Roadside stalls have marked a significant rise over the last few years in and around the city due mainly to the increasing demand of the growing population for foods and other edible products, insiders have said.
Besides, many unemployed people find such roadside business lucrative with vested quarters helping them in carrying out such trading.
"I think such roadside stalls have been increasing by more than 10 per cent over the last few years," said Md Helal Uddin, president of the Bangladesh Dokan Malik Samity.
He said there are around 70,000 roadside food shops in Dhaka, most of which are located in the busiest parts of the city.
He said the main reasons behind the rise in the number of such shops are the increasing population in the city, easy access to foods and employment opportunities.
"I think, it is good for our economy as indirectly such shops are also contributing to it," he added.
But he said, quality is the main concern for such shops and their acceptability would be significant if they could provide quality products.
"Mainly roadside tea, snack and fruit stalls should ensure quality so that customers get hygienic foods," he added.
Talking to the FE, some traders of such roadside stalls said the number of customers has increased at their stalls.
Khurshid Alam, a roadside tea stall owner at the city's Moghbazar area, said instead of doing low-paid job, he decided to open the shop five years ago.
He said at that time there were comparatively few shops in his area.
"However, sales of my outlet have increased although such shops have also increased in the area," he said.
He said his average daily sales are now worth around Tk 5,000 to Tk 7,000.
"I can earn Tk 800 to Tk 1,400 daily," he added.
Mr Khurshid Alam said though he does not pay any rent for the space he has occupied, he has to give Tk 30 to the police as line fee everyday and Tk 50 to Tk 100 on most days to local political elements.
Mohammad Shahporan, a fruit seller at the city's New Market area told the  FE that when he came to Dhaka from his village four years ago, he could not find any suitable work.
He said, then with the help of his friend, he started selling fruits on a small scale which he gradually expanded.
He said now he can sell fruits worth around Tk 2,000 to Tk 2,500 daily. Sales are also increasing gradually.
Shamsul Islam, a betel-leaf and cigarette seller in the city's Nilkhet area, said his sales also increased.
"I can earn around Tk 400 to Tk 500 daily from my small stall," he said.
Abu Taher, a tea and snack stall owner at the Paltan area, said he is also happy with the daily sales at his shop.
"I can earn around Tk 1,200 to Tk 1,500 from this small shop a day," he said.
Talking to the FE, some customers of such stalls expressed their mixed reactions.
Masud Rana, a private service holder, who was having snacks from a roadside stall in the New Market area, said most of the time he takes tea, snacks and fruits from the stalls.
He said the main benefits of visiting such stalls are easy access and comparatively low prices of products.
"Besides, such shops provide solutions when we are on the road and want to have instant foods or tea," he said.
He said quality of products is the main concern at such stalls which should be ensured.
"Sometimes, we see that they are not selling hygienic foods or quality of their products is below the standard which should be improved," he added.
Another customer Ratan Kumar, who was having tea with his friend at a roadside stall in the Paltan area, said very often they go to such stalls for having tea, snacks and other low-priced products.
"I think such stalls will be more popular if quality could be ensured," he added.
However, a survey, conducted on Street Food Vending in Dhaka by Benjamin Etzold of the German- based research organisation Bonn International Center for Conversion (BICC) and Md. Afjal Hossain of the GIZ Bangladesh, found that 52 per cent of the respondents consume different kinds of street foods on a daily basis whereas 23 per cent said they never eat any such foods.
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Source: The Financial Express