The massive drive yesterday by Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) for evicting the street vendors was followed by police announcements over loud speakers in different areas of the capital the day before (Wednesday) asking the street vendors not to occupy the walkways.

DMP Commissioner ABM Bazlur Rahman said police were planning on this drive for a long time and went ahead with it now since no one would try to resist it by bringing out processions or staging demonstrations as the country is under a state of emergency now. Another drive against violators of traffic rules will be launched soon, he added.

The street vendors occupied and choked up most of the sidewalks in the city, particularly in Gulistan and Farmgate areas. By the afternoon, police cleared up the sidewalks in these areas and pedestrians were walking along those smoothly.

Many city dwellers welcomed the police move. "Usually I was compelled to walk through the main road risking being run over by speeding vehicles as street vendors kept footpaths occupied. I am really happy to see that the footpath at Farmgate is clear," said Saifur Rahman, a resident of East Rajabazar.

The surprise drive has affected around one lakh street vendors as they do not have any other source of income, claimed Bangladesh Sammilito Footpath Hawkers' Parishad.

"I have no savings, since my income was very low. How will I provide food for my family of four now?" questioned Mohammad Selim, an evicted street vendor from Gulistan. He requested the government to introduce alternative source of income to the evicted vendors.

Abul Kalam Jewel, organising secretary of the Parishad, demanded rehabilitation of the street vendors of the city, around one lakh total, as around 10 lakh dependents live on their incomes.

This eviction drive is likely to affect a section of the law enforcers, local unit political leaders, Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) staff and the organised criminals that collect tolls from the illegal street vendors, sources said.

Each street vendor had to pay a toll ranging from Tk 30 to Tk 200 to these elements and they would be driven out otherwise, added the sources.

A few months back, a DMP deputy commissioner (DC) seeking anonymity told The Daily Star that police could not evict illegal street vendors due to political interference, particularly by the ruling party. "I had to abandon a hawker eviction drive at Farmgate halfway through due to pressure from BNP leaders."

A Daily Star investigative report carried out a few months back revealed that lower tier leaders and activists of the then ruling party were collecting huge tolls from street vendors.

Vendors on the sidewalks and foot over bridges in Farmgate, Gulistan and New Markets areas pay around Tk 5 lakh in illegal tolls every day.

Around 50 per cent of the tolls go to local political kingpins' pockets, 15 per cent to party activists, 15 per cent to police and the rest to the 'linemen' -- the ones employed to collect the tolls for their bosses. A large number of corrupt DCC staff frequently collects tolls from the street vendors as well.

Also, political party leaders are said to be involved in 'selling possessions' of spots on sidewalks in busy areas like New Market, Farmgate and Gulistan for Tk 75,000 to Tk 1 lakh, depending on the business prospects of the particular spot. Vendors having 'possessions' do not have to pay the daily tolls, according to The Daily Star investigation.