The High Court has issued a rule asking why allocation of roads and footpaths for hawkers under Dhaka’s hawker management policy should not be declared unconstitutional.
A bench of Justice Bhishmadev Chakraborty and Justice Abdur Rahman issued the rule on Tuesday following a hearing on a writ petition.
The court directed the LGRD secretary, law secretary, and the administrators and chief executive officers of the two Dhaka city corporations to respond within four weeks.
Lawyer Md Rokonuzzaman argued for the petition.
Earlier, lawyer Md Sohebuzzaman filed the petition, stating that allocating roads and footpaths to hawkers through policy is unconstitutional.
He argued that it infringes citizens’ freedom of movement, creates traffic congestion, and violates both the Constitution and Section 37 of the Road Transport Act, which requires 10 metres of clear space on both sides of roads.
Allocation of footpaths breaches this provision, he said in the petition.
