A Street Hawker in Bangladesh

By Tahmina Akter

A street hawker is a common figure in Bangladesh. Now a day he is seen to sell goods as moving shops. He sells things of common use or fancy items. He carries his goods in a bag or in a basket. He sometimes carries his moving shop on his bicycle or on a pushing car. He walks along in the roads by calling the names of his articles by singing a song or by ringing a bell. His peculiar calls draw the attention of children, women, folk and simple persons.

A hawker sells children & women’s favorite things, such as: toys, dolls, biscuits, cakes, ice-cream, sweet meats, fruits etc. He sometimes sells common necessary things, such as: clothes, cookeries, vegetables, newspapers, magazines and many other necessary and fancy articles. A street hawker is a man of jolly nature. He sometimes sings comic songs or plays flute or shows some magic in order to get the attention of people around him. Then he approaches with a smiling face and he declares his items are the best from others. By his pleasant words he convinces the people and able to sell his goods at a high rate. He some times deceives his customers both in kind and quality. Maybe they do this for their poverty.

A street hawker is highly welcomed by the children. He is a favorite person to them. Sometimes he deceives with the children, women and simple people. So some people do not like him.