bdnews24.com :
The hawker-free footpaths at Gulistan and Motijheel were bringing sighs of relief but some worried about the old chaos returning.
Many of them, particularly the office goers, have welcomed the eviction by the Dhaka South City Corporation.
“It is now easier to commute. Before we took the streets because the footpaths belonged to hawkers,” said Maksudur Rahman, insurance company employee at Motijheel.
Md Mamun, a businessman from the Gulistan Hawker’s Market, also agreed. “We know that the hawkers are facing problems but people can now at least walk safely,” he said.
Streets in Gulistan, Baitul Mukarram, Paltan, and Motijheel were found void of hawkers during office hours on Thursday.
The footpaths as well as the roads along the Dhaka stadium and Rajuk Avenue used to be abuzz with hawkers in Motijheel. ‘Mishkat’, a sales executive at Electromart, said: “The hawkers used to occupy the streets even and hinder traffic.”
Now the place looked neat due to the thorough eviction drives of DSCC. Some are worried, however, that the hawkers would return to crowd the streets.
“Hawkers were evicted many times before but the situation would always go back to square one,” said Ekram Ullah Bhuiyan, who walks to his office in Motijheel.
“I hope this is not just for show,” he added. DSCC Mayor Mohammad Sayeed Khokon assured that authorities will make sure there are no obstructions on footpaths.
“People are happy to see the footpaths free of hawkers. Many have congratulated me.”
He claimed that the overall traffic situation has improved in Gulistan and areas nearby.
On Jan 11, the mayor briefed the media that hawkers would not be allowed to carry on their businesses on footpaths in Gulistan until 6pm on working days.
The hawker-free footpaths at Gulistan and Motijheel were bringing sighs of relief but some worried about the old chaos returning.
Many of them, particularly the office goers, have welcomed the eviction by the Dhaka South City Corporation.
“It is now easier to commute. Before we took the streets because the footpaths belonged to hawkers,” said Maksudur Rahman, insurance company employee at Motijheel.
Md Mamun, a businessman from the Gulistan Hawker’s Market, also agreed. “We know that the hawkers are facing problems but people can now at least walk safely,” he said.
Streets in Gulistan, Baitul Mukarram, Paltan, and Motijheel were found void of hawkers during office hours on Thursday.
The footpaths as well as the roads along the Dhaka stadium and Rajuk Avenue used to be abuzz with hawkers in Motijheel. ‘Mishkat’, a sales executive at Electromart, said: “The hawkers used to occupy the streets even and hinder traffic.”
Now the place looked neat due to the thorough eviction drives of DSCC. Some are worried, however, that the hawkers would return to crowd the streets.
“Hawkers were evicted many times before but the situation would always go back to square one,” said Ekram Ullah Bhuiyan, who walks to his office in Motijheel.
“I hope this is not just for show,” he added. DSCC Mayor Mohammad Sayeed Khokon assured that authorities will make sure there are no obstructions on footpaths.
“People are happy to see the footpaths free of hawkers. Many have congratulated me.”
He claimed that the overall traffic situation has improved in Gulistan and areas nearby.
On Jan 11, the mayor briefed the media that hawkers would not be allowed to carry on their businesses on footpaths in Gulistan until 6pm on working days.
