RASC News Agency: Some traders in Herat province, western Afghanistan, have reported an increase in stall rental prices at the Lelami Road market. Ismail, a trader at the Lelami Road market, told the RASC news agency on Saturday, April 13th, that previously, none of the stallholders in this market paid any kabuli rupees to the government, but now the Taliban have taken control of the entire market for revenue, severely impacting impoverished individuals and filling their own pockets. He added that they currently extract between five to ten thousand kabuli rupees from stallholders monthly. He noted that this trend, along with numerous challenges, has significantly affected the livelihoods of this segment of Herat’s society.
Similarly, Gulam Yahya, another stallholder at the Lelami Road market in Herat province, informed the RASC news agency that over the two years of Taliban management, stallholders’ incomes have substantially increased. He suggested that the Taliban should cooperate with stallholders to reduce stall rents.
Meanwhile, Mahmood, a resident of Herat province, mentioned to the RASC news agency that since the establishment of stalls at the Lelami Road market, a better atmosphere of order and discipline has prevailed. He added that stallholders have now transitioned into entrepreneurs, marking progress compared to the past. According to him, there will come a day when stallholders at the Lelami Road market in Herat province will transition from stalls to modern, advanced shops and realize their dreams.
On the other hand, Behrouz Mohammadi, a civil activist in Herat province, emphasized that stallholders, as part of the impoverished segments of society, should cooperate with the Taliban. He proposed that one collaboration could involve the Taliban refraining from collecting rents for three to six months, allowing stallholders to organize their work processes and develop precise planning for the market space. Mohammadi also noted that many stallholders at the Lelami Road market in Herat province have expressed concerns about their ability to pay in this challenging and unprofitable market, urging the Taliban to seriously consider reducing stall rents.
Efforts to obtain comments from Taliban officials in Herat were unsuccessful. It is estimated that more than three thousand stalls are registered at the Lelami Road market in Herat province, all currently occupied.
