By Engr Mamun Islam
RANGPUR, Nov 8, 2020 (BSS) – Over 1.60 lakh people of 40,107 rehabilitated families at 428 Asrayan Prakalpa have started resuming normal life by adapting to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in all eight districts of the division.
Earlier, local administrations reached relief assistance to Asrayan dwellers and conducted awareness raising campaigns since the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak to secure their life and livelihoods as per the direction of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Officials said Asrayan inhabitants are resuming their income generating activities (IGAs), running small-scale enterprises, businesses, animal husbandry, poultry, working in farmlands and other activities like before.
“We inspired Asrayan residents in abiding by the health directives to prevent COVID-19 spread and provided special relief and health protection materials since April last,” said Additional Divisional Commissioner (Revenue) Abu Taher Md. Masud Rana.
However, they are aware of the severity of COVID-19 infection following massive awareness raising activities conducted so far and are resuming normal life like before the outbreak of the pandemic to lead almost normal life now.
Since last April to June, we provided relief assistance to 5,440 families rehabilitated at 52 Asrayan projects in Rangpur, 6,113 families at 73 projects in Kurigram, 8,300 families at 103 projects at Gaibandha and 6,300 families at 32 projects in Nilphamari districts.
In addition to this, 4,390 rehabilitated families received assistance at 35 Asrayan projects in Lalmonirhat, 6,579 families at 90 projects in Dinajpur, 160 families at six projects in Thakurgaon and 2,825 families at 37 projects in Panchagarh of the division.
“The district and upazila administrations with assistance of local public representatives reached the relief assistance at doorsteps of the Asrayan residents since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in the division,” Rana said.
Talking to BSS, Gangachara Upazila Cooperatives Officer (UCO) Md. Aftabuzzaman said 2,660 rehabilitated families at 19 ‘Asrayan Prakalpa’ in the upazila of Rangpur received the government’ special assistance and are resuming normal activities now.
“Like in other Asrayan Prakalpa, realisation of weekly installments against the microcredit loans from Asrayan residents in Gangachara upazila has been suspended to assist them during the pandemic,” Aftabuzzaman said.
He said 90 rehabilitated families at Purbo Kochua-1 Asrayan Prakalpa in Gangachara upazila of Rangpur got government assistance and are now engaged in various IGAs utilising the microcredit after adapting to the COVID-19 pandemic situation.
Rehabilitated couple Nazrul Islam and Bulbuli Begum there said they have resumed running their grocery shop, animal husbandry, poultry, homestead gardening utilising revolving microcredit again abiding by the health directives to earn livelihoods.
Kawnia UCO Masud Rana said realisation of weekly installments against the microcredit loans from 100 rehabilitated families at Biswanath Asolator Asrayan Prakalpa in Kawnia upazila of Rangpur remained suspended since the beginning of the pandemic.
Widow Mahfuza Begum and Joynal Abedin rehabilitated there said they got rice, potato, pulse and other essentials and masks as special relief assistance from the government and have resumed their normal IGAs like before to earn livelihoods and lead better lives.
Upazila Nirbahi Officer of Gangachara upazila in Rangpur Taslima Begum said Asrayan dwellers are resuming normal activities abiding by the health directives despite the COVID-19 pandemic.
Talking to BSS, Divisional Commissioner Abdul Wahab Bhuiyan said local administrations are still assisting Asrayan residents although they are resuming normal activities now to earn livelihoods like before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.