HELEMUL ALAM, MUNTAKIM SAAD and SHAHEEN MOLLAH

Just 10 days after a massive drive by Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) to reclaim encroached footpaths and roads, many areas across the capital have again been occupied by hawkers.

At least 44 people were arrested, and around Tk 10 lakh was realised in fines during the drive from April 1 to April 5. The operation covered areas under DMP’s Lalbagh, Wari, Ramna, Mirpur, Motijheel, Tejgaon, Gulshan and Uttara traffic divisions.

Additional Commissioner (Traffic) Anisur Rahman told The Daily Star on the final day of the drive that follow-up operations would continue to prevent reoccupation.

“We will keep monitoring so that encroachers cannot return,” he said.

However, visits to Gulistan, Mirpur, Tejgaon and Mohammadpur found that hawkers have already resumed operations, reoccupying footpaths and roads.

Both sides of the road and adjacent footpaths in Gulistan, from Gulistan Hall to Golapshah Majhar Road, have once again fallen under the control of hawkers. Many hawkers have set up makeshift stalls using cloth and plastic so they can quickly move during drives, while others operate more permanently.

“We are running our businesses at risk, as there is no alternative. We pay Tk 100 as toll to linemen, though business has become uncertain,” said a hawker, requesting anonymity.

Similar scenes were observed in other areas.

In the first week of April, police cleared hawkers from key locations in Mohammadpur, including Town Hall, BRTC bus stand, Allah Karim Market and Basila Road, evicting around 500 shops. Although many returned within days, police carried out additional drives.

During a visit on Thursday, vendors were again seen occupying the left lane from Mohammadpur Bus Stand to Basila Tin Rasta, with goods spilling onto footpaths and restricting pedestrian movement.

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