City clean-up with livelihood plan
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has directed two city corporations, RAJUK and local governments to quickly rehabilitate street hawkers who are evicted from different parts of Dhaka.
“Relocated vendors to get suitable spaces where they can continue their livelihoods comfortably and with dignity,|” he said during a meeting with senior officials of government agencies at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) in Tejgaon on Tuesday afternoon, according to a release.
The prime minister asked ministries and agencies concerned to work in coordination to establish designated vending zones for displaced hawkers so that they can operate their businesses in an organised way.
The meeting was attended by senior officials from the Local Government Division, Dhaka North and South City Corporations, Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) and Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP).
The decision came after several hundred makeshift shops were removed from important parts of the capital, including Mirpur-1 under Dhaka North City Corporation and Motijheel, Baitul Mukarram, Paltan and Gulistan areas under Dhaka South City Corporation.
The meeting decided that the government would arrange alternative locations for the affected hawkers.
Officials also discussed introducing a registration system to provide identity cards to hawkers, aiming to bring their activities under better regulation and management.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman also highlighted the need to reduce traffic congestion around educational institutions, particularly during school opening and closing hours.
He pointed out that unplanned parking in front of schools often creates severe traffic problems and suggested that parts of school premises could be used for parking to ease congestion.
The Prime Minister directed the authorities to take coordinated measures to address urban management challenges while ensuring that affected informal workers receive proper support.
Dhaka authorities have recently carried out eviction drives against makeshift shops in several busy commercial and residential areas as part of efforts to improve traffic movement and urban order.
The latest meeting focused on balancing city management needs with the livelihoods of street vendors by creating planned vending arrangements.
Local Government Division Secretary Shahidul Hasan, Rajuk Chairman Engineer Riazul Islam, Dhaka South City Corporation Administrator Abdus Salam, Dhaka North City Corporation Administrator Shafiqur Rahman Khan, DMP Acting Commissioner Md Sarwar and DIG (Traffic) Anisur Rahman were present at the meeting.
