Space constraint has put up a hurdle to rehabilitation of hawkers evicted from the footpaths in the Sylhet city. Meanwhile, leaders of the Hawkers’ Sangram Parishad, a platform of the street vendors in the city, have threatened to launch a movement, if the city corporation authorities do not take immediate step for their rehabilitation. Sources in Nagar Bhaban said the newly elected city mayor, Ariful Haque Chowdhury, circulated a public notice immediately after he took office on September 18 to free the city footpaths and evicted the hawkers within a week from city streets.
Since then, the street vendors have been pressing the authorities for their rehabilitation, the sources said.
Tuesday noon several hundred hawkers gathered on the Nagar Bhaban premises to pressing home their demand.
Ariful Haq Chowdhury, along with the Hawkers’ Sangram Parishad leaders, visited Laldighir Par Hawkers Market in the afternoon with a view to rehabilitate there the evicted hawkers.
The SCC mayor told the hawkers’ leaders that they would be rehabilitated for the time being in the C Block of the Laldighir Par Hawkers Market.
‘But, he postponed his decision after visiting the spot because of the unhealthy environment and darkness of the location as well as complexity over its ownership,’ a Nagar Bhaban official said.
He added that there is a longstanding dispute between the city corporation and a group of traders over the ownership of the market’s C Block and an unsettled writ also has remained pending with the High Court in this regard.
The mayor, however, told New Age that the place would be allotted to the hawkers who have been evicted recently from the city footpaths.
‘Step to refurbish the hawkers market will be taken soon after discussing the mater in the city corporation meeting in order to rehabilitate there the evicted street vendors,’ Arif said.
He also mentioned that rehabilitating street vendors would take some more days in the absence of suitable spaces.
Talking to New Age, Hawkers Sangram Parishad general secretary Rafik Miah told New Age that the SCC mayor called them to meet with him at his Nagar Bhaban office Tuesday evening to hold discussion about the place and timeframe for their rehabilitation.
Mentioning the single block of the city’s hawker market too insufficient to rehabilitate more then 5,000 regular street vendors, he said they would be forced to go for movement if the city corporation authorities fail to rehabilitate them properly.
‘There is no option open to us but to wage movement to press the authorities for our rehabilitation,’ Rafik Miah said, adding that they were leading an inhuman life along with the families after losing their earning sources owing to the drive conducted against the street vendors.
-With New Age input
