Every day, Aman Ullah pedals through the narrow lanes and byways of Cox’s Bazar town, selling household essentials and plastic toys from his bicycle. Quietly and tirelessly, he moves from one end of the city to the other, turning the streets into his marketplace through sheer hard work.
For several years, Aman Ullah has earned his livelihood as a bicycle hawker. Aman Ullah neatly arranges plastic toys, buckets, mugs, baskets, chairs, and other daily necessities on the front and back of his bicycle. From morning until evening, he cycles through residential areas, calling out to potential customers.
Aman Ullah says he earns between Tk 500 and Tk 1,000 a day on average, which he uses to support his family.
Because the business requires little capital and allows customers to buy everyday items delivered to their doorstep, demand for bicycle hawkers has not waned.
For low-income households, bicycle hawkers make essential goods easily accessible. At the same time, people like Aman Ullah carve out a livelihood through relentless effort and determination. Though their role in Cox’s Bazar’s local economy often goes unnoticed, bicycle hawkers remain an indispensable part of the city’s everyday economic life.
By Mohammad Morshed
Photo: Mohammad Morshed
