The Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) and the two city corporations have launched a coordinated "shakedown" operation to reclaim the capital's busiest roads and footpaths for pedestrians.
The drive, which began last Wednesday and continued until Sunday, successfully cleared footpaths and roads in Gulistan, New Market, and Science Lab. This has brought significant relief to public life.
However, behind this civic comfort lies the despair of approximately 300,000 hawkers whose livelihoods depend entirely on these footpaths. While authorities have conducted numerous evictions in the past, the lack of alternative arrangements or rehabilitation usually results in hawkers reclaiming the space within hours.
Urban experts argue that eviction alone is not a permanent solution. Instead, they suggest bringing hawkers under a digital database and constructing "Holiday Markets" or permanent steel-structure markets on abandoned government land. Otherwise, the annual 3,000-crore taka extortion trade surrounding footpaths will continue to trap eviction efforts in a cycle of failure.
MA Kashem, President of the Bangladesh Hawkers Federation, stated, "Everyone wants proper rehabilitation for hawkers. But if they are evicted without it, how will they support their families? We have seen mayors initiate various plans, but their terms often end before implementation begins. Hawkers must have a guaranteed source of income first."
Eviction vs. Occupation: Recent drives in Science Lab, New Market, Gulistan, and Farmgate restored order to the roads. However, hawkers often return the moment police leave, claiming they are forced to do so out of hunger. One hawker at New Market said, "If we are given an alternative space, we won't sit on the streets."
Despite this trend, the situation in Gulistan showed a slight exception last Tuesday. Roads remained clear of temporary stalls, and pedestrians moved without obstacles. The chronic traffic congestion near the Gulistan Mazar area has eased, and citizens walking from Zero Point to Fulbaria expressed satisfaction.
Sultana Habib, a private sector employee, said, "I live in Nawabpur and work in Purana Paltan. Despite the short distance, I could never travel without a rickshaw. Now, I am walking to the office. There is no pushing or crowding, and the lack of congestion reduces the fear of mugging." Conversely, shopkeepers like Selim Mia are frustrated: "I had a shoe stall near the Mazar. Now they won't let me sit. I don't know how I will survive."
Rehabilitation Efforts and Failures: Investigations reveal that several sites were previously earmarked for hawker rehabilitation, including parts of Osmani Udyan, Muktangan, vacant land near Mirpur Mazar Road, and government land near Baitul Mukarram. However, plans to build markets in these areas never materialised. Initiatives to provide ID cards, categorise hawkers (elderly, educated, and uneducated), and provide training or jobs for the educated youth have also remained unimplemented.
Holiday Markets: The initiative to launch holiday markets in the capital began in 2007. Despite occasional closures due to various complexities, the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) later took steps to revive the concept. Following directives from the then Prime Minister's Office, authorities identified 16 potential locations, initially deciding to launch markets in five spots, including the area adjacent to Motijheel Ideal School. Meanwhile, under the initiative of the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC), a holiday market remains operational in Agargaon.
The holiday market in Motijheel draws significant crowds during festive seasons, especially during Eid. On weekly holidays—Fridays and Saturdays—hundreds of vendors set up shops on vans, tarpaulins, and mats along both sides of the road from dawn to dusk. Customers enjoy the opportunity to bargain, while sellers benefit from high-volume sales at low profit margins, leaving both parties satisfied.
Hawkers who lost their stalls in recent evictions believe more markets of this nature are necessary. They demand a halt to evictions until proper rehabilitation is provided. Their other demands include the arrest of so-called "linemen" regardless of political affiliation, action against corrupt police officers, legal measures against fake hawker organisations that hinder government decisions, and the formulation of a formal hawker rehabilitation policy.
Stance of the Two City Corporations: Shafiqul Islam Khan, Administrator of Dhaka North City Corporation, stated, "We have met with hawkers, pedestrians, and all stakeholders to reclaim the footpaths. We are working on a solution, starting with efforts to normalise the footpaths at Mirpur-10."
Regarding eviction and rehabilitation, DSCC Administrator Abdus Salam said, "We will not allow hawkers to sit haphazardly across the capital. We will identify specific areas where limited activities can take place."
He further added, "We are planning evening markets and holiday markets, specifically for Fridays and Saturdays. Additionally, evening markets may be allowed in certain designated spots after office hours." The Administrator clarified that these activities would not span the entire city but would be restricted to a few selected spots.
He noted that total rehabilitation within Dhaka alone is impossible. People migrate to Dhaka from across the country due to river erosion and other factors. Therefore, employment opportunities must be created in divisional and district towns like Chattogram, Khulna, and Rajshahi to reduce the pressure on the capital. He emphasised that evening markets would not be allowed on the footpaths themselves; instead, specific locations like Gulistan are being identified for these activities.
Expert Opinions: Urban expert Professor Adil Mohammed Khan told the media, "To achieve long-term success in clearing Dhaka's footpaths, planned rehabilitation and the listing of hawkers are essential. Eviction without a specific plan and alternative employment fails, as it eventually brings hawkers back to the streets."
He added, "It is crucial to create a database to identify who is sitting on the footpath and when; otherwise, the number of hawkers will continue to rise. While considering their livelihoods, authorities must arrange rehabilitation in specific areas or at specific times, such as night markets, alongside eviction drives."
Source:Kalerkantho
