Khulna:The Khulna City Corporation (KCC) has established an 11-member committee tasked with developing a rehabilitation plan for street vendors who were evicted from roads and footpaths in the city. This decision emerged from a review meeting held at the Shaheed Altaf Auditorium at Nagar Bhaban, focusing on preparations for the Prime Minister's upcoming visit to Khulna.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, KCC Administrator Nazrul Islam Manju chaired the meeting, which included heads of various KCC departments and ward-level officials. Manju addressed mixed reactions to the eviction of vendors, pointing out the broad support online but also acknowledging the empathy shown towards affected vendors. He emphasized the need to consider all opinions and referred to the Prime Minister's directives, urging officials to propose practical rehabilitation measures.
The newly formed committee, led by the KCC secretary, will explore relocating vendors to open spaces in the city's five police station areas or along less congested roads. The meeting also reviewed preparations for the Prime Minister's visit, which involve responsibilities assigned by the Ministry of Youth and Sports, road and footpath repairs, cleanliness, and beautification efforts.
Manju stressed the importance of maintaining spaces cleared of illegal structures and preventing water hyacinths from regrowing in ponds cleared during previous initiatives. He instructed officials to continue cleanliness campaigns for a month to reduce dengue transmission and called on KCC employees to fulfill their duties for the success of the Prime Minister's visit.
Additionally, the meeting decided to implement a school-based human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination program for adolescent girls starting November 1, aimed at preventing cervical cancer. Manju sought cooperation from residents and stakeholders to sustain ongoing beautification projects.