Shawdesh Desk:

Dream of owning a home of 32,904 more homeless and landless families has come into reality as Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today handed over houses to them at government expenses, raising the total beneficiaries’ number to 150,233 under Ashrayan-2 Project.

The premier virtually distributed the deeds and keys of the newly constructed tin-shed semi-pucca houses on two decimals of land to the beneficiaries under the third phase of Ashrayan-2 Project as her gift ahead of the Eid-ul-Fitr.

She joined the programme via video conference from her official Ganabhaban residence in the capital.

The prime minister also exchanged views with some beneficiaries and other stakeholders connecting to four places of the four districts.

The four places are: Poradia Balia Ashrayan Project under Nagarkanda Upazila in Faridpur district, Khajurtola Ashrayan Project under Barguna Sadar Upazila in Barguna district, Khokshabari Ashrayan Project under Sirajganj Sadar Upazila in Sirajganj district and Hajigaon Ashrayan Project under Anwara Upazila in Chattogram district.

So far, 150,233 houses were handed over in three phases under the Ashrayan-2 Project as part of the government pledge to bring every landless and homeless people across the country under housing facilities in the Mujib Borsho.

On January 23 in 2021, 63,999 homeless and landless families received houses under the first phase while 53,330 families got a roof over their heads under second phase of the Ashrayan-2 Project on June 20 last year.

The government has set to distribute 65,674 more houses among the landless and homeless people across the country under the third phase of the Ashrayan-2 Project.

Of those, the premier has already handed over 32,904 houses today.

The houses were constructed in 492 upazilas across the country.

According to the project details, so far 1,17,329 houses were constructed under first and second phases of the project while 1,83,003 houses have been allotted till the current fiscal year of 2021-2022.

Under the project, ownership of land and house is being given in the joint names of husband and wife of landless, homeless, marginalised and uprooted families, it said.

Each unit has two rooms, a kitchen, a toilet and a veranda costing TK 259,500 without tax and VAT. The amount is TK 330,000 with tax and VAT.

In the third phase of Ashrayan-2 project, the government has raised the cost and brought changes in design to make the houses more sustainable and climate-resilient.

The cost against each house has been increased to Taka 2,59,500 from Taka 1,91,000 to make the houses more durable.

The government is constructing the houses having strong great-beam, lintel and Reinforced concrete column (RCC) pillar for making the houses more sustainable.

So far Taka 3,972 crore 7 lakh 5 thousand was allocated for construction of houses as of current fiscal year.

Apart from khas land, the government has purchased 168.32 acres of land for rehabilitating homeless and landless people. Taka 115.33 crore has already been allocated for purchasing lands.

The government recovered 5,512.04 acres of khas land worth of Tk 2,967 crore 9 lakh from illegal occupation across the country for constructing houses under the project.

Under the Ashrayan project, a total of 5,07,244 families have been rehabilitated till March, 2022 from 1997 while the rehabilitated families are brought under VGF programs for three months.

Rehabilitated family members are provided with practical and technical training to engage in various productive and income-generating activities.

Micro-credit for their socio-economic development is disbursed from various government agencies such as Bangladesh Rural Development Board, Cooperatives, Department of Women and Children, Department of Social Services.

Free electricity connection is provided to the rehabilitated families and tube-wells are being installed for safe water at the project site.

The housing schemes are being included to community centres, prayer houses and graveyards, ponds and roads for internal communication.

Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) Senior Secretary Md. Tofazzel Hossain Miah moderated the function while PM’s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim and Project Director of Ashrayan-2 Project Abu Saleh Mohammad Ferdous Khan were present at Ganabhaban end.

A video documentary on developed life standard of beneficiary people under Ashrayan-2 Project was screened.