Published: 11:28 PM, 22 August 2026
Releasing Dhaka City Sidewalks from Squatters Is Totally Unsustainable
Dhaka is a city where walking has become increasingly difficult. Sidewalks that were designed for pedestrians are frequently occupied by street vendors temporary shops parked vehicles construction materials and various informal businesses. From busy commercial areas to residential neighbourhoods pedestrians are often forced to walk on roads and compete with fast-moving traffic. Authorities periodically launch eviction drives to clear these public spaces. Yet such campaigns rarely produce lasting results. Releasing Dhaka city sidewalks from squatters through temporary eviction drives is totally unsustainable unless the underlying economic and administrative problems are addressed.
The occupation of sidewalks is closely connected with poverty and unemployment. Thousands of low-income people depend on street vending and small informal businesses for their livelihoods. When authorities remove them without providing alternative spaces or opportunities they have little choice but to return to the same locations. As a result one eviction drive is followed by another. This creates a cycle in which public resources are repeatedly spent on enforcement without producing a permanent solution.
There is also a serious question of planning. Dhaka has expanded rapidly but its pedestrian infrastructure has not developed at the same pace. Many sidewalks are narrow broken poorly maintained or blocked by utility structures. In some places footpaths disappear completely. When adequate pedestrian facilities are unavailable informal occupation becomes even more difficult to control.
The problem is further complicated by weak enforcement. Sidewalk occupation often continues because of inconsistent monitoring and poor coordination among government agencies. Illegal parking construction activities and unauthorized commercial use of public spaces may be tolerated for long periods. Periodic eviction campaigns therefore appear more like temporary reactions than part of a comprehensive urban-management policy.
A sustainable solution requires both discipline and compassion. The authorities should identify genuine pedestrian corridors and keep them permanently free from obstruction. At the same time designated vending zones can be created in suitable areas so that street vendors can continue earning without occupying essential pedestrian space. These zones should be planned with proper sanitation waste-management and traffic arrangements.
The city authorities must also improve the quality and width of sidewalks. Continuous footpaths accessible to children older people and people with disabilities should become a basic feature of urban planning. Parking regulations need strict enforcement and construction materials should never be allowed to block pedestrian routes.
