BCC launches drive to evict illegal establishments

Barishal City Corporation ( BCC) has launched a drive to evict illegal establishments from different parts of the city.

The eviction campaign was carried out from morning to afternoon on Sunday in areas including Fazlul Haque Avenue and Bibir Pukur Par on Sadar Road under the city corporation.

During the drive, mobile teams of the city corporation demolished illegal shops and temporary structures set up on footpaths.

Small traders affected by the drive said they depend on selling goods on the sidewalks for their livelihood and are now worried about how they will support their families.

“This eviction drive has left us in distress as no rehabilitation measures have been arranged,” said Abdul Halim, along with several other traders.

Barishal City Corporation Administrative Officer Swapan Kumar Das said that footpaths on important roads had long been illegally occupied, causing severe inconvenience to pedestrians.

Swapan added that prior to the drive, the authorities had repeatedly made announcements in the areas requesting occupants to remove their structures.

While some complied, most did not, forcing the authorities to take strict action in the public interest, the BCC official added.