Hawkers won’t be allowed anymore on Mirpur-10, Mirpur-1 footpaths: DNCC administrator

Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Administrator Safiqul Islam Khan today (2 November) said hawkers would no longer be allowed to set up stalls on the footpaths in Mirpur-10 and Mirpur-1, as the corporation is working to arrange alternative spaces for evicted vendors.

“We are working to arrange alternative spaces for them as soon as possible,” he said.

He made the remarks during a meeting with a 10-member delegation of the Bangladesh Hawkers’ Union at his office.

The delegation submitted a memorandum demanding the rehabilitation of vendors evicted from footpaths in Mirpur and other areas.

Acknowledging hawkers as part of the city, Safiqul said the DNCC was looking for alternative locations, particularly in Mirpur-10, Mirpur-1 and Uttara, where they could continue their businesses.

However, he said hawkers would only be allowed to operate from mobile vehicles at the alternative sites, with no makeshift platforms or stalls permitted.

The DNCC administrator also said the government planned to introduce holiday markets for hawkers, adding that the corporation was working to arrange such markets for those evicted from footpaths.

“If we can arrange alternative locations for 300 to 500 shops, customers will also visit those places, creating opportunities for better business,” he said.

He said the authorities had been compelled to remove illegal structures and hawkers from footpaths, blaming certain syndicates and some vendors for occupying not only footpaths but also parts of the roads.

As a result, pedestrians had been left with virtually no space to walk, while many people were unaware that footpaths were meant for public use, he added.

Safiqul said the public had welcomed the eviction drive after the footpaths were cleared.