Dhaka South City Corporation has declared the main road from Paltan intersection in the capital to Gulistan Zero Point and North South Road as hawker-free. On Thursday, September 24, DSCC Administrator, freedom fighter Md. Abdus Salam, visited the roads that have been declared hawker-free. During the inspection, he said that hawkers will not be allowed to sit on the main road from Paltan intersection to Gulistan Zero Point to North South Road under any circumstances. Immediate legal action will be taken if anyone sits in violation of the ban.
The DSCC administrator said that discussions have been held with representatives of the hawker organisation several times. They have also voluntarily pledged to leave these main roads. With everyone’s cooperation, efforts are being made to restore comfort on the sidewalks and roads for the city residents. He said that only on the eastern side of the sidewalk adjacent to Ramna Bhaban, a certain number of registered hawkers will be allowed to sit at the designated place, leaving space for pedestrians. There is no opportunity for hawkers to create public nuisance by sitting outside the designated place, time, number and registration. No one will be exempted if the rules are violated.
Regarding the demand for a reduction in the registration fee of hawkers, Abdus Salam said the matter has been reported to the concerned ministry. Further decisions will be taken as per the ministry’s instructions. During the inspection, the DSCC administrator supervised the encroachment clearance activities on the main road and sidewalk from Paltan intersection to Gulistan Zero Point for more than an hour. DSCC Chief Executive Officer Md. Khaybar Rahman, Chief Waste Management Officer Air Commodore Md. Mahabubur Rahman Talukder, along with senior officials and representatives of hawker organisations were present at the time.
The declaration of the hawker-free zone is part of the DSCC’s effort to ease congestion and restore order on some of the busiest stretches in the capital. The Paltan intersection to Gulistan Zero Point and North South Road area is a major commercial and transport corridor, and the presence of hawkers on the main road and sidewalks has long been a source of inconvenience for pedestrians and commuters. By declaring the area hawker-free, the DSCC aims to ensure that the roads and sidewalks remain accessible and that public space is not encroached upon. The administrator’s warning of immediate legal action signals that the corporation intends to enforce the ban strictly, while the allowance for a limited number of registered hawkers on a designated section of the sidewalk near Ramna Bhaban provides a regulated alternative for some vendors.
The discussions with hawker organisations and their voluntary pledge to leave the main roads indicate that the DSCC has sought cooperation rather than relying solely on enforcement. The administrator’s emphasis on designated place, time, number and registration suggests that the corporation is trying to balance the livelihoods of hawkers with the need to protect public space and pedestrian movement. The matter of the registration fee reduction has been forwarded to the ministry, and any further decision will depend on the ministry’s instructions. The inspection and encroachment clearance activities, supervised by the administrator for over an hour, demonstrate the DSCC’s commitment to implementing the hawker-free declaration. With senior officials and hawker representatives present, the operation was conducted with an eye to both enforcement and coordination. The coming days will show how effectively the ban is maintained and whether the designated area for registered hawkers functions as intended.
