Move to clear footpath faces resistance

A clash broke out between hawkers and a Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) team during a drive to remove illegal makeshift shops from pavements and the underpass market at Gulistan yesterday.

The drive began around 1:00pm. Halfway through hawkers and their leaders obstructed it leading to the detention of one of them, said Executive Magistrate of the DSCC Khan Md Nazmus Soeb.

The portion of the underpass that should be kept free for pedestrians is occupied mostly by goods of the traders of the shops lined up on either side of the underpass.

The DSCC conducted the drive to ensure smooth movement of people through the underpass, Soeb said.

Along with a mobile court, magistrates of the city corporation went to conduct the drive, said Officer-in-Charge of Paltan Police Station Rafiqul Islam, adding that they didn't have police with them. 

As hawkers tried to stop the drive, the team detained a leader of them and took him to Nagar Bhaban.

Hawkers of the market then blocked the road in front of Nagar Bhaban but police cleared it within five minutes, the OC said.     

Hawkers went to Nagar Bhaban and a clash broke out with Ansar members who resorted to firing shots in the air and drove them out.

There were more than a thousand hawkers in front of Nagar Bhaban demonstrating against the move, an eye witness said. 

Later, the DSCC team went back and cleared walkways around the underpass area. The detainee gave an undertaking before he was freed. 

DSCC Mayor Sayeed Khokon who visited the spot after the demonstration told newsmen that there was a High Court order to clear footpaths for pedestrians and the city corporation would comply with it.

If anyone tries to obstruct any eviction drive, the authority will handle it strictly, he added.