Eviction drive fails as hawkers return to streets
After ending nearly 17 years of uninterrupted rule by the Awami League, the BNP-led government launched a series of large-scale urban reform drives, prioritizing its key election pledge to build a more sustainable and livable city, including in the capital.
Despite repeated eviction drives by authorities aimed at clearing sidewalks and improving pedestrian movement, Dhaka’s footpaths and major roads have once again been reoccupied by hawkers, worsening public inconvenience.
Following political changes and renewed pledges to build a more livable urban environment, the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), along with the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) and Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC), carried out several coordinated eviction drives targeting illegal roadside shops and encroachments.
However, the impact of these operations has proven short-lived. Within days, vendors returned to their previous locations, setting up makeshift stalls along sidewalks and even spilling onto busy roads, forcing pedestrians to walk on traffic lanes.
Authorities, including city corporation magistrates, removed numerous temporary shops during the drives, but enforcement has not been sustained, allowing encroachment to resume quickly.
Key commercial areas such as Gulistan, New Market, Nilkhet, Science Lab, and Shahbagh have reportedly returned to their earlier condition, with footpaths again occupied by vendors selling clothing, books, footwear, food, and other goods. In many cases, these activities continue openly even in the presence of law enforcement.
Residents and commuters say the situation has brought back severe congestion, with pedestrian movement becoming difficult and traffic slowing to a crawl in several busy zones.
Earlier, the DMP traffic division and executive magistrates conducted large-scale coordinated operations across multiple divisions, which initially drew public attention and raised expectations of lasting order.
However, the repeated return of hawkers has raised questions about the long-term effectiveness of the drives.
After falling from the at least 17 years uninterrupted rule of Awami League regime, the new BNP-led government took the massive changes drive priotrising their most valuable manifesto, which pledges to offer a sustainable and a livable urban areas including the capital.
Considering the pledges, the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) and Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) made repeated eviction drives but footpaths and major roads across Dhaka quickly being reoccupied by hawkers, leaving pedestrians with little to no space to walk safely.
The law enforcers and relevant authorities conducted several eviction drives to encroch the footpaths. However their drive gone to dock as vendors return to their previous locations, setting up stalls along sidewalks and even on busy streets.
Dhaka North City Corporation magistrates removed numerous makeshift shops occupying footpaths.
Our correspondent said that Gulistan, one of the biggest market hub recruing again their oldest scene. There are no change overseen in comparison with the other scenario.
“The pedestriants encroched the footpaths, that made a severe crisis for the movement. Traffic movement in a snail pace.
Earlier, the traffic division of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), along with executive magistrates, conducted coordinated eviction drives across its eight divisions. The operations were carried out simultaneously and received significant public attention, with authorities aiming to restore order and ensure smooth pedestrian movement.
Visits to key areas such as New Market, Nilkhet, Gulistan, Science Lab, and Shahbagh show that hawkers have resumed their activities as before. Footpaths in these areas are once again occupied by vendors selling clothes, books, shoes, fruits, and various food items often in plain sight of law enforcement personnel.
