Drive to evict Gulistan hawkers to continue: DSCC mayor
Hawkers gather to protest the eviction
Amid protest from hawkers, Dhaka South City Corporation Mayor Sayeed Khokon today said they are going to stick to their decision to keep hawkers of Gulistan off the streets during office hours.
The drive will continue to ensure free streets for the public, the DSCC mayor said after a meeting with an 11-member of Bangladesh Hawkers’ Federation at Nagar Bhaban today.
The team led by Abdul Hashem Chowdhury presented a memorandum to the mayor Khokon with a 10-point demand including a stop to eviction without rehabilitation of the hawkers.
In their demands, they asked for government recognition of hawkers, extortion to be stopped and to bring an end to persecution of hawkers.
Earlier, hundreds of hawkers gathered in front of Bangabazar in protest of the eviction.
“There is no question of giving the hawkers any chance in this regard. There are about 1.20 crore people residing in this city. Of them, 60 percent people walk to their destinations and there should be no obstruction in their way,” Khokon said in the meeting at Nagar Bhaban.
The eviction drive will not even consider any government offices occupying the streets, the mayor added.
The mayor, however, said measures will be taken to establish a holiday market for hawkers.
During the drive, the city corporation took down a Jubo League office amid protest of a few activists.