The Dhaka North City Corporation or DNCC has launched a drive to remove illegal structures occupying streets and pavements in the capital's Karwan Bazar.
The crackdown led by executive magistrates Sagir Hossain and Sajid Anwarat began at 11:00am on Thursday, reports bdnews24.com.
During the drive, the DNCC demolished the offices of Awami League Tejgaon wing, Krishak League, Jatiya Sramik League and Jatiya Jubo Sanghati for encroaching on footpaths.
Around 2pm, the authorities evicted a three-storey semi-concrete structure occupied by local truck owners.
Protesting the move, truck owners' association General Secretary Ismail Molla said, "We used the building with the permission of late mayor Hanif for the last 30 years."
"We have repeatedly sought to pay taxes to the city corporation. But they were unwilling to take it so how have we violated the laws?"
He claims that 100 truck owners incurred a total of Tk 100 million in losses as a result of the drive.
The drive will only end once all streets and walkways under the city corporation in Karwan Bazar are cleared of illegal occupation, Executive Magistrate Sagir told bdnews24.com.
Speaking to reporters during a visit to the eviction site around 1:00pm, DNCC Mayor Atiqul Islam said a multi-pronged team of businessmen, public representatives and police will be constituted to monitor streets and footpaths in Karwan Bazar.
"The monitoring team will be formed today if needed. They will regularly check on the areas that were cleared in today's drive to ensure that these remain free from encroachments."