HC questions legality of provision allowing hawkers on Dhaka roads

The High Court issued a rule questioning the legality of a provision of the Dhaka City Hawker Management Policy-2026 that allows city corporations to allocate spaces on roads and footpaths to hawkers in the capital.

In the rule, the court asked the respondents to explain why the provision should not be declared unconstitutional.

Secretaries to the ministries of local government and rural development (LGRD), and law, administrators and chief executive officers of the two Dhaka city corporations have been made respondents to the rule.

The HC bench of Justice Bhishmadev Chakrabortty and Justice Abdur Rahman issued the rule following a writ petition filed by Supreme Court lawyer Md Sohebuzzaman, challenging the legality of the provision of the Hawker Management Policy.

Writ petitioner’s lawyer, Md Rokonuzzaman, told The Daily Star that the two Dhaka city corporations reportedly allocated spaces on roads and footpaths to around 200 hawkers two weeks ago under the Hawker Management Policy.

Following the allocation, people’s constitutional right to free movement in Dhaka has been violated, the lawyer added.