Street vending: exploring an excluded economic sector in Chittagong city, Bangladesh

ABSTRACT

As an informal economic activity, street vending has become an urban phenomenon both in developing and developed countries. This article uses an empirical study to explore the lives, livelihoods, and challenges of street vendors in Chittagong city. It finds that street vending is a viable employment source, meeting most people’s daily needs. However, owing to lack of recognition, necessary facilities, and support, vendors often run their business with risk and uncertainty. The article recommends the inclusion of street-vending businesses into urban planning and economy to improve their lives, business, and city ecology.

KEYWORDS:

• Aid – development policies
• Civil society – participation
• Labour and livelihoods – poverty reduction
• migration
• South Asia

Acknowledgements

I am grateful to Professor Dr Gazi Saleh Uddin (University of Chittagong) and Dr Najmul Hossain (Friedrich Naumann Foundation, Bangladesh) for their invaluable contributions to the research. I am thankful to two anonymous reviewers who provided valuable insights that enriched the paper. Thanks are due to my students, Omar Faruk, Jamshed Alam, Mushfiqur Rahman, and Sadia Afrose, who worked effortlessly as research assistants in this study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s ).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

M. Ala Uddin

M. Ala Uddin is a Professor in the Department of Anthropology, University of Chittagong, Bangladesh.