Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) Administrator Md Abdus Salam has warned that goods of hawkers occupying roads and footpaths outside designated areas will be confiscated and legal action taken against them.
He said no hawker would be allowed to operate anywhere in Dhaka except at locations designated and approved by the city corporation.
The DSCC administrator made the remarks while speaking to journalists on Thursday after inspecting cleanliness, illegal encroachments and public sufferings in the Dhalpur area of the capital.
“We have designated certain footpaths and places for hawkers. Outside these areas, strict action will be taken if hawkers illegally occupy any footpath, including the main road from Zero Point to Sadarghat,” he said.
Salam said all hawkers in the city would have to come under a regulated system and register with the city corporation.
“No hawker will be allowed to operate anywhere in Dhaka without registration,” he said.
Regarding hawkers returning to footpaths after eviction drives, the administrator said authorities would now confiscate their goods and file cases against them alongside eviction.
On whether hawkers would be served notices before eviction and whether they would be rehabilitated, Salam said the government had already held several meetings with hawker leaders before taking the decision.
“So, there is no question of issuing new notices,” he said.
Regarding rehabilitation, the DSCC administrator urged journalists to consider whether residents who pay taxes to the city corporation want hawkers to be rehabilitated on roads and footpaths.
During the inspection, Salam also expressed dissatisfaction over public suffering caused by prolonged Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (Wasa) works at the entrance to DSCC Regional Office-5.
He said thousands of people visiting the office every day were suffering because of the ongoing Wasa work.
He said WASA and other service agencies had been instructed to complete road excavation and related works in a coordinated manner within the stipulated timeframe.
For a permanent solution to such problems, Salam said regular meetings were being held every 15 days under the leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to improve coordination among service agencies.
He said the DSCC was working in coordination with Wasa, the city corporation, T&T, the power sector and other relevant agencies to resolve the longstanding problems.