In the bustling heart of Dhaka lies a silent witness being neglected – a once-thriving newspaper sales center, now deserted for years.
Adjacent to the Bangabandhu National Stadium in Gulistan, this center, once a hub of news and magazines, now shelters only an occasional elderly woman, eking out a livelihood by cooking and selling food under its abandoned canopy.
But Gulistan is not alone in this plight; similar scenes haunt many corners of Dhaka, where newspaper sales centers, once vibrant hubs of information exchange, now languish in neglect or face demolition.
The decline of these centers has not gone unnoticed. Senior journalists and hawker leaders have raised their voices, calling for the restoration of these centers in a redesigned manner, one that fosters easy access for readers to print newspapers and magazines.
Yet, despite these pleas, the Dhaka North and Dhaka South city corporations seem content with allowing these vital nodes of information dissemination to wither away, with plans to demolish many of the remaining centers across the city, home to over a core population.
The fate of these centers is not merely a matter of convenience; it strikes at the heart of the importance of print media in our society.
These centers once served as lifelines for those seeking news and information, especially in an era before the dominance of internet-based news sources.
Despite claiming that newspaper readership is declining, the significance of print media cannot be overstated.
Its accessibility in crowded places is crucial for attracting readers and ensuring a diverse range of voices to be heard.
These centers, born out of necessity during the mid-1980s, provided a vital service to the public.
However, changing urban landscapes and development projects have led to their decline.
While some centers have been demolished due to alleged violations, many have simply fallen into disuse, a casualty of neglect rather than necessity.
Newspaper sales hubs have been converted into grocery stores, or they sell a limited number of newspapers alongside unrelated products.
Restoring these centers is not just about reviving a dying industry; it’s about preserving a vital aspect of our cultural and intellectual landscape.
Print media still continues to play a crucial role in research, education, and public discourse.
