vans instead of baskets that they would carry on top of the head. But the person who sells bed sheets still carries his goods tied up in a piece of cloth, just like the old times, she added. This correspondent combed through the streets of Dhaka looking for vendors to learn about their trade, their life and how their services have evolved throughout the years. Knife Grinder Mohammad Selim, 35, lives at a slum in Kawran Bazar and travels to several places within the city with his grinder to sharpen all kinds of household knives and scissors. Five years ago, I was working as a mason in my home district of Habiganj, and later changed my profession to that of a blacksmith. But it was fairly tough to carry on with this profession in Sylhet as there was little work available, and also the pay was not enough to make ends meet. So, three years ago, I came to Dhaka and started my knife-sharpening business. Every day, I leave my home at 9 in the morning, carrying the tool of my trade which is locally called shun machine. It is a risky job to sharpen knives and boti (large kitchen knife) because if you slip, you might cut yourself with a very sharp cutting tool. Luckily, I am yet to meet with an accident. I also work on shil-pata (stone grinder). Hammer and chisels are required for cutting and denting the blunt surfaces. For each work, I get paid about Tk40 to 50, and until 4pm I earn an average of Tk700 to Tk1,000 every day. Though its fairly a hard job to do, I work for seven days a week. I do not work during Eid or other festivals. Since I am my own boss, I can take time off from work whenever I want, but then I will face financial difficulties, said Selim. Ash Seller Parvin Akhter, 40, has been selling ash door to door in Dhaka for two years. She came to the city from Habiganj a few years ago and now lives with her family at Kamrangirchar. I have been working as an ash vendor for almost five years now. There are a number of factories at Kamrangirchar that produces ash, and many ash vendors collect their ware from there. Fly ash is mainly required for cleaning cooking utensils. You need very little money to start the business. Every week, I purchase a sack of ash for Tk300 and sell it to several houses in the city. Every day, I earn about Tk250-300, after other expenses. I do this business five days a week. I usually move around old Dhaka, Azimpur, Dhanmondi and Mohammadpur areas. Fish Seller Mohammad Hafizuddin, 60, has been engaged in selling fish for more than 20 years. He started this business after coming to Dhaka in 1995 from Mymensingh district. He lives near Kawran Bazar so that he can buy fish at wholesale rate from the fish market there. Every day in the morning, I have to go to Kawran Bazar fish market to collect the fish. Kawran Bazar is the largest wholesale fish market where lots of varieties of fish are brought in from several regions of Bangladesh daily. I start selling from 9 in the morning everyday and continue till I sell out all the fish that I bought. In terms of price, the fish market is not stable, so sometimes I need to sell at a higher price. Every month, without other expenses, I make an average profit of Tk8,000 to Tk10,000. I sell my fish around Karwan Bazar, said Hafizuddin. Sometimes, when there is a price hike, we cannot buy fish at the regular deal. That is when we are forced to stop selling fish as people refuse to buy from us at a much higher price than the usual. I usually try to work as a regular labourer at those times, he added. Locksmith Sumon Ahmed, 26, a locksmith, offers his services at Dhanmondi, Green Road and Kalabagan areas of the capital. He has been at this job for the last eight years. I got training on this skill from my older brother. He worked in this field for many years. Now I am skilled in opening locks, making keys and other related jobs. I have a temporary shop setup in the Kalabagan area. However, I move around several places at Dhanmondi, Green Road, Kathal Bagan and Kala Bagan every day. It is not an easy job because we need to open different kinds of locks, and new locks are introduced frequently for increased security. Sometimes, it takes a couple of hours to open a secured lock, thus, it is somewhat challenging for us. I also learned how to make keys. I usually collect the raw materials needed for making keys from Chowk Bazaar. But nowadays, the materials can be found at several places in Dhaka. Every day, I earn about Tk600 - 800. Broom Seller Mohammad Nazmul, 20, lives at Khilkhet and he has been selling broomsticks for five years. He elder brother and father were also once engaged in this business. I work in a broomstick factory. Such broomsticks are made from certain grasses which grow in abundance in the Rangamati hill tract area. The grass needs to be cleaned and made into a suitable shape. For each broomstick, we spend around Tk15-20 and sell it for Tk40-60. So, I think this business is profitable and has a lot of demand, and it will be around for years to come. I do not see any other cleaning object taking over our traditional broomsticks. Besides working in this factory, I also sell the brooms in residential areas. Every day, my earning ranges from Tk700 - 800. And I do not need to wait the whole day due to the high demand for my product in houses and offices, said Nazmul. Chicken Seller Jewel Rana, 30, delivers live chickens to different households. When I came to Dhaka, I started working in a poultry store in the Cantonment area and learned a lot about the business. The best part is you do not have to have a large sum of money in order to start this business. So, I quit my job and bought 20 chickens in the beginning and made some profit. Now, I am doing this business independently. I purchase live chickens from the Tejgaon rail line area and sell them at Tejgaon and Green Road areas. Every day, I sell 15 to 20 chickens, and hence my monthly income ranges from Tk10,000 12,000, said Rana. Nowadays, some vendors, such as those who fix gas stoves, announce their services using a megaphone, which is prohibited in the city. This correspondent spotted three such vendors in areas such as Gulshan, Banani and Mohammadia Housing Society at Adabar. Hasinur Rahman has been in this trade for over five years now and works in the Mohammadia Housing Society area. I am happy with what I do and a lot of people avail my services. My patrons give my number to their friends and family and that is how I get new clients. I carry a megaphone, but I do not use it anymore as it is strictly prohibited. Whenever the authorities spot anyone using a megaphone, it is immediately seized and sometimes we are penalised for creating noise, said Rahman. In a telephone conversation, Proloy Kumar Shaha, officer in charge of Rampura police station, told The Weekend Independent: We do not allow vendors to use any sort of microphones or megaphones and it is forbidden. Special permission is needed for anyone who wants to make a public announcement over a megaphone or loudspeaker and you have to follow the rules. Offending vendors are escorted out of the area and given a warning. Abu Baker Siddique, officer in charge of Gulshan police station, said: Whenever we come across vendors creating nuisance using megaphones, or even if we receive complaints, we look into the matter and the person is arrested under the DMP ordinance and sent to court. They are fined Tk50 to Tk500, or given a jail term ranging from one day to three days. Most people opt to pay the fine. In case of emergencies, one can write an application to the police commissioner requesting for permission to make a public announcement (over megaphone) and mention the time and area. If the request is found to be legitimate and suitable, permission will be granted and the police station in question will be informed. If there is no time to go through this lengthy process, you can write an application making your request through the OC to the police commissioner and the OC will acquire the permission for you over the phone. But you must follow the protocol. Photos: Writer, Internet