‘In the Mujib Barsho no one will remain homeless’, in order to implement this declaration of the Prime Minister, 320 homeless and landless families received new houses along with the land documents in Sarishabari Upazila of Jamalpur.
According to the Upazila Nirbahi Officer's Office and the Upazila Project Implementation Officer, 295 houses were allotted in the upazila in the first phase whereas in the second phase 25 houses were allotted.
As a gift from Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, daughter of Bangabandhu, 84 families in Pogaldigha Union, 30 in Mahadan, 167 in Aona, 11 in Bhatara, 9 in Dowail, 10 in Kamrabad and 9 families in Sarishabari municipal area have been given a semi-pucca house with two decimal of land.
In addition to the two bedrooms, there is a kitchen and a toilet in every house, he added. Each of the houses are provided with electricity and there are tube-wells outside for potable water.
With the cooperation of the locals, under the overall supervision of the officers in charge of the upazila, those who are suitable for getting the houses have been selected and area based cluster villages have been constructed. Getting the new houses these helpless families are dreaming of a new beginning. Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Shihab Uddin Ahmed who is also the President of the Asrayan Project in Sarishabari has been supervising the construction of houses at all times.
Visiting the village of Char Pogaldigha cluster village in Pogaldigha Union of the upazila rows of green semi-pucca houses were seen against the natural green background.
Bakul Rani a beneficiary of Char Pogaldigha Ashrayan Project said, “I used to live in a rented house in Sarishabari. I ran my family by working in people's houses and breaking bricks. I am very happy that the government has given me a house”.
Rajendra, another beneficiary of the project said, “I drive an auto-rickshaw and I never thought the government would build me a house. It has been very useful to have this house and I don’t have to worry about residence anymore. Now I live on my own land, in my own house”.
Tara Rani, a 90-year-old woman, said, “I lived in a rented house with my daughter. I used to beg while my daughter used to work in people's houses. The government will give me a house or I will stay in the building, I never dreamed of it. I am very happy to get the house”.
Humayun Kabir, Member Secretary and Upazila Project Implementation Officer (PIO) of the house construction project, said the work has been completed while maintaining the quality of cement, brick-sand, rod, wood and tin. In addition, every beneficiary family of the Ashrayan project is being kept informed at all times. If there is any difficulty in their stay, it is being tried to solve immediately.
Shihab Uddin Ahmed, President of the project and Upazila Nirbahi Officer, said the houses have been set up to ensure shelter and housing for the endangered people and to rehabilitate the landless, homeless, squatter and helpless poor people. The main objective of the Asrayan project is to enable every family to make a living by providing loans and training and to alleviate poverty through income generating activities.
