The footpaths and roads where the Dhaka Metropolitan Police conducted eviction operations to reclaim these to ensure smooth pedestrian and traffic movement are being reoccupied in places amid the drive.

During a filed visit in different areas in the capital, including Indira Road, Bangla Motor, Moghbazar, and Dhaka Medical College Hospital surroundings, on Friday, it was seen that makeshift shops were being set up on footpaths and roads and the belongings of the shops were kept in different nearby areas.

About the situation, DMP additional commissioner (traffic) Anisur Rahman told New Age that initial evictions often faced immediate reoccupation due to people’s longstanding habit.

‘The habit won’t change  overnight. When we’ll continue this (the eviction operation) and people will understand that we are very serious about this and will not let this happen again, the situation will slowly get better,’ said Anisur, adding that operations will be conducted in the areas again.

‘People still can’t believe that we are actually going to continue this,’ he added.

Anisur mentioned that the authorities would remain committed to sustained campaigns and strict actions, especially against wealthy shop owners who obstruct public walkways by illegal extension of their structures.

The DMP Traffic Division, in coordination with the Dhaka city corporations and mobile courts, conducted an eviction operation from Moghbazar to Bangla Motor on Wednesday, the first day of the drive.

The team cleared illegal encroachments from footpaths and roads, filed cases against offenders, seized shop belongings from footpaths and roads, fined law violators and issued warnings to many during operations.

During the filed visit from Bangla Motor to Moghbazar, it was seen that shop belongings, mostly car tyres were kept on footpaths while a number of cars were kept on the road for servicing.

The Ramna Traffic Division carried out an eviction operation in DMCH surrounding on Thursday.

Although several makeshift shops in the area were found closed and removed before the drive began on that morning, a number of makeshift shops were still seen there on Friday afternoon.

The DMP Traffic Division chief acknowledged that conducting eviction raids on footpaths and roads as required by the law vis-a-vis the urban poor in Dhaka was a complex challenge as their livelihoods must be considered, particularly those relying on daily earnings for survival.

The government policymakers are exploring solutions, particularly focusing on rehabilitation strategies for these vulnerable groups, said Anisur.

As part of solution efforts, concepts such as holiday markets and night markets are being considered for those people, said Anisur, adding that the Dhaka South City Corporation and the Dhaka North City Corporation were working on implementing the plans across DMP’s eight divisions, identifying designated locations where such markets could be operated.

Earlier, on March 23, the DMP in a public notice highlighted that many shops, restaurants, hotels, workshops, and other businesses were illegally using public walkways and roads, causing serious disruptions to pedestrian movement and contributing to traffic congestion.

No coordinated operation was conducted on Friday as it was a weekend day. It will continue in all the eight metropolitan divisions of police until Sunday, according to the police.

The DMP traffic divisions, in coordination with the two city corporations and mobile courts, began the drive on Wednesday, jailing 74 people for varying terms and realising Tk 4.58 lakh in fines on the first two days, according to DMP press releases issued on Wednesday and Thursday.