Why do footpaths remain occupied despite repeated evictions?

Eviction drives by law enforcement agencies to free footpaths and roads in the capital are nothing new. Recently, the traffic police of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), along with magistrates, carried out simultaneous eviction drives across its eight divisions with much publicity. 

Although hawkers were evicted and strict measures such as fines and imprisonment were imposed, the ground reality tells a different story. As soon as the drives end, hawkers return and reoccupy the footpaths. This raises the question – why are footpaths not staying free despite repeated evictions?

Stakeholders say the main reasons behind footpath encroachment are the lack of adequate employment, absence of alternative arrangements, limitations in administration leading to showpiece drives, poor implementation of plans, and the influence of vested interest groups.

From April 1 to 5, the traffic police conducted coordinated eviction drives across DMP's eight divisions following prior announcements. According to Arifa Akhtar Preeti, assistant commissioner (media and public relations) of DMP, Tk11,31,450 in fines were imposed on footpath encroachers during the drives. In addition, 49 people were jailed for varying terms. A total of 170 cases were filed for illegal parking, and illegally set up shops, parked vehicles, and other materials were seized.

As soon as the drives end, hawkers return and reoccupy the footpaths. Photo: Subrata Chanda/TBS

However, even after these operations, footpaths remain occupied. On-the-ground visits to areas such as New Market, Nilkhet, Gulistan, Science Lab, and Shahbagh show hawkers selling clothes, books, shoes, fruits, and various food items on footpaths as before, often in plain sight of police personnel.

Vendors say such eviction drives are nothing new for them. Despite repeated losses due to evictions, they return to selling goods out of necessity. After each drive, negotiations often take place with law enforcement, and in many cases, the amount of informal payments increases. They argue that without rehabilitation, eviction alone will not free footpaths.

Md Asif, who sells writing pads, notebooks, and pens on the footpath in front of Nilkhet bookshops, told The Business Standard, "Whenever a drive starts, we clear everything. After it ends, we return. This is nothing new for us. Such drives happen frequently, and we have become used to them."

Nizam Uddin, who sells children's clothes on the footpath near Golap Shah Mazar in Gulistan, said police seized his goods during the drive at the beginning of April, and he had to pay a Tk5,000 fine to get them back. "But we have families to support. If we are evicted without rehabilitation, how will we survive? That's why we return even after paying fines. If this continues, we will be forced to protest," he said.

A total of 170 cases were filed for illegal parking, and illegally set up shops, parked vehicles, and other materials were seized. Photo: Subrata Chanda/TBS

Stakeholders say hawkers are the main drivers of footpath encroachment. Due to a lack of employment opportunities in rural and small-town areas, people are constantly moving to cities. However, jobs are also scarce in cities, forcing low-income people to occupy footpaths to sell goods. Renting a shop in Dhaka requires significant capital and employee costs, whereas footpath vending involves minimal expenses. Although hawkers often pay informal fees to vested groups, these are still much lower than shop rents.

Additionally, large sums of money are collected as informal payments from footpath businesses, encouraging influential groups to sustain the system. At times, police, administration, or political actors conduct eviction drives to assert control. Once arrangements are made, the same actors often allow hawkers to return.

Law enforcement agencies also struggle to keep footpaths free due to manpower shortages. Moreover, without alternative arrangements such as night markets or holiday markets, authorities hesitate to take strict action considering the livelihoods of working-class people.

Experts believe that freeing footpaths requires more than eviction – it demands a coordinated plan. This includes rehabilitation of hawkers, creating designated vending spaces, generating alternative employment, and ensuring consistent and transparent law enforcement. Without these combined efforts, resolving the issue will remain difficult.

Professor Akhter Mahmud of the Urban and Regional Planning Department at Jahangirnagar University told TBS that as long as economic, educational, and cultural disparities between rural and urban areas persist, the problem will continue. "Employment in our country is city-centric. Low-income people will naturally go where jobs exist. So, we need to create employment opportunities in rural and small-town areas and reduce inequality. Without addressing this, eviction drives will only have temporary effects," he said.

He also noted that eviction drives are sometimes carried out to establish control. "When new administrators or political leaders take charge, such drives often begin. Later, once arrangements are settled, the same authorities regain control and allow hawkers back. Proper rehabilitation could yield better results," he added.

Vendors say that after each eviction drive, negotiations often take place with law enforcement, and in many cases, the amount of informal payments increases. Photo: Subrata Chanda/TBS

Hazrat Ali, general secretary of the Hawkers' Union, told TBS that such eviction drives are often political posturing. "Previous governments also carried out similar drives, and so is the current one. This is not a solution," he said.

He added that hawkers should be regulated and allowed to operate in designated areas, as practiced in other countries. "A portion of footpaths can be allocated for hawkers so that pedestrians can still move freely while low-income people can buy goods at affordable prices. But authorities do not listen, as they want to maintain the system of informal payments. Hawkers operate openly in front of police, so eviction has never been successful before and will not be now," he said.

When asked about the issue, DMP traffic division's additional commissioner Md Anichur Rahman said the main objective of the recent drive was to remove extensions of permanent shops. "Hawkers also moved during the operation, but our main goal was achieved. The government is now considering solutions for hawkers, including setting up night markets and holiday markets across DMP's eight divisions. If implemented quickly, we will be able to take a more permanent approach," he said.

He added, "We understand the hawkers' situation – they are working people, and we are not against them. We know this is a major issue. Solutions cannot come all at once, but we are working step by step with the government to address it."