Dhaka South City Corporation to rehabilitate hawkers as per policy, ban roadside vending: Administrator

Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) Administrator Md Abdus Salam today (17 August) said hawkers will be rehabilitated in an organised manner in line with the government policy while vending on main roads will not be allowed.

He made the remarks at a discussion on hawker management held at the Nagar Bhaban auditorium, chaired by the DSCC administrator.

Addressing the meeting, Salam said there is no alternative to orderly hawker management to ensure civic amenities and uninterrupted movement of people in Dhaka.

"We do not want to stop the livelihoods of hawkers, but it is also not possible to rehabilitate all floating people from across the country in Dhaka as hawkers," he said.

Emphasising strict compliance with the Hawker Management Policy, he said a sustainable solution could be achieved through registration, regular renewal and adherence to designated roads and business hours upon payment of prescribed fees.

"Hawkers will not be allowed to sit on main roads under any circumstances," the administrator said.

He said a limited number of registered hawkers would be allowed only on roads having sufficiently wide footpaths, while ensuring adequate space remains open for pedestrians.

Holiday markets and night markets will also be introduced for other hawkers, he added.

The Local Government Division recently issued the Dhaka City Hawker Management Policy-2026 to make the capital cleaner, more pedestrian-friendly and free from traffic congestion.

The policy has been introduced in the areas under the DSCC and Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) under Section 120(2) of the Local Government (City Corporation) Act, 2009. Circulars have also been issued specifying fees under the policy.

According to the circular, a hawker will have to pay Tk 5,000 as a one-time registration fee, Tk 2,500 as annual renewal fee and Tk 3,000 per month as space-use and waste management fee.

Under the policy, applicants must be at least 18 years old and Bangladeshi citizens. Registered hawkers will be provided with digital identity cards containing barcodes or QR codes, specifying their designated business location and operating hours.

Holiday markets will operate only on Fridays, Saturdays and public holidays from 7am to 5pm at designated locations, such as wide roads in front of government offices or premises of educational institutions.

Night markets will operate in commercial areas from 6pm to 10pm after office hours. However, markets cannot be set up on playgrounds, places of worship or cemeteries.

The policy also provides for reserving 30 percent of allocated space for women and persons with disabilities.

At least 1.5 metres of footpath space must remain open for pedestrian movement, while construction of any permanent structure is prohibited.

Hawkers will be responsible for keeping their designated areas clean and disposing of waste in designated bins. Trading without a licence or beyond the designated boundaries may result in eviction and cancellation of registration.

Senior officials of the DSCC and Dhaka Metropolitan Police, representatives of various hawker organisations and journalists from different media outlets attended the meeting.