The government will prepare lists of footpaths to be made free in phases for enabling people to walk comfortably during short distance trips.
Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan requested the mayors of the two city corporations of Dhaka to guide them to identify the footpaths to be evicted in phases.
"To turn footpaths safe for walking, please prepare lists identifying which ones to be freed in phases. We will look into the matter that no one can occupy those after eviction drives," the minister said while inaugurating the World Car Free day as the chief guest on Sunday at a ceremony at the capital's Manik Mia Avenue.
The World Car Free Day was observed in Dhaka on Sunday with 4,000 cities in the world this year with the theme 'Safe walking and cycling'.
Presided over by Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority (DTCA) Executive Director Khandakar Rakibur Rahman, the function was also attended by Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) Mayor Mohammad Sayeed Khokon as the special guest.
Additional Secretary of Road Transport and Highways Division Rawshan Ara and Additional Executive Director of DTCA Zakir Hossain Majumder also attended, among others.
DTCA has been observing the day since 2016 with the participation of different private and government agencies. This year 59 organisations -- including school children -- joined the celebration.
The home minister called upon the people doing businesses on footpaths to go back to villages. The government is developing all parts of the country, he said.
"In villages, there is lack of work-forces. People do not need to come to Dhaka for livelihood," he commented.
Mr Khan, also the chairman of the recently-formed task force on road safety, hoped that dependency on using private cars in the capital would be reduced significantly after development of mass transit system.
The home minister called upon bus owners and drivers to make existing vehicles fit and attractive for the commuters.
Mayor Khokon made a call to Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) to be strict in giving registration for private cars-- a major cause for the capital's traffic congestion.
The mayor hoped that the use of private cars would be reduced after development of mass transit system in the capital. He said the committee is also working to introduce bus route franchises in the capital cutting over 350 routes into 22 routes to be operated by six bus companies.
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