RAJSHAHI, Oct 31, 2020 (BSS) – Underling the importance of ensuring safe habitat for all speakers at a meeting here today unanimously called for bringing all the low-income families under safe habitation for improving their living and livelihood condition.
They observed that present government under the dynamic and visionary leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been working relentlessly to this end and all government and non-government entities should supplement the government endeavour.
Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC) and Brac Urban Development Programme (UDP) jointly organized the meeting to mark the World Habitat Day- 2020 at the city bhaban conference hall.
The theme of the year is ‘Housing for all: A better urban future’.
RCC Panel Mayor Shariful Islam Babu addressed the meeting as chief guest with Chief Executive Officer Dr Sharif Uddin in the chair.
RCC Secretary Abu Hayat Rahmatullah, Executive Engineer Nur Islam, Chief Conservancy Officer Sheikh Mamun and Brac Regional Coordinator of UDP Farzana Parvin Shampa addressed as focal persons.
The meeting was told that 90,873 people from 24,179 households living in different slum areas in the city have got the scopes of improving their lives and livelihood conditions amid intervention of the UDP taken for reducing their multi-dimensional poverty and deprivation.
Brac has been implementing the project in association with RCC to engage multi-sectorial partners to create employment opportunities for the urban poor people, and improve their overall living and livelihood conditions and realize basic rights.
During her concept paper presentation, Farzana Parvin told the meeting that 17,500 youths, including around 13,000 females aged from 15 to 29 are getting necessary knowledge through need-based promotional activities under the project.
Slum dwellers are getting safe drinking water, sanitation, housing and education facilities and their living and livelihood conditions are ultimately improving, she informed.
Some 3,000 youths are being imparted with either three or six-month need-based vocational and technical training, she said.
Shariful Islam said proper housing for people living in urban poverty has become a prerequisite to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDG-11), and ensure planned urbanization and continued economic progress of the city.
He focused on stronger collaboration between the government and non-government organizations, and involving public representatives and other relevant stakeholders to promote plans for people living in urban poor areas.