Free govt houses bring self-dignity for homeless people: PM

Dhaka, Bangladesh Global: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today said the houses being given free of costs under the Ashrayan projects are bringing self-dignity and self-respect for the homeless and landless people.

"Houses are being given free of cost under various Ashrayan projects. So, the living standard of the landless and homeless people has changed which brought self-dignity for them and made them self-confident. It is important for Bangladesh's development," she said.

The premier made the remarks while handing over 18,566 more houses to homeless and landless families as gift before Eid across the country under the government's flagship housing programme-Ashrayan-2 Prakalpa to ensure housing for all.

She distributed the homes along with the ownership documents of land among the beneficiaries through a video-conferencing from a function at her official Ganabhaban residence here.

"We're providing the houses as Eid gift," sheikh Hasina said.

She said her government's main duty is to serve the people as they have kept confidence in the Awami League and voted the her party to power time and again.

"Our duty is to serve the people. My father announced himself as the servant of the people. I am also working as the servant of the people following the footprints of my father," she added.

The prime minister said her government is working to give the people a beautiful and improved life as dreamt by the Father of the Nation.

Sheikh Hasina said her government first initiated the Ashrayan project giving houses to 70 families at Saint Martin Island of Cox's Bazar in 1997 coming to power after 21 years following the footprints of the Father of the Nation.

Briefly describing various measures to reach healthcare services to the people's doorsteps, ensure education for all and make people free from the curse of poverty, she said Bangladesh won't lag behind in the days to come

"Bangladesh will never lag behind in any way. We're working to achieve the target. We must take the country ahead," she said.

The prime minister said her government is taking measures to fulfill every demand of the people.

"We are fulfilling the basic rights of the people that include food, clothing, accommodation, treatment and education guaranteed by the constitution," she said.

The head of the government called upon the beneficiaries to take care of the houses considering those as their own properties.

"If everyone - rich or poor - takes care of their properties properly, we would never have to look back," she said.

The prime minister also reiterated her call to all to be economical in using water and electricity.

Referring to the wars and sanctions and counter sanctions, she said the inflation has increased globally and Bangladesh has to bear the brunt of global situation.

To face the situation, she re-urged all to bring every inch of land under cultivation.

"Grow whatever you can in your land," she said.

Highlight various programmes taken by her government for the overall development, the prime minister said they have transformed Bangladesh into a developing country and digital one by implementing the Vision 2021.

She said her government is now pursuing the Vision-2041 to make it a developed, prosperous and Smart Bangladesh.

About measures taken for the cyclone Remal affected people, she said her government has already prepared the list of the affected people.
She also said her government will build the houses which is completely damaged and give equipment to repair the partially damaged houses.

The prime minister assured all that her government will always remain beside the people affected by the natural calamities.

"You (natural calamity affected people) don't need to worry as we are ready to stand by you," she said.

She also said they are working to ensure civic amenities for the rural people across the country.

"We'll bring every village under the coverage of the civic amenities and the people of every village will enjoy it," she added.

Sheikh Hasina, as well, thanked the Nation and leaders and activists of the Awami League for movement to release her from the jail on this day in 2008.

She said she was arrested in July of 2007 in false cases filed by the then caretaker government and the BNP-Jamaat alliance government.

The prime minister said her government is extending all kind of assistances to increase food production.

She also announced 70 more upazilas of 26 districts landless-and-homeless-free by handing over the houses under the second stage of the fifth phase of Ashrayan-2 Prakalpa, raising the number of landless and homeless free districts to 58 and the upazilas to 464 across the country.

The premier later exchanged views with the beneficiaries.

PM's Principal Secretary Md Tofazzel Hossain Miah moderated the house distribution programme.

A video documentary on the house schemes was also screened on the occasion.

The prime minister distributed 1,282 houses in Lalmonirhat, 261 in Cox's Bazar and 1,234 in Bhola districts.

Earlier, she distributed 63,999 houses in the first phase, 53,330 in the second phase, 59,133 in the third phase and 39,365 in the fourth phase of the Ashrayan-2 Prakalpa across the country.

Under the project, each of the landless and homeless families is being given a semi-pucca house on two decimals of land with the ownership in the name of both husband and wife.

Each house consists of two bedrooms, one kitchen, one toilet and veranda.

According to the project details, a total of 266,012 landless and homeless families were rehabilitated in the first, second, third, fourth and the first stage of the fifth phases of the Ashrayan-2 Prakalpa.

Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman introduced the rehabilitation programme for homeless people in 1972.

Following the footprints of Bangabandhu, her daughter Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina took the initiative to provide ownership of houses and lands to homeless and landless people through the Ashrayan project in 1997.

Under the Ashrayan project, a total of 771,301 families have been rehabilitated so far since 1997. The number of rehabilitated people is 3,856,505 (estimated as five persons in a family).

So far 4,340,000 people of 867,904 landless and homeless families have been rehabilitated under the Ashrayan and other programmes across the country while 2,910,265 people of 582,053 landless and homeless people have been rehabilitated under the Ashrayan Prakalpa only, the document said.