The shopkeepers of the capital’s New Market area and students of Dhaka College have been engaged in violent clashes since Monday night. Dhaka New Market Shop Owners Association president Dr Dewan Aminul Islam spoke with Prothom Alo about the steps that should be taken to ensure that such violent clashes don’t happen in the future. Shafiqul Islam has taken the interview.
What caused the clashes between the shopkeepers in New Market and the Dhaka College students? Was there a way to prevent it?
The incident started after 11:00PM. By that time majority of the shop keepers had already returned home. Even the people who started this entire incident were not there. As per police directives, all the shops were closed. The thing is, it’s not possible right now to determine whether or not this incident could’ve been prevented or controlled. The way rumours spread, it’s hard to say what could’ve been done to avoid it. The students were told that an employee of a shop stabbed a student. The shop employees were told that the students have come to attack them and someone had also set fire to New Market and Chandrima market. We have to take steps to make sure an incident like this doesn’t happen in the future. The incident began from a quarrel between two employees from two shops. Now it has become a national issue. This is not at all acceptable.
How much will this affect the Eid business?
This will definitely have a negative impact. This has turned into a social issue. People will now think that the shopkeepers in New Market engage in clashes. Maybe some people would be reluctant to shop in this area. The last 10 days' business before Eid is crucial for us. If shops remain close at this time, this will harm us in a big way. But we are trying to take steps to make sure that we don’t suffer losses.
Many have complained that the shop keepers behave poorly with the students. That causes frequent clashes in the area.
The thing is, this was a personal matter. One is blaming the other. Whenever the association notices such issues, we try to get to the bottom of it.
Clashes take place in New Market more than other places. Why is that?
The problem here is that this entire area is now known as New Market. The name of our market is Dhaka New Market. Even if an incident takes place in some other market in the area, we are blamed for it. In many times, such incidents begin from quarrels with hawkers on the footpath, but even then we are blamed for it. Yesterday (Tuesday), a number of media were reporting that New Market shop keepers are fighting with students on the streets. But the markets in the area were closed that day. So, who took part in the clash? Even the students are saying that the helmet wearing people were not one of them. Then who were they? These helmet wearing people broke cash boxes in shops and stole the money, there is footage of them doing it. Many of the hawkers were there in the street, that’s true.
There is an accusation that extortion was a reason behind the clashes.
Extortion doesn’t take place here. We do give some discounts to students, which many label as extortion. We shopkeepers always try to give the students as much discount as possible. But this shouldn’t become a form of oppression. We propose to form a committee with the area’s shop keepers and educational institution’s officials. When a problem arises, they would solve it. No one will lay a finger on others. I would tell the shop employees to improve their behaviour. And also ask all others involved to show restraint.
What have the government officials said?
I met the home minister. He told me that to ensure peace there will be a discussion with all involved. We are in constant contact with the police station’s OC and other police high ups.
A courier service deliveryman died in the clashes. Will your association do something for his family?
Definitely, our association will try to help his family as much as possible.