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PM-ASHRAYAN PROJECT LEAD
PM opens world’s biggest climate refugee rehab scheme in Cox’s Bazar
DHAKA, July 23, 2020 (BSS) – Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today reiterated her steadfast commitment to ensure housing for all, including the flood and river erosion-hit people, as she inaugurated the world’s biggest rehabilitation project for the climate refugees in Cox’s Bazar.
“We’re celebrating the Mujib Barsho, marking the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Our aim in his birth centenary is that a single person will not remain homeless. We’ll construct a house, even at least a ‘chala’ (shed), for every person. In any way, we’ll do it and it’s our goal,” she told a function.
The prime minister opened the landmark ‘Khurushkul Ashrayan Prokalpa’, the country’s largest rehabilitation project, in Khurushkul area on the outskirts of the southeastern beach town of Cox’s Bazar through a videoconference from her official Ganabhaban residence here this morning.
Referring to the ongoing flood situation in the country, the premier said her government has all preparations to combat the flood and will make arrangements for building houses and allotment of land for those who will be affected by the flooding and river erosion.
“We know that the menace of flood is being seen a little bit more (this season). This is Bengali month of Shraban and more water will come in Bhadra month meaning that the country may witness more flooding in August-September,” she said.
“We’ve the preparation to face the flood and we’ve an aim that we’ll make arrangements for building houses and (allotment of) land for those who will be affected by the flooding and river erosion,” he added.
The prime minister said her government has allocated money separately in the budget for constructing houses for the homeless people so that a single person does not remain homeless.
“We’re working in this way and I would like to tell the people of entire Bangladesh that a single person will not stay homeless and every person will live beautifully,” she said.
Sheikh Hasina said giving attention to this, her government has taken tree plantation campaign in one hand, while it has taken steps to build houses for the homeless on the other. “We’ll look into the matter so that the living standard of every person is improved,” she said.
Chief of Army Staff General Aziz Ahmed spoke on the occasion, while Principal Staff Officer of the Armed Forces Division Lt Gen Md Mahfuzur Rahman and senior officials of the Prime Minister’s Office were present at Ganabhaban.
PM’s Principal Secretary Dr Ahmad Kaikaus moderated the function at Ganabhaban, while three beneficiaries of the project spoke from Cox’s Bazar.
Cox’s Bazar Deputy Commissioner moderated the function in Cox’s Bazar, while General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the area Major General Md Main Ullah Chowdhury, local Awami League President Sirajul Mostafa and some other leaders joined the videoconference from there.
Local parliament members and officials of the administration and the project were present in Cox’s Bazar.
With today’s inauguration, 600 families would get their new shelter in 20 just-built special structures having 32 flats with all modern amenities, Ashrayan’s project director Md Mahbub Hossain told reporters in Cox’s Bazar on Wednesday.
He said each family will get a 456.07 square feet flat in exchange of only Taka 1,001 while all the buildings were equipped with ramp system for people with disabilities, solar panels, safe drinking water, electricity, sanitation, waste management, drainage, cylinder gas and burner.
Hossain said under the scheme a total of 4,409 climate refugee families would be rehabilitated at the site as army troops were assigned to construct 139 five-storey buildings on 253.59 acres of land at a cost of Taka 1800.39 crore.
MORE/SH/GA/1404 hrs