Hawkers Protest in Front of Press Club in Dhaka: Demand to Stop Eviction Without Rehabilitation, Warning to Surround Police Station if Anyone Is Arrested

Hawker leaders have demanded an end to evicting hawkers from footpaths without arranging alternative rehabilitation and livelihoods. They also warned that if any more hawker is arrested, the police station concerned will be surrounded.

The warning was given at a protest programme organised by the Bangladesh Hawkers Union in front of the National Press Club on Monday (26 October) in protest at the arrest of anti-eviction protesters. More than a thousand hawkers from different areas of the capital took part.

Hawker representatives said that because of a month-long eviction drive, thousands of hawker families are spending their days in starvation and half-starvation. They are also struggling to pay their children's education costs and loan instalments.

In this situation, they called for allowing hawkers to do business on footpaths in an orderly manner from 3pm to 10pm, or for resolving the problem on the basis of the Hawkers Union's 12-point demands.

Hawker leaders said they do not want to be tools of any political party, but want the right to live with their families by doing business independently. With business closed for a long time, many have no food at home. They cannot pay their children's school fees and examination fees. Paying instalments on loans from NGOs and banks has also become difficult. They also called for hawker loan instalments to be suspended until alternative seating arrangements are made.

The protesters said hawkers contribute to the country's economy by selling goods on which tax is regularly paid. They are citizens of this country. Therefore, their livelihoods and their families' futures must be considered before eviction. They demanded an acceptable solution through discussion that keeps footpaths usable for pedestrians while also ensuring hawkers' livelihoods.

Hawkers Union adviser Joly Talukder said: 'Working hawkers have contributions and sacrifices in democratic movements and struggles. Yet in the name of eviction, their leaders and activists are being arrested and tortured. The problem cannot be solved by keeping hawkers starving or by evicting them by force.'

According to Joly Talukder, a fixed schedule could be introduced to allow hawkers to do business from the afternoon until night. As an alternative, she also called for restoring discipline in footpath management in light of the Hawkers Union's 12-point demands.

Joly Talukder demanded that the authorities concerned sit in discussion with hawker leaders quickly to ensure both pedestrian movement and hawkers' livelihoods. Otherwise, she said, they will continue an orderly movement and submit a memorandum to the prime minister presenting the picture of hawkers' misery.

Mirpur hawker leader Nasir said: 'Evicting hawkers without arranging alternative seating and keeping them in starvation and half-starvation is inhumane. Hawkers are not anti-state or anti-government. So until a specific arrangement is made for them, they must be given the opportunity to do business on footpaths in a rule-based and orderly manner.'

Addressing his call to the administrator of Dhaka North City Corporation and the authorities concerned, Nasir said hawkers need to be allowed to sit on humanitarian grounds in the interest of their families' food and their children's education.

The protesters alleged that seven hawkers have been arrested for taking part in the anti-eviction movement.