Hawkers on Roads, Footpaths Face Seizure, Cases: Salam

Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) Administrator Md Abdus Salam has warned that hawkers occupying roads and footpaths outside designated areas will face eviction, seizure of their goods and legal action.

He made the remarks while speaking to journalists after inspecting cleanliness activities, the eviction of illegal roadside occupants and public sufferings in the capital’s Dhalpur area on Thursday.

The DSCC administrator said the city corporation had designated specific footpaths and areas for hawkers to operate.

“Strict action will be taken against hawkers who illegally occupy any footpath, including the main road from Zero Point to Sadarghat, outside the designated areas,” he said.

He said all hawkers in Dhaka would have to operate in an organised manner and register with the city corporation.

“No hawker will be allowed to operate anywhere in Dhaka without registration,” he said.

Regarding the reoccupation of footpaths following eviction drives, Salam said authorities would seize the goods of violators and file cases during future drives.

Asked whether new notices would be issued to hawkers and whether they would be rehabilitated, he said the government had already taken decisions after holding several meetings with hawker leaders.

“So there is no question of issuing new notices,” he said.

On rehabilitation, the administrator urged journalists to consider whether Dhaka residents who pay taxes to the city corporation want hawkers to occupy public spaces.

During the inspection, Salam also expressed dissatisfaction over the difficulties faced by residents because of prolonged Dhaka WASA work at the entrance to DSCC Regional Office-5.

He said thousands of people visiting the office every day were facing severe inconvenience due to the ongoing work.

The administrator said WASA and other service agencies had been instructed to complete road excavation and related works within the stipulated timeframe through better coordination.

He added that regular meetings were being held every 15 days under the leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to improve coordination among service agencies.

“WASA, the city corporation, T&T, the power sector and all other relevant agencies are working together in a coordinated manner to resolve these long-standing problems,” he said.