ASK against eviction of street hawkers without rehab

Expressing deep concern at the announcement of clearing footpaths of Dhaka city, Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK) yesterday said hawkers and small traders on the streets must be rehabilitated and given alternative opportunities first.

In a statement, the rights body said this kind of move without taking any rehabilitation programme would directly affect the livelihoods of a huge number of hawkers and small traders.

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These hawkers and small traders have employed themselves without taking help of the government, for which it is the duty of the administration to arrange alternative livelihoods for them before conducting any eviction drive, it said.

The organisation laid importance on both free footpaths and the livelihoods of these low-income people.

The two Dhaka city corporations are scheduled to clear the footpaths from July 1 after two small-scale drives -- at Gulistan yesterday and at Farmgate on June 12.