DSCC eviction drives: Hawkers demand rehabilitation
The eviction team conducted drives in the areas adjacent to Dhaka Medical College, Shishu Academy, Press Club, Officers Club and Eskaton Garden on Thursday
The Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) is carrying out regular eviction drives in different areas under its jurisdiction.
The eviction team conducted drives in the areas adjacent to Dhaka Medical College, Shishu Academy, Press Club, Officers Club and Eskaton Garden on Thursday, and demolished a number of temporary shops built illegally on the footpaths and streets there.
"It is a part of our regular eviction drives", said Irfan Uddin Ahmed, DSCC executive magistrate. He also said that this will continue, and soon all the footpaths under the DSCC might be freed up.
This reporter also talked with around 15 hawkers in the Eskaton Garden and Dhaka Medical College areas. All of them want a proper rehabilitation programme because they are unable to bear the financial losses after the drives.
"I have lost all my belongings including my cart, kettles, stove and goods in the stall," said Amena Begum, a single mother who had a tea stall beside the Holy Family Red Crescent Hospital on Eskaton Garden Road.
She said, "We are not stealing. We feed ourselves through hard work, but such evictions are a punishment for us," she said adding that she wants to live freely and that the government should provide a suitable rehabilitation plan.
Her two college-going sons were beside her during the eviction.
Jobbar Bepary, a fruit vender in the same area said that they are very poor, and the roadside business provides them with a livelihood.
"If such moves go on, we want rehabilitation", said Jobbar.
Some passersby also spoke in favour of the hawkers.
"These hawkers are essential. We get our daily necessaries near at hand through them," said a private university teacher named Mohosin.
When asked about the evictions and their impact on street vendors, Md Rasel Sabrin, chief estate officer of DSCC, said that they plan to rehabilitate all the hawkers.
"Though we have an older list of hawkers, we need to make a fresh one that will contain all the updates. The listing process is underway."