The government has decided not to evict the hawkers from city’s footpaths till the celebration of Eid-ul Azha (the holy festival of Muslims) at the request of the hawkers’ associations’ leaders.
National Road Safety Advisory Council (RSAC) in a meeting on September 21, 2010 decided for eviction of the hawkers from city streets and footpaths from November 1 to ease traffic jam and road accidents in the city.
After Eid-ul Azha, the home ministry and Dhaka City Corporation will take decision in this regard through discussion with hawker leaders, the meeting also decided.
The meeting, however, decided to be strict in implementing other decisions taken by the RSAC, which include mandatory provision for motor drivers and front seat passengers to fasten seat belt, helmet for motorbike riders and prohibiting talking on mobile phone at the time of driving.
The passers-by who don’t use overpass or underpass while crossing roads would also be taken under the purview of the law, the meeting decided.
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Besides, the fitness of the transports, driving license and head and sidelights of the vehicle would be strictly monitored from now on.
Hawkers’ associations’ leaders said, “Hawkers are not responsible for traffic congestion.”
“Weak execution of law, illegal parking on the roads, reckless driving of city buses and flaws in policing system are mainly responsible for city’s poor traffic mismanagement,” they said.
They requested the government to take a long-term plan for construction of hawker markets at various point of the city and take measures for their rehabilitation.
Dhaka City Corporation, which is in charge of development of city road infrastructure and traffic congestion, is not working properly to resolve the problems.
State Minister for Home Shamsul Haque Tuku said the home ministry is mulling for removing illegal parking on city streets.
The government must look into the easy movement of the city people side by side arrangement of their employment, he added.
Lawmaker Hasanul Haque Inu said a long-term plan is necessary for making the city free from slum, rickshaw and hawkers. People will not oppose any decision if they are involved with the process of taking the plan, he said.
Lawmaker Rashed Khan Menon said hawkers are doing business in every cities and it is related with employment of low-income group people. He proposed for a taskforce to make a plan for the identification and rehabilitation of the hawkers.
