Access to safe and usable footpaths is a fundamental public right, yet Dhaka’s rapid urbanisation has made managing pedestrian infrastructure difficult. The government recently promulgated the Hawkers of Dhaka City Management Policy 2026, which aims to regulate hawkers through a registration system and designated business zones to create a pedestrian-friendly city. The policy explicitly prohibits permanent installations and requires merchandise to be removed daily, with non-compliance risking legal action or license cancellation.

However, concerns persist regarding the adequacy of pedestrian space. Clause 15(1) mandates a minimum walking space of only 5 to 6 feet (1.5 to 1.8 metres) for ‘Holiday Markets’, which is below the recommended 2.5–4.5 metres for dense urban areas. Furthermore, clause 29 allocates 1.5 metres for buyers, but fails to clarify if this is separate from the pedestrian walkway, potentially blurring the distinction between public right of way and commercial space.

While the policy forbids permanent structures, critics argue that formally allocating footpath space to vendors may conflict with previous Supreme Court directives prohibiting the sale or rental of public footpath space. Drawing a comparison to the Indian Supreme Court’s recognition of the ‘right to walk’ in Maniyar Iliyaz @ Shaik Riyaz v P Ayyappan, the policy must balance the needs of hawkers with the necessity of maintaining safe, unobstructed pedestrian infrastructure.

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