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Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has instructed the relevant authorities to arrange alternative employment and designated business spaces for hawkers instead of simply evicting them from the streets of Dhaka.
The directive was given during a meeting held last Saturday at the Prime Minister’s Office in Tejgaon, where senior officials from the Local Government Division, Dhaka North City Corporation, Dhaka South City Corporation, Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK) and Dhaka Metropolitan Police were present.
During the meeting, the prime minister directed ministries and institutions concerned to quickly identify alternative locations where evicted hawkers could resume business in a comfortable and encouraging environment.
Recently, several hundred roadside stalls were removed from areas including Mirpur-1 under DNCC, and Motijheel, Baitul Mukarram, Paltan and Gulistan under DSCC. The meeting decided that the government would arrange alternative spaces for those displaced.
The report argued that removing hawkers without rehabilitation would worsen Bangladesh’s already difficult economic situation. According to official estimates, there are more than 600,000 hawkers nationwide, with nearly 400,000 in Dhaka alone. Only around 130,000 are members of hawkers’ associations, while the rest operate informally.
Unofficial estimates place the total number of hawkers in Bangladesh closer to two million. If evicted, many would lose their livelihoods immediately, affecting an estimated 10 million family members and dependents.
Analysts say hawkers are also vital distributors for hundreds of small and medium-sized enterprises, meaning mass evictions could disrupt production, reduce incomes, and negatively affect the broader economy.
Experts note that many countries once faced similar challenges with street vendors but solved them through regulation rather than eradication.
In Thailand, authorities in Bangkok introduced mandatory registration, official identity cards, designated vending zones, fixed operating schedules, and monthly service fees. The reforms reduced congestion and transformed many street markets into tourist attractions.
Similarly, Singapore has developed organised night markets and hawker centres that are now major attractions for visitors.
In London, areas such as Whitechapel once struggled with unregulated pavement vendors. Instead of total eviction, authorities eventually introduced management systems allowing legal vending while maintaining public access.
Observers say hawkers in Bangladesh largely come from marginalised communities and choose street vending as a form of self-employment due to lack of capital or formal job opportunities. However, the profession lacks official recognition and remains vulnerable to extortion.
Many hawkers allege they must pay regular bribes to police and politically connected local figures in order to operate. In some areas of Dhaka, weekly payments reportedly range from Tk5,000 to Tk10,000.
Policy experts suggest introducing a formal licensing system under city corporations, with one-time registration fees, designated vending zones, fixed operating hours, and reasonable monthly service charges. In return, authorities would be expected to end extortion and ensure a lawful business environment.
The article concludes that rather than treating hawkers as a problem to be removed, Bangladesh should view them as a workforce that can be integrated into the urban economy through proper planning and regulation.
Following the prime minister’s directive, officials are now expected to move quickly toward a modern and structured rehabilitation plan, which supporters say would boost employment, improve order in the city, and increase government revenue.
https://thedailyexpress.news/news/national/1f141fe4-a3e1-6fc0-bb82-2b60195bb819