Eviction drive in Cumilla leaves woman entrepreneur without livelihood

The Cumilla City Corporation allegedly damaged a moveable food cart located in the city's New Market area yesterday during an anti-encroachment drive on the footpaths.

The incident took place in front of the Shikhha Complex building adjacent to the area on Wednesday evening.

Speaking to The Business Standard, cart owner, Chaiti Karmakar, said she was given a notice to move her cart but as she could not do it right away on her own, a team of the city corporation came and "destroyed" it.

"My food cart remained closed during the day. The city corporation gave a warning that day to have my cart removed. But I didn't know that. When I opened the shop in the evening, a magistrate accompanied by people of the city corporation came and asked me to remove it. 

Photo: TBS

"It was not possible for me to move the cart alone. I asked them to give me some time. But they did not listen. The magistrate then said they would have it moved. In the process, my cart was broken."

Chaiti also said there were many shops in the vicinity, but those were left untouched.

Habibur Al Amin Sadi, panel mayor of the Cumilla City Corporation and councillor of the area concerned, said if any structure is evicted by the city corporation, it is informed three-four times in advance, and then the operation is conducted. 

"The same should happen with this woman. But, since the entrepreneur had to bear the sufferings, on humanitarian grounds she will be given compensation from us," he said.

He, however, did not mention how much the compensation would be.

Regarding other shops in the vicinity, Habibur said, the vendors had fled the scene upon hearing of the drive. The corporation is working to nab them if they continue to set up shops on foorpaths.