Mobile courts to prevent begging in key areas of Dhaka

The government will deploy mobile courts to make Dhaka’s seven ‘important’ areas free from beggars.

The decision was taken at an inter-ministerial meeting headed by Social Welfares Minister Syed Mohsin Ali on Tuesday.

Mobile courts will be deployed in the areas near Sonargaon Hotel, Ruposhi Bangla Hotel, Radisson Blu Water Garden Hotel, the airport, Bailey Road and the Diplomatic Zone of Dhaka, according to Ali.

File Photo

In a meeting in January last year, the social welfare ministry, headed by the then minister Promod Mankin, had decided on several measures to make these areas ‘beggar-free’.

The proposed measures were shifting to government rehabilitation centres those who are unfit to work, to prevent children from begging as well to authorise law-enforcers to take ‘proper’ steps if someone is found begging in these seven areas.

Referring to those earlier decisions, Ali told reporters on Tuesday: “Many have failed earlier to make Dhaka city free from beggars. We do not want to be unsuccessful this time.”

He said that announcements would be made before mobile courts start operation.