Probir Kumar Sarker/Dhaka TribuneResidents of the slum said nearly 10,000 people lost their homes to the eviction, PWD officials claimed only 1,000-1,200 people were evicted.
Locals said the number could be between 5,000 and 6,000 and the slum population had grown significantly in the past few years.
Witnesses said the PWD eviction team started demolishing the shanties and shops in the slum around 12:10pm using a bulldozer and with the help of a dozen of workers wearing red bandanna.
Asked, the PWD officials told the Dhaka Tribune that they had sent three eviction notices to the slum residents two months ago.
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“We sent them notices two months ago to vacate the PWD land, but the slum dwellers did not comply. The deadline of the letters ended on October 8,” said PWD Sub-Divisional Engineer Mehedi Hasan. A group of the evicted slum residents acknowledged having received the notices, but another group rejected the officials' claim, saying they had not received any such notices. “We only came to know about it last night [Wednesday night],” said one of the residents. However, three illegal offices of three Awami League affiliates – Jubo League, Swechchhasebak League and Sramik League – which are in the same area were not evicted. But the office of Awami Projonmo League was demolished. Asked in this regard, Ataur Rahman said: “No establishment will be allowed in the area. They [the eviction team] have already asked the party offices to shift from the area immediately.” The eviction was convicted to free the space to widen the road in front of the passport office, Mehedi said.
'Give more votes to Hasina'
As the PWD officials proceeded with demolishing the slum, its residents were sitting beside the road, crying over their houses.
Probir Kumar Sarker/Dhaka TribuneKhadijza, one of the affected residents, was heard telling her neighbour Kulsum: “Cast more votes for Hasina [Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina]. Cast your vote twice, thrice, may be more times in the next election. Then maybe you will get a flat in a posh area like Gulshan or Banani,” she mocked Kulsum who cast her vote for the Awami League in the ninth national election in 2008.
Jewel Uddin, 26, a rickshaw puller, said he had moved to Dhaka from Sherpur to earn a living.
“I have three mouths to feed. I have no land in my village. I do not know where I will go now,” he said.