"We want to run businesses with trade licenses from the authorised government bodies and to pay revenue to the government", they said.

Against the backdrop of countrywide eviction of hawkers, they organised the press conference at the Reporters Unity in the city yesterday where President of the body Md Waliullah Patwari read out a written statement

In the statement, he urged the government to allow businesses in a small portion of footpaths for five years. Explaining the rationale, he said, "Usually the hawkers are to pay illegal tolls to the local influential quarters", adding, "if we pay the government that amount, it would make a good amount per day which would be sufficient for our rehabilitation after five years".

Referring to the existing holiday-markets, which gather once a week, he said considering the number of hawkers in the city the arrangement is inadequate and their earning from sales in those markets is too insignificant to earn their bread and butter.

"It is not cost-effective to transport our goods to those markets in the morning and bring those back in the evening", he said. If hawkers of one area want to make business in other areas, there is a possibility of confrontation, Waliullah added.

These markets should be arranged every day in every ward of cities and towns, and these should be arranged in such places, which would attract people much, he suggested.

Organising Secretary of the Hawkers Parishad Abul Kalam Jewel, Azhar Sheikh and Abul Kalam Azad were also present at the press conference.