The encroachment does not stop, shops on the sidewalk even after the eviction

Although an operation was carried out to clear the streets and sidewalks of Dhaka, the hawkers are sitting again in a short time. Police say it is not possible to maintain encroachment-free status alone, a concerted effort and alternative rehabilitation is needed.

Bangladesh

desk

2026-04-06

Soon after the eviction of illegal shops on the capital's roads and footpaths, some are sitting again. They are running a short-term business even though they are not opening full-scale shops as before to 'avoid trouble'.

Others are waiting for the shop to open, thinking that a 'way will be found' when the police 'array' is over. This eviction campaign of Dhaka is limited to the usual 'rat race'.

The police say that even if the sidewalks and roads are freed from encroachment, it is not possible for them to maintain that condition alone. For this they seek the help of other government agencies and common citizens.

However, they have also said that they are carrying out a 'follow-up campaign' along with the ongoing 'maximum effort' to keep the encroachment free.

After 15 days of forming the government in February, on March 2, Prime Minister Tariq Rahman spoke to experts to improve the traffic system in Dhaka.

Then on March 24, the Prime Minister gave a series of instructions in a special meeting titled 'Relieving traffic congestion and modernizing traffic management in Dhaka city' at the Secretariat. On that day, the meeting also decided to clear the road encroachment.

On the previous day, the police issued a public notice and ordered to clear the sidewalks and roads of Dhaka from illegal encroachment by March. Otherwise, jail fines will be imposed by mobile courts from April 1.

According to that, the police conducted phased raids in all the departments of Dhaka from Wednesday, April 1st to Sunday. The drive led by the mobile court is aimed at eviction of illegal encroachments on footpaths and roads.

Apart from Friday, 60 people were jailed for various terms with a total fine of Tk 11 lakh 56 thousand 500 in this four-day operation.

During this special operation, the police conducted an operation on Saturday to clear the encroachment of roads and footpaths from the town hall area of ​​Mohammadpur to Basila in Dhaka.

But the next day, Sunday, when I went to the Mohammadpur bus stand area, I saw a row of vans on one side of Basilamukhi road. Various fruits and vegetables were arranged in them and sold as usual.

One of them, Rabiul, a banana seller, said, 'The police came for eviction around 11 o'clock on Saturday. Then, seeing the police's commotion, they left with the van themselves. After sitting again in the morning, he left when the police stopped him. Later he came again with a van and was selling bananas.'

He said, “We are poor people, what is Khamu if we don't buy and sell? And if we don't live, we will go to buy bananas. If nothing else happens, I didn't come for two days. Now if the bananas rot, the capital will also run out.”

He pointed out that he has no choice but to run the business like this as long as he gets the chance.

In front of Allah Karim Masjid Market at bus stand junction, several chowks can be seen covered with polythene. A man named Kauchar is sitting next to a chowk, said the shop is his.

It did not open on Sunday as the police came and removed them on Saturday. However, they are trying to sell various fruits such as apples, oranges, malta, grapes in a row in the inner part of the market.

Kaushar said, “Even after we put up a shop, the sidewalk is empty, and still the police are making trouble with us. We have that problem on one side and there is no problem in the road that is closed by putting a shop in the road.”

He then pointed to the shops lined up on one side of the main road.

When asked how long it will last like this, this footpath trader said, “I hope it will be fixed in a day or two. I am talking to the market committee. Let's see the rest.”

He also said that the market committee has to pay 200 taka per day to run the shop here.

Police raided the Shyamoli Ring Road area on Thursday to evacuate illegally set up shops, shop extensions and various goods.

Two days after that, on Sunday, numerous shops were not seen on one side of the road from Shia Mosque to Japan Garden City. However, a little far away, some shop tables and wooden items were seen piled up. Again, some shops were seen wrapped in polythene.

On this day, some of the shopkeepers in the tea shops made tea in small kettles and arranged cigarette packets on the pavement.

Nilufa, one of them, said, “If you don't run a shop for a day, you stop eating. I haven't been able to shop for three days. I'm coming like this, I'll see if a little is sold.”

This is not the first time for this woman to open and close this shop. His commentary, often dismissed as such, is later corrected.

He is confident that the situation will 'fix' this time again and he will be able to run the shop there in the same way.

Deputy Commissioner of Tejgaon Traffic Division of DMP led the operation in these areas. Rafiqul Islam also admitted that after the campaign, various shopkeepers came and sat on the pavement.

He admits that some people are coming and sitting after the place is vacated. Such a picture has been seen in previous expeditions as well.

Commenting that it is not possible for the police alone to keep the sidewalks and roads free from illegal occupation, this police officer said, “All levels of participation and cooperation will be needed. The city corporation and other organizations should also come forward to ensure that no one can sit in the place that is being vacated. The residents should also be aware. They should not build shelters there again.”

However, highlighting the 'follow-up operation' on behalf of the police, he said, “We are now handling the matter softly. We are trying sincerely. Later there will be a follow-up operation, then those who do not follow the instructions will be strictly enforced.”

Similarly, the same picture was seen in Farmgate, Mohakhali area where the eviction operation was carried out on Sunday.

In front of Mohakhali ICDDRB hospital, a person named Rubel is sitting in front of the plastic items, towels and various items.

His father has also been running a shop in this place, now he is doing it – he claims, “The police came yesterday and took it away. I went to Chaila with the goods, what should I do? I have come again. If you don't do business, what is Khamu?”

In the area in front of Mohakhali raw market, stalls of various shops on the footpath were also seen piled up. A few shopkeepers were seen selling tea in flux after the evacuation of shops in Amtali area.

On Saturday, raids were conducted in Mohakhali Kachha Bazar, Amtali, Chairman Bari and Gulshan 2 areas. It is said by Gulshan Traffic Department that action was taken against the illegal extension of the shops of wealthy shopkeepers, to keep the footpaths free of encroachment and to ensure safe and smooth movement of pedestrians.

After hearing about the raid, many tea shopkeepers moved their shops on Saturday, and on Sunday they again sat with their shops in the same place.

A tea shopkeeper named Rubel said, “Before I heard about the raid, I was keeping my shop open.”

According to him, since they could not be moved in this campaign, there will be no more 'problem' to shop now.

However, Deputy Commissioner of Gulshan Traffic Division Mizanur Rahman said that they have carried out a strict operation to evacuate the parts occupied by the sidewalks by the permanent shops.

And those who are hawkers or temporary shopkeepers, they should find a permanent solution to their problems, he thinks.

He said, “We have mainly noticed the large sections of the big man's shops, such as his hotel, where the cauldrons have been left outside. The law has been enforced where necessary through mobile courts.”

This police official also accepted the 'attempt' to occupy again after the eviction and said, “We are monitoring, there is a follow-up plan. If this is done again later, necessary measures will be taken including dumping.”

However, pointing out that there are more 'broader' police plans to keep the roads and sidewalks free from encroachment, he said, “Many plans are being made about the real hawkers. I hope the decisions will go in that direction. There should be a definition of who the hawkers really are.”

He also spoke of trying to 're-locate' those who have nowhere to go, for livelihood.

Most of the citizens have expressed relief over this police eviction operation. But they are finding it a challenge as always to hold on to it.

Zahirul Islam, a resident of Mohammadpur, said, “There is a lack of food courts in front of Japan Garden City and Tokyo Square. It is a very good initiative, but let it continue.”

A resident named Biswajit Bhowmik said, “Police can do anything they want. But political and police will is needed to keep these eviction operations going.”

On the other hand, there is an opinion from the officials of the government in favor of not carrying out the eviction campaign without providing alternative employment.

In a press conference at Nagar Bhaban on Thursday, Administrator of Dhaka South City Corporation Abdus Salam said that he is not in favor of hastily evicting the sidewalk hawkers and stopping auto-rickshaws.

He said, “hawkers and auto-rickshaws cannot be suddenly evicted from the pavements. Alternative arrangements must be made for them.”

According to the administrator of Dhaka South City, “What the Prime Minister wants, it will not happen if they are suddenly evicted. They have to make an alternative arrangement. For that, we are thinking of holding an 8 night market in Dhaka city.”

Source: BD News

Bangladesh /NM