The Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) has announced plans to establish six open-field temporary markets to rehabilitate registered street hawkers. DNCC Administrator Shafiqul Islam Khan disclosed the initiative at a city dialogue held in Gulshan on Saturday, emphasizing that hawkers must operate only in designated areas under a registration system. A maintenance fee will be collected, and stalls must be movable, not permanent or semi-permanent structures.

Khan noted that the number of hawkers on Dhaka’s footpaths has risen from 200 to nearly 2,000, severely disrupting pedestrian movement and even ambulance access near hospitals. He stressed that the city cannot allow a small group to cause hardship for the majority and called for coordinated urban management among utility agencies. He also mentioned discussions about penalizing those who dump waste into city canals.

Speakers at the event, including urban activists and officials from RAJUK and WASA, highlighted Dhaka’s broader urban challenges such as pollution, poor coordination, and infrastructure delays, urging integrated governance and stronger enforcement to prevent the city from becoming unlivable.