Eviction drive only to show DMP boss

Hawkers, who block the DMCH emergency gate with their stalls, are evicted when VIPs go there as if the authorities are more worried about how they look before the VIPs rather than keeping the gate clear for patients.

The hawkers always return soon after the VIPs leave.

Yesterday, Shahbagh police conducted an eviction drive as Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Asaduzzaman Mia would visit some places in Old Dhaka, including the Dhaka Medical College Hospital adjacent areas, to see the traffic management system, said a police officer preferring anonymity.

Police during the hour-long drive, which began around 12:10pm, demolished about 50 makeshift stalls near the hospital gate except an illegal office of ruling Awami League and two others of pro-ruling party organisations.

The three illegal offices remain untouched during every drive even though there are allegations that ruling party men of DMCH control the “hawkers market” at the hospital gate from the offices, locals said. 

The police commissioner visited Chankherpool, Gulistan and some parts of Old Dhaka yesterday but skipped DMCH. And as usual, the hawkers returned to the DMCH gate about two hours after the eviction drive.

They started their trade blocking the entrance under the very nose of the police and Ansar members stationed at the hospital.

This has become the norm even when Dhaka South City Corporation conducts eviction drives once in a while.

Shahbagh Police Station Officer-in-Charge Abu Bakar Siddique said they conducted the drive yesterday to free the adjacent roads. "Those three offices will also be removed,” he said when asked why the ruling party offices were not demolished.

The tin-built offices were still there when this report was filed at 10:00pm last night.

Over 700 patients from across the country go to the DMCH for emergency treatment every day, hospital sources said.