Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Saturday directed the authorities concerned to ensure the swift rehabilitation of street hawkers evicted from various areas of the capital, calling for coordinated efforts to identify suitable alternative locations for their resettlement.

The Prime Minister gave the instruction during a meeting held at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) in Tejgaon on Saturday afternoon.

Senior officials from the Local Government Division, Dhaka North and South City Corporations, Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk), and the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) attended the session, according to a PMO release.

The Prime Minister instructed the relevant ministries and agencies to work in coordination to quickly identify designated vending zones where displaced hawkers can continue their businesses in a "dignified and orderly manner."

He emphasized that relocated vendors must be provided spaces where they can "operate comfortably."

This directive comes following the recent eviction of several hundred makeshift shops from key areas of Dhaka North City Corporation, including Mirpur-1, as well as Dhaka South City Corporation areas such as Motijheel, Baitul Mukarram, Paltan, and Gulistan.

In response, the meeting decided that the government would arrange alternative locations for the affected vendors.

To ensure better regulation of their activities, the meeting also discussed the introduction of a registration system to issue identity cards to hawkers.

Beyond rehabilitation, the Prime Minister stressed the need to reduce traffic congestion during school opening and closing hours.

He noted that unmanaged parking in front of educational institutions often contributes to gridlock and suggested that "a portion of school grounds could be used for parking to help ease congestion."

Key attendees at the meeting included Local Government Division Secretary Shahidul Hasan, Rajuk Chairman Engineer Riazul Islam, Dhaka South City Corporation Administrator Abdus Salam, Dhaka North City Corporation Administrator Shafiqur Rahman Khan, DMP Acting Commissioner Md Sarwar, and DIG (Traffic) Anisur Rahman.

With Inputs from UNB