Hawker leaders of the country have announced a programme to display “Red Cards with Immediate National Policies and Laws for Hawkers,” demanding the formulation of a national policy and legislation for hawkers to protect their interests.
The announcement was made in a joint press briefing organised by Bangladesh Hawker Sangram Parishad and Labour at Informal Economy (LIE), at the Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) hall room in the capital on Sunday.
This programme will take place at Mirpur and in front of the National Press Club in Dhaka, as well as the other city corporations such as Gazipur, Narayanganj, Chattogram, Cumilla, Sylhet, Rangpur, Rajshahi, Barishal, and Khulna, on February 18, from 10:30am to 11:30am.
Bangladesh Hawker Sangram Parishad President Abul Hossain said, “More than 50 lakh people are directly or indirectly making a living in Bangladesh by this profession. Like the government, we also want the hawkers to work within a framework.”
LIE Vice Chairperson Kamal Siddiki said, “Hawkers play an important role in the lives of low-income people of the country. Every year 59.4 per cent of people migrate from villages to Dhaka and Chattogram to fight poverty and earn money.
“Many small and medium industries have survived through their work. Hawkers have also contributed to curbing the country’s black market, hoarders and profiteers to increase the prices of goods.”
At the event, the hawker leaders said the occupation of hawkers and street vendors should be recognised as “economic work.”
Social protection programmes for hawkers and street vendors should be ensured. They should come under universal pension benefits, the leaders urged.
Hawker leaders also demanded that national policies and laws should be formulated to rehabilitate hawkers and street vendors and that they should not be evicted without rehabilitation.
