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

Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Administrator Md. Shafiqul Islam Khan on Monday said that hawkers will no longer be allowed to sit on the footpaths of Mirpur-10 and Mirpur-1 areas in the capital.

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

The DNCC administrator made the remarks during a meeting with a 10-member delegation of the Bangladesh Hawkers Union at the DNCC conference room this noon. 

At that time, the delegation submitted a memorandum to the administrator demanding the rehabilitation of hawkers.

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.

Safiqul also said the government had plans to introduce holiday markets for hawkers, adding that the DNCC was trying to arrange such markets for those evicted from the footpaths. "If we can arrange alternative locations for 300 to 500 shops, customers will also visit those places, creating opportunities for better business," he added.

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.

At that time, both sides pledged to work while maintaining trust and confidence in each other and assured each other of cooperation.

Deputy Commissioner of Police of Gulshan Zone Md. Ruhul Kabir, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Gulshan and Banani police stations, and police members were present at the meeting.