Dhaka:Hawkers will no longer be permitted to set up stalls on the footpaths in Mirpur-10 and Mirpur-1, as announced by Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Administrator Safiqul Islam Khan. The DNCC is currently working on providing alternative spaces for the evicted vendors.
According to United News of Bangladesh, Safiqul Islam Khan made these statements during a meeting with a 10-member delegation from the Bangladesh Hawkers' Union at his office. The hawkers' representatives submitted a memorandum demanding the rehabilitation of vendors removed from footpaths in Mirpur and other areas.
The administrator emphasized that hawkers are part of the city and stated that the DNCC is seeking alternative locations for them, particularly in Mirpur-10, Mirpur-1, and Uttara. While hawkers will be allowed to conduct business using mobile vehicles at these alternative sites, makeshift platforms or stalls will not be permitted.
Safiqul also mentioned that the government has plans to introduce holiday markets for hawkers, and the DNCC is working towards arranging such markets for those evicted from the footpaths. He suggested that establishing alternative locations for 300 to 500 shops could attract customers and create better business opportunities.
He explained that the authorities were forced to remove illegal structures and hawkers from the footpaths due to certain syndicates and some vendors occupying not only the footpaths but also parts of the roads. This left pedestrians with almost no space to walk, as many were unaware that footpaths were meant for public use. The administrator noted that the public welcomed the eviction drive after the footpaths were cleared.