Hawkers warn of movement if govt evicts them
Saturday, 30 October 2010
Jubair Hasan
Tens of thousands of hawkers all together will launch a massive movement in the capital after Eid-ul-Azha if the government evicts them from the footpaths without ensuring their financial security, hawker leaders warned.
The leaders, who represent around 0.2 million roadside vendors in the city, urged the government to rehabilitate them before the eviction drive as the poor community might get involved in various types of crimes for their survival.
"We're preparing to launch a tougher movement in the city to resist the government's inhuman move as it will pauperise us," Nurul Hossain Murawl, president of Bangladesh Hawkers' Federation told the FE.
The leader who has been leading the federation for more then two decades said the hawkers have been doing business beside the roads and living with their families through the small incomes.
"The government cannot take away the right of their survival with honesty," he said, urging the government not to take such actions. "It will be one of worst decisions of the ruling party. I hope the Prime Minister will realise our problem and take measures to stop it," he said.
The communication minister early this month (October) said the government would evict hawkers from footpaths in the busy and crowded areas in the capital as the ministry observed illegal occupation of the footpaths which forced the pedestrians to use streets, causing the traffic congestion.
Later, the authorities decided to postpone the move following an emergency meeting with the hawkers' leaders at the secretariat till Eid-ul-Azha considering their booming business over the festival.
Seeking anonymity, a leader of Bangladesh Chhinnamul Hawkers' Samity said their leaders are very concerned over the issue and sat several times with other leaders to tackle the situation. "Evicting us without any alternative for survival will be suicidal."
A study titled 'Pedestrian and sidewalk management in Dhaka', prepared for the World Bank (Bangladesh), recommended the implementation of long-term urban policy and management measures as well as short-term hawker and pedestrian management measures.
The study urges that hawkers can still operate while pedestrians use broad footpaths. Good examples of such pavements are the Curzon Hall or the old Airport road in Tejgaon area. It also recommends the re-routing of vehicles in a particular area to facilitate hawkers' business on particular days and at specific times.
Rajob Ali, a 50-year old man who sells T-shirts, shirts, socks, belts and Jeans at Gulistan, feared that the city's law and order situation will seriously deteriorate after completion of the drive as the community will involve crimes like stealing, mugging and robbery to meet their daily demands.
"I request the government to stop it for our interest," he said.
He also alleged that most of the hawkers failed to get space for their products at the markets built by Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) due to huge charges as well as interest of the big businessmen.
DCC has constructed some markets for the community. These are Adarsha, Mohanogori, Gulistan, Banga Bazar, Ladies Park and Sadarghat hawkers' markets.
Another statistics showed that 46 per cent of the hawkers of Dhaka city are permanent while the rest are seasonal. The seasonal hawkers move in from the villages and suburbs during Ramadan, Eid, Puja and other festival times. Nine per cent of the total number of hawkers are women. Some middle class and lower income groups of people are the customers of these hawkers.
Tens of thousands of hawkers all together will launch a massive movement in the capital after Eid-ul-Azha if the government evicts them from the footpaths without ensuring their financial security, hawker leaders warned.
The leaders, who represent around 0.2 million roadside vendors in the city, urged the government to rehabilitate them before the eviction drive as the poor community might get involved in various types of crimes for their survival.
"We're preparing to launch a tougher movement in the city to resist the government's inhuman move as it will pauperise us," Nurul Hossain Murawl, president of Bangladesh Hawkers' Federation told the FE.
The leader who has been leading the federation for more then two decades said the hawkers have been doing business beside the roads and living with their families through the small incomes.
"The government cannot take away the right of their survival with honesty," he said, urging the government not to take such actions. "It will be one of worst decisions of the ruling party. I hope the Prime Minister will realise our problem and take measures to stop it," he said.
The communication minister early this month (October) said the government would evict hawkers from footpaths in the busy and crowded areas in the capital as the ministry observed illegal occupation of the footpaths which forced the pedestrians to use streets, causing the traffic congestion.
Later, the authorities decided to postpone the move following an emergency meeting with the hawkers' leaders at the secretariat till Eid-ul-Azha considering their booming business over the festival.
Seeking anonymity, a leader of Bangladesh Chhinnamul Hawkers' Samity said their leaders are very concerned over the issue and sat several times with other leaders to tackle the situation. "Evicting us without any alternative for survival will be suicidal."
A study titled 'Pedestrian and sidewalk management in Dhaka', prepared for the World Bank (Bangladesh), recommended the implementation of long-term urban policy and management measures as well as short-term hawker and pedestrian management measures.
The study urges that hawkers can still operate while pedestrians use broad footpaths. Good examples of such pavements are the Curzon Hall or the old Airport road in Tejgaon area. It also recommends the re-routing of vehicles in a particular area to facilitate hawkers' business on particular days and at specific times.
Rajob Ali, a 50-year old man who sells T-shirts, shirts, socks, belts and Jeans at Gulistan, feared that the city's law and order situation will seriously deteriorate after completion of the drive as the community will involve crimes like stealing, mugging and robbery to meet their daily demands.
"I request the government to stop it for our interest," he said.
He also alleged that most of the hawkers failed to get space for their products at the markets built by Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) due to huge charges as well as interest of the big businessmen.
DCC has constructed some markets for the community. These are Adarsha, Mohanogori, Gulistan, Banga Bazar, Ladies Park and Sadarghat hawkers' markets.
Another statistics showed that 46 per cent of the hawkers of Dhaka city are permanent while the rest are seasonal. The seasonal hawkers move in from the villages and suburbs during Ramadan, Eid, Puja and other festival times. Nine per cent of the total number of hawkers are women. Some middle class and lower income groups of people are the customers of these hawkers.