The road from Mirpur 10 to Kachukhet in the capital looked markedly different on Friday afternoon following the eviction of street hawkers, with vendors and crowds no longer occupying the footpaths near the Hope International School intersection, leaving the area noticeably quieter.
The change is particularly visible around the Mirpur 10 roundabout and the roads leading towards Kachukhet and Mirpur 1, where hawkers previously occupied footpaths and roadside spaces, contributing to traffic congestion and making movement difficult for pedestrians and vehicles.
Familiar streets, a different Mirpur 10
Mirpur 10 is one of the busiest areas of the capital. From Farmgate, the road ahead leads towards Mirpur 11, the right turn goes towards Kachukhet, and the left leads towards Mirpur 1.
The roundabout was previously crowded with hawkers, making it difficult for pedestrians to use the footpaths. A similar situation prevailed on the road towards Kachukhet, where roadside vendors occupied the area around Hope International School.
Despite the wide roads, vendors occupied much of the available space, narrowing the passage for vehicles and contributing to traffic congestion. Auto-rickshaws also moved through the narrow stretches, making movement difficult for pedestrians and motorists.
Traffic congestion was common regardless of which direction people traveled from Mirpur 10. That scene has now changed, with roadside shops absent from the roundabout and surrounding areas and the usual noise having subsided.
The roads are now noticeably quieter, with no traffic jams.
Hope School road emerges from under the hawkers
Hope International School, located on the road towards Kachukhet, was previously surrounded by roadside vendors. Although the road was wide, more than half of it was occupied by roadside businesses, reducing the space available for vehicles and contributing to traffic congestion.
The roadside shops and hawkers are now absent, making the full width of the road visible. The same change can be seen on the road branching off to the left near Hope International School, where roadside shops are no longer present on either side.
Local resident Abdul Hamid said: “Previously, it was impossible to walk on this road. Hawkers and auto-rickshaws occupied the space so heavily that vehicles could not move properly. After the hawkers were evicted, we were surprised to see how wide the road actually was. Now children can walk comfortably, and we can move around freely too.”
Another resident, Abul Kashem, said: “It is difficult to describe how the hawkers had occupied these areas. People were also fed up with the occupation of footpaths and extortion. Now these problems are no longer there. It feels good.”
He said he hoped the situation would continue so residents could live peacefully. If the areas were occupied again, he added, unrest would return. Residents wanted the roads and footpaths to remain clear permanently, he said.
From daily gridlock to a quieter commute
From the Mirpur 10 roundabout towards Mirpur 1, including the area beyond the stadium, no hawkers can be seen. With shops no longer occupying the footpaths, pedestrians and motorists can see the full width of the roads.
Local resident Selim Mia said: “It is surprising to think about how Mirpur 10 used to be and how it is now. Where people could not walk before, the entire road is now clear.”
He said similar initiatives were needed to make Dhaka livable, adding that people occupying roads to set up shops should be evicted and the roads kept open for public movement.
Abir Hossain said the city corporation had taken a very good initiative. Previously, movement was difficult from morning until midnight, but the situation had changed, he said. Schoolchildren can now walk to school comfortably, and the earlier traffic jams are no longer there. Overall, he said, the area now offers a much better environment.
September 30: When the eviction drive sparked clashes
On September 30, the Mirpur 10 roundabout area turned into a battleground amid vandalism, arson and repeated clashes between police and hawkers during a footpath eviction drive.
During the operation, a fire at a shop triggered repeated chases and counter-chases between police and hawkers, turning the area into a scene of confrontation. The situation came under control in the afternoon. The opposition leader and the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) administrator visited the scene.
Eyewitnesses said an electrical wire snapped during the eviction drive, causing a short circuit and a fire that destroyed 6–7 shops beneath Baitul Quddus Jame Mosque near the Mirpur 10 roundabout.
Angered by the incident, hawkers and traders began vandalizing property. At one point, hawkers set fire to 3 city corporation garbage trucks and vandalized an excavator.
Police fired tear gas to bring the situation under control, while protesters threw bricks and stones at police.
Journalists, police personnel, city corporation workers, traders and others were injured in the incident.
