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DHAKA, April 25, 2022 (BSS) - Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will hand over 32,904 houses to landless and homeless families under the third phase of Ashrayan-2 Project on Tuesday (April 26) ahead of the Eid-ul-Fitr.
 
"Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will virtually hand over deeds and keys of houses to the landless and homeless people on Tuesday," Senior Secretary of Prime Minister's Office (PMO) Md Tofazzel Hossain Miah told reporters at a press briefing here on Sunday at the PMO.
 
The premier will be connected virtually from her official Ganabhaban residence with four places in four districts under the project at 11 am, he mentioned.
 
The 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.
 
In Faridpur district, a total of 696 houses will be given to homeless and landless people in nine upazilas under third phase of the Ashrayan-2 Project.
 
At a press briefing at Poradia Balia Ashrayan Project under Nagarkanda Upazila, Deputy Commissioner of Faridpur Atul Sarker today said the government has a target to provide houses to 4,994 landless and homeless families in three phases under the Ashrayan-2 Project.
 
In first phase, 2035 families were given houses while 1,572 families got shelters in the second phase in the district, he said, adding that keys of 696 houses will be handed over to homeless and landless families as Eid gifts tomorrow under the third phase.
 
A total of 1,387 families will get shelters under the third phase, he mentioned. 
  
Sarker said 110 houses will be handed over in Nagarkanda upazila tomorrow.
 
Prime Minister's Deputy Press Secretary KM Shakhawat Moon and officials of the district and upazila administration were present on the occasion at Poradia Balia Ashrayan Project area. 
 

Earlier, Tofazzel Hossain Miah said a total of 65,674 more single houses will be handed over across the country under the third phase of Ashrayan-2 Project.
 
Under the project, ownership of land and house is being given in the joint names of husband and wife of landless, homeless, miserable and uprooted families, he mentioned.
 
He said that at the third phase of Ashrayan-2, the government has raised the cost and brought changes in design to make the houses more sustainable and climate-resilient.
 
Now the landless and homeless people will get better quality tin-shed semi-pucca houses on two decimals of land, he added.
 
Tofazzel Hossain Miah informed that the cost against each house has been increased to Taka 2,59,500 from Taka 1,91,000 to make the houses more sustainable.
 
He said the government is constructing the houses having strong great-beam, lintel and Reinforced concrete column (RCC) pillar for making the houses more sustainable.
 
According to the project details, a total of 1,17,329 single 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, he added.
 
On January 23 in 2021, 63,999 homeless and landless families received houses under the first phase and 53,330 families got a roof over their heads under second phase of the Ashrayan-2 Project on June 20 last year.
 
Tofazzel Hossain informed that Taka 3,972 crore 7 lakh 5 thousand was allocated for construction of single houses till current fiscal year.
 
Some 1,242 specially designed houses have been allotted for char region under the third phase, he mentioned.
 
Special design for portable houses has been made so that the houses can be shifted to other places in view of any natural disaster like cyclone or flood, he added.
 
Apart from khas land, he said, the government has purchased 168.32 acres of land for rehabilitating homeless and landless people. 
 
"Purchasing lands by government is a unique example in the world," he said.

According to project details, Taka 115.33 crore has been allocated for purchasing lands.
 
A total of 7,456 landless and homeless families will be rehabilitated on the houses to be built on the purchased lands.
 
The government recovered 5,512.04 acres of khas land from illegal occupation across the country for constructing houses for the project on the occasion of Mujib Barsho. Approximate market price of the recovered khas land is Taka 2,967 crore 9 lakh.
 
Under the Ashrayan project, a total of 5,07,244 families have been rehabilitated till March, 2022 from 1997. 
 
Under the project, rehabilitated families are brought under VGF programs for 3 months. 
 
According to the government policy, the benefits of freedom fighters, the elderly, widows and the disabled are considered with priority under the social benefits program.
 
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).
 
Other social organizations and NGOs are also involved in these programs. 
Free electricity connection is provided for the rehabilitated families and tube-wells are being installed for safe water at the project site. 
Community centres, prayer houses and graveyards, ponds and roads for internal communication are also being facilitated. 
 
Different types of fruits, forest and medicinal trees are being planted in the project area. Homeless people are also being encouraged to be involved in agricultural work.
 
The unique feature of the Ashrayan Project perceived by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is that there is a 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.