Hawker collapses during city clean-up drive

FE Report

A hawker died on his quick escape to avert a 'cleanup drive' launched by Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) on Saturday, witnesses said.

The tragic end of the roadside Sherbet (a special liquid mixed with sugar that makes people cool off in the hot weather) vendor took place at about 2:00pm on the premises of Bangabandhu National Stadium.

The hawker was identified as Md. Shah Jamal (65), from central Mymensingh district.

Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) Police camp in-charge sub-inspector Bacchu Miah said the on-duty doctor pronounced the victim dead soon after his arrival at the hospital. He, however, did not provide any further details. "I heard that the victim suddenly fell sick and fainted during a cleanup drive. But I did not know the exact reason," he said.

Witnesses said vendors in the stadium area had started running away with their temporary setup on information that a team of DSCC rushed to the spot to clean up the commercial area.

"The victim was also on his way to escape but he suddenly collapsed on the ground. Locals rushed him to DMCH where he was declared dead," a witness said.

Following the death news, Bangladesh Hawker Sangram Parishad, a platform of vendors, strongly condemned the incident terming it a murder.

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