Police vehicles vandalised during illegal structure eviction drive on footpath in Savar

The Dhaka District Administration has evicted at least 7,000 shops and illegal makeshift structures on the sidewalks at various points of the Dhaka-Aricha Highway and Nabinagar Chandra Road in the Savar and Ashulia areas today (23 March).

According to police and upazila administration officials, at around 10am, law enforcers and local officials started the operation from the Hemayetpur area of Savar, which was later conducted in different areas in phases.

Dhaka District Police Additional Superintendent of Police (Savar Circle) Md Shahinur Kabir confirmed the matter to The Business Standard. 

"When the drive in the Balibhadra area ended, some people came and pelted bricks and stones at two of our police vehicles and broke the window glasses. They are being identified and a case will be filed against them," he said.

However, he said no one from the police or the administration was injured in the incident.

He further said the drive will continue to ensure smooth movement of pedestrians and keep the sidewalks free from encroachment. 

Eyewitnesses said soon after the drive started in the Balibhadra area, some people obstructed the operation and the police picked up two of them in a car. Later, a group of people, including hawkers, suddenly hurled bricks and smashed the windows of two police vehicles.

Later, the police and administration officials left the area.