DCC yet to devise plan for dealing with hawkers\\\' issues

The bifurcated Dhaka City Corporations (DCC) are yet to take any decision to deal with longstanding issues of hawkers who are being used both by the administration and local musclemen, but their rights have not been established.
Neither the two city corporations have any idea about how many hawkers are there in the city nor do they have any plans how to rehabilitate these hawkers who often occupy roads, footpaths and open space with active support of local goons and police, hampering the movement of pedestrians.
City corporations' eviction drives have hardly any effective result as roadside shops and makeshift markets are being set up with help from local political leaders or goons and the drives cannot be successful due to pressure from vested quarters.   
Even though there is no official data on makeshift shops and hawkers in the country, according to a research done by Maruf Hossain, National Advocacy Officer of Work for a Better Bangladesh (WBB) Trust, there are about 2.4 million hawkers in the country of whom 0.23 million are doing business in Dhaka city.
Of the total hawkers in the city, 65,000 are doing business permanently while 75,000 temporarily and the rest are floating hawkers.
The research also shows that city hawkers pay bribes of nearly Tk 3.0 billion to various parties like police and local musclemen per year. On an average, one hawker has to pay Tk 11,570 as bribe a year.   
"More than 38 per cent of city hawkers pay Tk 30-Tk 40 as bribe per day while 26 per cent Tk 20-Tk 30, 14 per cent Tk 40-Tk 50 and 7.0 per cent pay Tk 10." Only 8.0 per cent said they don't pay any bribe.    
Besides, they have to pay high charge for electricity ranging from Tk 20-Tk 25 per bulb daily. When asked about any steps regarding makeshift shops and hawkers, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) Ansar Ali Khan told the FE that there is no plan to provide city hawkers with trade licences.
But the ministry concerned has issued a gazette notification where there is a provision of taking Tk 500 as fee from temporary traders, he said, adding that the issue of providing them with trade licences is still under consideration.
Echoing Mr Ansar, CEO of Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) BM Enamul Haque said as there is a gazette notification it should be implemented in both the city corporations. "I have no idea about the number of hawkers and makeshift shops," he added.
"About 88 per cent of hawkers think trade licence can reduce harassment and tyranny while the same proportion think the bribery should be stopped, 46 per cent think recognition of their profession, 69 per cent expect infrastructure for keeping their goods, 63 per cent for providing them with lighting, 58 per cent want sheds and 3.0 per cent want dustbins," the research showed.   
In Dhaka city, hawkers' investment ranges between Tk 300 and Tk 50,000 and a daily investment of Tk 200 to Tk 12,000. Hawkers' incomes range from Tk 300 to Tk 2,000 per day.
Local government division under the ministry of local government and rural development on March 02 this year issued a gazette notification on tax schedule.
It was mentioned that anyone doing temporary business in city corporation areas paying income tax will have to pay Tk 1,000 as annual fee and anyone doing temporary business but not paying income tax will have to pay Tk 500 to the city corporations.