Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) has launched a hawker eviction drive on the roads and footpaths in New Market area in Chittagong city. Barbed wire fences were erected followed by evictions. During the operation, the bamboos, chairs, cots, tables of the hawkers on the road and footpath were seized and taken to CCC's vehicles.
The operation started from 10 am on Thursday. At that time, 200 policemen of CMP, 30 RAB members, 200 workers, a large number of CCC security personnel, Ansar members, were present. A large number of semi-paved structures built on footpaths were razed in the raid. CCC conducted the eviction drive through a mobile court headed by seven executive magistrates on Station Road in the city.
CCC Regional Executive Officer and Executive Magistrate Rezaul Karim said, “We have started the eviction drive on the orders of the Mayor. A large number of law enforcement personnel are assisting in the operation. After evacuation, the area will be kept under surveillance to prevent reoccupation”.
President of Chittagong Footpath Hawkers Association Nurul Alam Ledu said, “I have been doing business on the footpath since independence. Today 5-6 thousand hawkers' livelihood has been affected.
The demand for rehabilitation was raised from our side. To prevent unemployment, hawkers were doing business on the sidewalks with discipline”.
“Earlier, the mayor assured that the hawkers will not be evicted without rehabilitation. Today the word is not kept. Ramadan is coming, this time it is done. It will be a scandalous chapter. We strongly condemn. I demand immediate rehabilitation of the hawkers”, Ledu added.
CCC Mayor's Private Secretary Muhammad Abul Hashem said, “Illegal shops and unauthorised structures are being built in the city, causing disruption and traffic jams. That is why the drive is being conducted. Such operations will continue in public interest”.
