John Biswas sets up his assortment of books around the trunk of a tree near Saint Joseph School in Mohammadpur recently. Unlike the average makeshift stall in Dhaka that occupies portions of a footpath, his pop-up store is pedestrian-friendly. Biswas has been selling books for over 35 years and originally sold them directly to schools. However, in his old age, he can no longer do so and now relies on pop-up stores like this for his survival. Photo: Prabir Das

People wait for an OMS truck in the morning cold near Surma market in Sylhet city to buy essentials at subsidised prices. The low-income people start gathering there to collect the OMS products like rice and flour from 5:00am every day. The demand for affordable food is on the rise due to soaring prices of essentials. Photo: Sheikh Nasir

Fireworks and lasers light up the sky of Old Dhaka yesterday evening as the city celebrates Shakrain, a centuries-old festival also known as kite festival. On the last day of the Bangla month of Poush, colourful kites are flown from the rooftops during the day. The photo was taken in the Shankhari Bazar area. Photo: Star

In blatant disregard for a “no stopping” sign just a few feet away, a bus makes a stop to let off passengers, creating a hazardous situation for other vehicles. The photo was taken on the Mayor Hanif Flyover in the capital recently. Photo: Prabir Das