Pedestrians and commuters in Dhaka’s bustling commercial core witnessed a swift crackdown on municipal encroachments on Wednesday, 28 October, as the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) dismantled over a hundred illegal makeshift shops. The eviction drive took place between 10:00 am and 1:00 pm, targetting heavily congested footpaths adjacent to Dhaka Trade Centre and Fulbaria Super Market in Gulistan.
Four DSCC executive magistrates spearheaded the three-hour operation, supported by over a hundred municipal eviction workers and six platoons of police officers deployed to maintain order. Beyond pulling down informal structures blocking public walkways, authorities confiscated merchandise and display apparatus left on the footpaths by non-compliant traders.
DSCC Administrator and freedom fighter Md Abdus Salam personally supervised the site operations, reiterating the municipal council’s firm stance on maintaining unobstructed public thoroughfares. He highlighted that while the city administration remains committed to designating dedicated spaces for vendors—such as holiday markets, night markets, and specified hawker zones—unauthorised stalls along primary roads and busy arterial routes will no longer be tolerated.
Smooth traffic flow along the vital corridor extending from Gulistan down to the Sadarghat launch terminal remains a top priority for the municipal authority. Addressing media personnel on-site, the administrator emphasised that street vendors had received ample advance warning through multiple coordination meetings and public notices. Moving forward, street traders who persist in encroaching upon public roads and footpaths risk having their goods seized alongside potential arrest by law enforcement officials.
Gulistan has long suffered from chronic traffic gridlock and severe pedestrian overcrowding, driven largely by illegal street vending, unauthorized parking, and poor space allocation around major bus terminals and wholesale markets. Past clearing operations have often faced resistance or seen hawkers return shortly after enforcement teams depart, making sustained monitoring a key challenge for urban managers. Municipal authorities confirmed that similar enforcement drives will continue across DSCC territories to ensure that public pavements remain safe and accessible for all city residents.
