Dhaka: Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Administrator Md. Shafiqul Islam Khan has said the ongoing eviction drive to free footpaths from illegal occupation will continue without being halted by any obstruction, stressing that the footpaths will be freed from encroachments at any cost.
“No one involved in creating anarchy or carrying out attacks would be spared and those responsible would be brought to justice,” he said while visiting the site of an attack on DNCC transport staff, police and journalists during an eviction drive against illegal occupation of the footpath in front of Hope Market in Mirpur-10 in the capital on Wednesday noon.
Shafiqul said ensuring unhindered movement of city dwellers along footpaths was the responsibility of the city corporation. To this end, DNCC regularly conducts eviction drives against illegal occupation and structures, he added.
“Illegal businesses operating by occupying footpaths obstruct the movement of common people. Therefore, such drives would continue in the interests of city dwellers,” he said.
Regarding the attack during today’s drive in Mirpur-10, the DNCC administrator said he believed the attack had been instigated by footpath occupiers and their associates.
He also said the attackers retreated following resistance from local residents of Mirpur.
Shafiqul Islam Khan said DNCC and police would file separate cases against those involved in the attack. The attackers would be identified through investigation and brought to justice promptly, he said, warning of taking legal action against those involved in the attack on journalists.
Expressing gratitude to the residents of Mirpur, the administrator said, “Today’s incident has proved that common people in Mirpur want to see the footpaths free from encroachments. If anyone again attempts to occupy the footpaths at the instigation of others, legal action will also be taken against them.”
He said eviction drives had been conducted continuously in DNCC areas over the past several days. Improving the quality of urban services in line with public demand and ensuring an environment conducive to the movement of citizens were considered a moral responsibility of the city corporation, he added.
He called for cooperation from city dwellers in this effort.
Calling on DNCC officials conducting eviction drives to perform their duties fearlessly, he said the public and the city corporation will stand by them.
Deputy Director of the Mirpur Zone Rikabdar Hossain, DNCC Chief Engineer Brigadier General Md. Rakibul Hasan and Chief Health Officer Brigadier General Imrul Kayes and officers-in-charge of Kafrul and Mirpur police stations, took part in the eviction drive.
During the visit, local political leaders and residents of the Mirpur area expressed support for freeing the footpaths from encroachments and assured DNCC of their cooperation.
