A mobile team of Dhaka South City Corporation on Monday evicted several hundred of hawkers from Gulistan area.
The drive was conducted by DSCC executive magistrate Mamunur Rashid while its chief estate officer Khalid Ahmed was present with a large number of police and DSCC staffs.
The mobile team evicted several hundred roadside shops.
During the drive some hawkers were trying to save their goods and some were skipped the position form the Bangabandhu Avenue and Fullbaria.
After completed the drive some traders, who were managed to save their shops, return to footpaths with their goods.
Hawkers urged the government to conduct such drive after ensuring their alternative source of income.
Safiqul Islam, a hawker who lost a fruit shop during the drive, said over 20 lakh people were involved in such roadside small business. ‘We will be affected seriously if the government vandalised our shops without any rehabilitation programme,’ he added.
Another trader Robiul Alam said that he would face an uncertain situation with his family as the DSCC vandalised his shop before Ramadan and Eid.
After taking the decision by the DSCC for evicting hawkers from footpaths of the capital, different quarters urged the government not to conduct such drive before any arrangement of alternative income source.
On the other hand, several rights group urged the government to ensure the walking space for citizens.
Earlier, road transport and bridges minister Obaidul Quader said eviction drives would be conducted from June 1 in a bid to keep the city’s roads and footpaths clean for pedestrians.
Source: New Age