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Tough time for Bangladesh capital beggars amid tougher law enforcement

Xinhua, December 23, 2015 Adjust font size:

Dozens of beggars were arrested in a drive to free capital Dhaka's posh areas from hundreds of people seeking alms and annoying pedestrians and passengers.

"We've detained 40 street beggars Tuesday and Wednesday," said a Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) officer who preferred to be unnamed.

Magistrate Mashiur Rahman who conducted the drive, told journalists that the detained beggars were handed over to the custody of the country's Social Welfare Ministry.

He said the beggars who are in dire need for support would be rehabilitated after verifying their details.

"Punitive measures will be taken against others as per the law as begging is a criminal offense," he added.

The authorities in Dhaka had earlier announced not to allow begging for money in many areas like Gulshan, Banani and Baridhara though both locals and foreigners, have a stronger tendency to donate money and to engage in acts of charity.

Beggars are often seen in Dhaka's open spaces, parks, footpaths, in front of shopping centers, footbridges and even in public transports. They often cause embarrassment by touching poeple's hands and legs while asking for money.

Begging has turned into a lucrative activity for a section of people who even disguise themselves maimed or deformed persons to beg for money.

A couple of years earlier the Bangladeshi government planned to conduct the first-ever survey of beggars as part of its move to free capital Dhaka from thousands of people seeking alms and annoying pedestrians and passengers.

Although there is no specific data on the number of beggars in the capital and other major cities, various government agencies are pretty sure that the number will be no less than 1 million.

Bangladeshi Finance Minister AMA Muhith said earlier that his government was planning to eradicate begging from the nation of around 162 million people.

The number of beggars, according to the finance minister, was around 600,000 to 700,000 across the country a few years back but has increased substantially. Enditem