Govt issues policy for hawkers to restore order on footpaths

For the first time, the government has brought hawker management under an official policy framework to address long-standing disorder, traffic congestion and public inconvenience on Dhaka's footpaths and roads.

The Local Government Division issued a notification in this regard on Wednesday (6 May).

"Dhaka City Hawker Rehabilitation Policy 2026" includes guidelines on hawker registration, conducting business in designated zones, and introducing holiday and night markets.

Relevant stakeholders say that through planned management, urban order can be restored while also protecting the livelihoods of marginalized communities.

Currently, a large portion of the capital's footpaths and roads are occupied by mobile and temporary vendors. In some places, footpaths are completely blocked, forcing pedestrians to walk on roads. This not only increases the risk of accidents but also worsens traffic congestion.

Until now, there had been no specific policy for hawker management, allowing vendors to set up shops wherever possible. The government has now taken steps to address this disorder.

The main objective of the policy is to ensure comfortable pedestrian movement on footpaths and public spaces while bringing hawkers under a registration system and allowing them to conduct business in designated zones.

The policy makes hawker registration mandatory. For this purpose, a "Hawker Management Committee" will be formed under the city corporation. The committee will issue smart cards or identity cards for a specified period.

To apply for registration, the applicant must be a Bangladeshi citizen and at least 18 years old. More than one license will not be issued to members of the same family. The registered individual must personally operate the business, and the allocated space cannot be rented out or transferred to others.

The policy also provides clear instructions regarding location selection. Hawkers will only be allowed in areas where at least 5 to 6 feet of space remains free for pedestrian movement after stalls are set up.

In addition, "Holiday Markets" and "Night Markets" are being introduced. Holiday markets will operate in designated areas on Fridays, Saturdays, and public holidays.

Meanwhile, night markets will operate in commercial areas after office hours. The policy also mentions giving priority to women and persons with disabilities in these markets.

The policy further states that no hawker will be allowed to construct permanent structures. All goods must be removed after the designated operating hours each day. Violators may face legal action, including cancellation of licenses. Hawkers operating without licenses may be evicted without prior notice.

Dhaka South City Corporation Administrator Md Abdus Salam said the policy was introduced to restore urban discipline and ensure safe pedestrian movement. However, due to limited space, it will not be possible to rehabilitate all hawkers. Therefore, the number of hawkers allowed in each area will be determined through planning.