HOMES FOR THE HOMELESS: BANGLADESH OPENS ‘WORLD’S LARGEST’ HOMELESS HOUSES PLAN

Sat 23 January 2021:

Bangladesh on Saturday launched a project to house all of the country’s homeless population, the world’s biggest ever scheme for providing shelter to homeless people.

“In Mujib Year and on the 50th anniversary of our independence, no one will be homeless in Bangladesh. Our government is working tirelessly to achieve this aim,” Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said as she inaugurated the Ashrayan-2 Project in a virtual ceremony due to coronavirus restrictions.

Prime Minister’s Principal Secretary Dr Ahmad Kaikaus told a press briefing at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) on Thursday, said a total of 66,189 houses have been built at a cost of Taka 1,168 crore for homeless people as part of the government’s initiative to bring all homeless families under housing facility during Mujib Barsho with the slogan, “None will be left homeless”.

One lakh more houses will also be distributed among homeless people in the next month, he said.

Dr Ahmad Kaikaus said Ashrayan Project under the PMO rehabilitated 3,715 families by constructing 743 barracks under 44 project villages in 36 upazilas in 21 districts during the Mujib Barsho.

The principal secretary said the Ashrayan Project has prepared a list of 8,85,622 families in 2020, of which 2,93,361 landless and homeless families and 5,92,261 families having 1-10 decimal land but no housing facility.

The purpose of the project is to eliminate poverty by providing land, housing, training, loan, healthcare, family planning, income generating activities, drinking water supply, electricity supply, improvement of communication system and plantation facilities for people who were affected by cyclone, flood, river erosion and natural disasters.

The adult male-female members of the rehabilitated families are getting training on increasing awareness on various issues, expertise and human resource development to enable them becoming engaged in income-generation works.