Staff Reporter :
Hawkers and police on Monday locked into clashes over the eviction drive by the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) in Gulistan area leaving at least 50 people injured.
A group of hawkers in the morning went to Nagar Bhaban to submit a memorandum to DSCC Mayor Sayeed Khokon to press home their 10-point demand.
When they came to the Gulistan Intersection they found that the DSCC authorities were conducting eviction drives to remove the illegal structures from beside both sides of the street. The drive made them angry and they took to the street protesting the demolishing of their temporary footpath shops. They later marched to the Purana Paltan Intersection bringing out a procession. As police tried to disperse them the hawkers locked into clashes with them.
Police went rough and charged batons when hawkers started pelting brick-bits on members of law enforcing agencies leading at least 50 injured.
The police also demolished the illegal structures at Gulistan Market, Gulistan Trade Centre, Dhaka Trade Centre, Bangabandhu Underground Market and at the Bangabandhu Avenue footpath.
Seven platoons of police were deployed to maintain security during the operation. Fifteen vehicles, including City Corporation bulldozers and pay-loaders were involved.
The Jubo League activists also attempted to stop the demolition of the Ward-20 Jubo League Gulistan unit office, which was built on the footpath in front of the Gulistan Plaza Market.
They were shouting slogans opposing Mayor Sayeed Khokon and the Dhaka South City Corporation. Bulldozers eventually demolished the fence on one side of the office.
DSCC Executive Magistrate Khan Mohammad Nazmus Shoyeb said, “Our work is authorized. We have permission to demolish this structure.” The operation also demolished a BRTC Volvo Bus counter on the Bangabandhu Avenue footpath. Meanwhile, the National Hawkers’ Union surrounded the DSCC office around 10:00am on Monday to protest the eviction of hawkers without resettlement.
A delegation from the union went to present a formal request to Dhaka South City Corporation Mayor Sayeed Khokon around 12:45pm. Their outlined 10-point demand includes stopping evictions without resettlement, the national recognition of hawkers, a stop to extortion, an end to the persecution of hawkers, an official list of authorised and the provision of corresponding identification papers.
After the meeting with the mayor, Hawkers’ Union Councillor Sekendar Hayat said: “We have presented our opinions, but he appears determined to stick to his rigid stance.”
“We have said that if hawkers are to be evicted, they must be given space to work elsewhere. We requested the City Corporation to provide an authorised place for us. We have said that hawkers will take responsibility for ensuring the streets stay clean and that the footpath is un-congested. But he did not listen, so we will continue our protests.”
Meanwhile, after the meeting with the leaders of Bangladesh Hawkers’ Federation Mayor Sayeed Khokon on Monday said, they are going to stick to their decision to keep hawkers of Gulistan area off the streets during office hours.
“The drive will continue to ensure free streets for the public,” he said. In their demands, they asked for government recognition of hawkers, extortion to be stopped and to bring an end to persecution of hawkers.
“There is no question of giving the hawkers any chance in this regard. There are about 1.20 crore people residing in this city. Of them, 60 percent people walk to their destinations and there should be no obstruction in their way,” Khokon said.
The eviction drive will not even consider any government offices occupying the streets, the mayor added.
The mayor, however, said measures would be taken to establish a holiday market for hawkers.
Earlier on January 11, Dhaka South Mayor Sayeed Khokon announced the restriction on the hawkers of Dhaka South City Corporation prohibiting them to sit on city-roads and footpaths for business purpose during office-hours.
The DSCC authorities started executing the decision since Sunday in Gulistan and its adjacent areas.
Earlier on October 27, Dhaka South City Corporation evicted over 100 hawkers and demolished illegal structures on different roads in Gulistan area triggering serious protests from the evicted hawkers who also clashed with city corporation employees, police, and ruling Awami League-backed Bangladesh Chhatra League activists.
