Cases and Seizures for Illegal Footpath Shops: DSCC Administrator Issues Stern Warning
The era of requests is over. From now on, setting up an illegal shop on a road or footpath will lead directly to a case being filed and goods being seized, Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) Administrator Bir Muktijoddha Md Abdus Salam has warned sternly. The announcement marks a clear shift from the city corporation's softer stance on footpath occupation so far.
He made the remarks on Saturday (October 24) as chief guest at a special mosquito-control and cleanliness drive held for the weekly 'Cleaning Day' organised by the Dhaka South City Corporation. The programme was observed simultaneously in all 75 wards of the DSCC.
In his speech, the DSCC Administrator said, 'Illegal hawkers and floating shops are largely responsible for traffic congestion on roads, littering everywhere and obstructing pedestrian movement. The people of Dhaka and the city corporation want relief from this suffering. So there is no scope for occupying roads and footpaths by pleading humanity. If a shop is set up outside the rules fixed by the DSCC, goods will be seized and legal action taken.'
Until now, the city corporation had repeatedly taken the path of requests and warnings in footpath evictions, but shops would return within days of an eviction. This time, drawing on that experience, the announcement has moved to direct legal steps such as cases and seizures — a tone of frustration and firmness was clear in the administrator's speech.
On freeing the roads and footpaths of the New Market area from occupation, he said a fresh eviction drive would be conducted there next week. He made it clear that under no circumstances would any hawker be allowed to sit on the road. New Market is one of the capital's busiest commercial areas, so enforcing the announcement there would affect thousands of buyers and sellers.
Highlighting the importance of dengue prevention and environmental protection, the administrator said, 'There is no alternative to cleanliness to control dengue. Water must not be allowed to remain standing anywhere for more than three days.' He said awareness rallies and campaigns would continue alongside cleanliness programmes to protect the capital's environment, control air pollution and ease traffic congestion.
During the drive, regarding the removal of the Secondary Transfer Station (STS) from in front of the CID office in Malibagh, the DSCC Administrator said the STS had been relocated at the CID authorities' request in the public interest and parking had been arranged there. Alongside this, construction of another new STS for waste management in the area is under way and will be completed within this month.
The cleanliness drive organised for 'Cleaning Day' began at the CID office and ended at Fakirapool via Shantinagar, Kakrail and Nayapaltan. Along the way, the DSCC Administrator inspected the removal of accumulated waste and illegal shops on the ground.
Alongside the city corporation's regular cleanliness and mosquito-control workers, local residents spontaneously joined the day-long programme, and miking and awareness rallies were held ward by ward. By observing the programme simultaneously in 75 wards, the authorities sought to turn cleanliness from a one-day formality into a regular habit.
Footpath occupation is a long-standing problem in Dhaka. When pedestrians are forced off footpaths onto the road, the risk of accidents rises, and as the effective width of roads shrinks, traffic congestion worsens. Both harms featured in the administrator's speech, as he directly blamed illegal hawkers and floating shops for congestion and pedestrian suffering.
It remains to be seen whether the announced eviction drive is carried out in New Market next week and how effective the warning of cases and seizures proves on the ground. As many past eviction drives were followed by footpaths being reoccupied, Dhaka residents will be watching whether this tougher stance proves durable this time.
