M Iqbal hossain, Chattogram Bureau

The city corporation has carried out an eviction operation to free hawkers by demolishing illegal shops from roads and footpaths in Newmarket, Station Road, Falmondi area of Ctg along with seven magistrates and more than two hundred workers.

This eviction operation was conducted last Thursday (February 8) at noon by the mobile court.

In the operation, a large amount of goods including bamboo, chouki, cots, tables have been seized from the hawkers on the roads and footpaths.

Meanwhile, Chottogram Footpath Hawker Association President Nurul Alam Ledu said, “I have been doing business on the footpath since independence. Today 5 to 6 thousand hawkers’ livelihood has been affected. The demand for rehabilitation was always from our side. To prevent unemployment, hawkers were doing business on the pavement with discipline.

He also said, “The mayor said, do not evict the hawkers without rehabilitation.” Today the word is not kept. Ramadan is coming, this time it is done. It will be a scandalous chapter. We strongly condemn. I demand immediate rehabilitation with the hawkers.

CCC Regional Executive Officer and Executive Magistrate Rezaul Karim said that the evacuation operation has been going on since morning. A large number of law enforcement personnel assisted in the operation. After the evacuation, the area will be kept under surveillance, so that it is not occupied again.

CCC Mayor’s private secretary Muhammad Abul Hashem said that illegal shops and unauthorized structures are creating disruption and traffic jams for pedestrians. So the operation is being carried out. Such operations will continue in public interest.