CCC files case against 1200 hawkers including 11 leaders

CHATTOGRAM, Feb 13: Chattogram City Corporation (CCC) has initiated legal action against 1,200 hawkers, including 11 leaders, for obstructing the drive to remove illegal establishments.
The case has been filed at Kotowali Thana in connection with a clash that occurred at the New Market intersection to Falmondi in the city.
Among the 1,200 unidentified accused, 11 have been identified, including Chittagong Metropolitan Hawkers Association General Secretary Masum (45), Metropolitan Hawkers Association President Miron Hossain Milan (52), Joint General Secretary Shah Alam Bhuiyan (47), Chittagong Footpath Hawkers Association President Nurul Alam Ledu (59), General Secretary Jasim Mia (50), Chittagong Metropolitan Hawkers Association member Shaheen Ahmad (46), member Noor Mohammad (45), former president of Chittagong Hawkers League Rishi Biswas (53), general secretary Harunur Rashid Roni (48), Chittagong Footpath Hawkers Association General Secretary Tarek Haider (38), and Sohail (35).
According to sources, approximately 20 individuals, including three policemen and four Chattogram City Corporation workers, sustained injuries during clashes between hawkers and the police on Monday afternoon.
The confrontation unfolded during CCC's eviction drive aimed at preventing the reoccupation of hawkers from the New Market junction to the Falmondi area in the port city of Chattogram.
Several CCC vehicles used in the operation were reportedly vandalised.
It's worth noting that CCC had previously cleared illegal occupants from the footpaths at New Market and Station Road on February 8.
Numerous floating shops and illegal establishments were removed during a mobile court operation on that day.
However, on Monday, hawkers once again occupied the footpaths. In response, CCC magistrates, accompanied by the police, conducted an eviction drive on Monday afternoon.
This resulted in agitated hawkers attacking the police, leading to clashes and injuries to approximately 20 individuals, including three policemen and four CCC workers.
To restore order, the police fired 10-12 rounds of blank bullets. Following this incident, CCC filed the case on Tuesday.

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