ZCZC
BSS-06
HOMELESS-HOUSING-RAJSHAHI (with picture)
Brick-built house becomes boon for 3,022 distressed families in Rajshahi
By Dr Aynal Haque
RAJSHAHI, June 22, 2020 (BSS) – A total of 3,022 distressed families have
become happy after getting brick-built houses for the first time in their life in
the last two years in all eight districts under Rajshahi division.
They had just moved to their new houses and each of the beneficiaries having
one to ten decimal of land but not house were given the housing privileges as the
gift of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Humayun Kabir Khandaker, Commissioner of Rajshahi division, said 1,360 of those
houses were constructed at a cost of Taka 35.16 crore in the previous 2018-19
fiscal year. Construction works of 1,662 other houses are expected to be fully
completed by end of this current fiscal year with an estimated cost of Taka 49.84
crore.
The Department of Disaster Management (DDM) has constructed the rural level
houses under its Disaster Resilient House Building Project (DRHBP).
He mentioned that the DRHBP is being implemented as a rural infrastructure
reconstruction (cash for work/test relief) programme with financial support of
Prime Minister’s Special Allocation.
District Relief and Rehabilitation Officer Aminul Haque said each of the houses
consisting two bedrooms, one kitchen, one toilet and one corridor was built at a
cost of around Taka 2.58 lakh with close supervision of the respective local
house building committee.
He said implementation of the previous fiscal of construction of disaster
resistant houses of the government has been completed successfully and the
authorities concerned have already handed over the dwellings to the
beneficiaries.
Construction works of the houses under the present fiscal have been completed
almost and the handing over process of the houses is on the final stage, Aminul
Haque added.
The quality of the houses is top in quality.
Haque added that the construction of the houses is a laudable step of the
government. The homeless families got their shelters to live permanently in these
houses.
Hurzan Bibi, 54, a beneficiary of Mondalpara village under Tanore Upazila, said
she was homeless and used to lead an inhuman life. She added that she has
forgotten all her pain after getting a house allocated to him by the government.
“After my husband died around 10 years back, I used to beg. I had to pass the
night on footpath as there was no house to live in,” said Momena Khatun, 55, a
widow of Kachua village under the same upazila, in a choked voice.
At present, a house has ensured her a happy life. “I had never thought, even in
my dreams, that I would be able to live in such a good house,” said Kazoly Mormu,
30, wife of Buddhinath Hasda of Haldibona village under Paba Upazila.
Kazoly said they were suffering from utter poverty since their marriage. Her
husband used to work as a day-labourer and it was very hard for her to maintain
her family let alone to make a house.
Now, after getting a house from the government, she is able to live peacefully
with her husband and daughter Rita Hasda, said Kazoly.
Rita, 13, a student of class nine in the nearby Kasba High School, said the
house has boosted up her level of confidence to continue her study. She expressed
her deep gratitude to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for the laudable initiative.
Project Implementation Officer of Godagari Upazila Abu Bashir told BSS that the
houses were made colourful and eye-catching so that the beneficiaries can derive
total benefits of those.
He said the disaster resistant houses reveal the images of laudable and lasting
development activities of the government.
According to the commitment of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, all the distressed
families will be brought under the disaster resilient houses in the upazila,
where 24 families were already given houses, in phases.
BSS/SPL/AH/MR/MMA/1250HRS