Hawkers' eviction from footpaths postponed
Tuesday, 26 October 2010
FE Report
The special drive to evict vendors from footpaths along city streets has been postponed till Eid-ul-Azha.
Communications minister Syed Abul Hossain disclosed this after a special meeting on the gridlock in Dhaka city at his ministry today (Monday).
He said the decision was taken upon request from representatives of hawkers as there is a need to have an integrated plan on the rehabilitation of hawkers before the drive.
The special drive to evict vendors from foothpaths as well as free the streets from illegal parking and occupation was initially planned in Shahbagh and Farmgate areas.
The national advisory council headed by the communications minister recommended for launching the drive in its last meeting on September 21.
The communications minister said the hawkers' representatives are very much cooperative in implementing the eviction drive but requested the government not to take any steps without consultation with them.
Shipping minister, state minister for home, members of parliament, district administration, representatives of government agencies and associations of transport owners, workers and hawkers attended the Monday's meeting.
The minister said as the eviction drive on the foothpath is not a task of the communications ministry, the meeting agreed to inform the home ministry to take actions in cooperation with the local government division.
The meeting, however, decided to go ahead with other recommendations of the council. These include use of helmets by both drivers and passengers of motorbikes and seatbelt by drivers, punishment for drivers for using mobile phone while driving and also for not having front and back lights and mirror in proper place of vehicles and driving vehicles without licence.
Almost 80 per cent of the city's pavements and streets are occupied by vendors, roadside shoppers and parked vehicles, blocking the major portion of the road, supposed to be used by pedestrians and vehicles.
The communications ministry has also taken steps to accelerate the process of fetching 600 air-conditioned and non-airconditioned buses from Korea to increase the number of public transports on the city routes. Tender for the vehicles has already been invited and it is likely to be awarded by November.
Meanwhile, operations department director of South Korean Economic Development Co-operation Fund (EDCF) Tae Soo Kim met the communications minister at his office Thursday last and assured him of releasing the fund to purchase the buses by December.
The special drive to evict vendors from footpaths along city streets has been postponed till Eid-ul-Azha.
Communications minister Syed Abul Hossain disclosed this after a special meeting on the gridlock in Dhaka city at his ministry today (Monday).
He said the decision was taken upon request from representatives of hawkers as there is a need to have an integrated plan on the rehabilitation of hawkers before the drive.
The special drive to evict vendors from foothpaths as well as free the streets from illegal parking and occupation was initially planned in Shahbagh and Farmgate areas.
The national advisory council headed by the communications minister recommended for launching the drive in its last meeting on September 21.
The communications minister said the hawkers' representatives are very much cooperative in implementing the eviction drive but requested the government not to take any steps without consultation with them.
Shipping minister, state minister for home, members of parliament, district administration, representatives of government agencies and associations of transport owners, workers and hawkers attended the Monday's meeting.
The minister said as the eviction drive on the foothpath is not a task of the communications ministry, the meeting agreed to inform the home ministry to take actions in cooperation with the local government division.
The meeting, however, decided to go ahead with other recommendations of the council. These include use of helmets by both drivers and passengers of motorbikes and seatbelt by drivers, punishment for drivers for using mobile phone while driving and also for not having front and back lights and mirror in proper place of vehicles and driving vehicles without licence.
Almost 80 per cent of the city's pavements and streets are occupied by vendors, roadside shoppers and parked vehicles, blocking the major portion of the road, supposed to be used by pedestrians and vehicles.
The communications ministry has also taken steps to accelerate the process of fetching 600 air-conditioned and non-airconditioned buses from Korea to increase the number of public transports on the city routes. Tender for the vehicles has already been invited and it is likely to be awarded by November.
Meanwhile, operations department director of South Korean Economic Development Co-operation Fund (EDCF) Tae Soo Kim met the communications minister at his office Thursday last and assured him of releasing the fund to purchase the buses by December.