The government has recovered 5512.04 acres of khas land from illegal occupation across the country to construct houses for landless under the Ashrayan -2 Project on the occasion of Mujib Barsho.
Approximate market price of the recovered khas land is Taka 2,967 crore 9 lakh.
Project Director of Ashrayan-2 Abu Saleh Mohammad Ferdous Khan on Wednesday revealed the information at a press briefing at the Gohailbari Ashrayan at Shimulia union under Savar upazila.
Apart from khas land, he said, the government has purchased 155 acres of land for rehabilitating homeless and landless people.
Purchasing lands by government is a unique example in the world. Taka 108 crore 91 lakh 20 thousand has been allocated for purchasing lands, he added.
He mentioned that a total of 6,891 landless and homeless families will be rehabilitated on the houses to be built at purchased lands.
Prime Minister's Deputy Press Secretary Hasan Jahid Tusher and Assistant Press Secretary M M Emrul Kayas were present on the occasion while Savar Upazilla Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Md Mazharul Islam and Shimulia Union Parishad Chairman ABM Azaharul Islam Suruj also spoke on the occasion.
Md Mazharul Islam said the government has recovered 1.41 acres land which was occupied by Dhaka Shanghai Ceramics Limited in Gohailbari area under Shimulia union of Savar upazila.
Dhaka-Shanghai Ceramics was founded by a group of pro-BNP businessman and politician Mossadak Ali Falu.
Approximate market price of the recovered khas land is around Taka 2,967 crore, Mazharul Islam said.
At the place, he said, the government is constructing 64 houses for the homeless families.
"While recovering the land, we faced challenges in several times. But, we overcame every difficulties successfully and recovered the land," he added.
Earlier, at a press briefing at Prime Minister's Office, Md Tofazzel Hossain Miah said as part of the government's target to ensure housing for the landless and homeless people 65,474 more single houses are being constructed under third phase of Ashrayan-2 Project.
At the third phase of Ashrayan-2, he said, the government has raised the cost and brought changes in design to make Ashrayan houses more sustainable and climate-resilient.
Now the landless and homeless people will get better quality abodes along with two decimals of land, he added.
He mentioned the cost against each house has been increased to Taka 2,59,500 from Taka 1,91,000 to make the houses more durable and spectacular.
Besides, portable houses are given to homeless families staying in Char lands so that they can move their abode during soil erosion, he said.
A total of 1,17,329 single houses were constructed under first and second phases of the project while 1,82,803 houses have been allotted till the current fiscal year of 2021-2022.
Taka 3971 crore 6 lakh 83 thousand was allocated for construction of single houses till current fiscal year.
Some 1042 specially designed houses have been allotted for char region under the third phase. Special design has been made as the houses can be shifted to other places in view of any natural disaster like cyclone or flood.
Under the Ashrayan project, a total of 7,08,003 families have been rehabilitated till current fiscal year since 1997.
The number of rehabilitated people is 35,40,015 (estimated as five persons in a family).
According to project details, the unique feature of the Ashrayan Project perceived by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is that there is a the special connection of housing activities with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Building houses alone can have major footprints in the attainment of various sustainable development goals.
Housing is related to positive changes in the areas of education, health, security, empowerment, women's empowerment as well as inclusive development.