SAVAR, Dhaka, March 30, 2022 (BSS) - 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, the government has raised the cost and
brought changes in design to make houses more sustainable and climate-
resilient.
 
Now the landless and homeless people will get better quality abodes along
with two decimals of land.
 
The cost against each house has been increased to Taka 259,500 from Taka
1,91,000 to make the houses more durable and spectacular, Senior Secretary of
Prime Minister's Office (PMO) Md Tofazzel Hossain Miah told reporters on
Tuesday at PMO.
 
Besides, portable houses are given to homeless families staying in Char lands
so that they can move their abode during soil erosion, he said.
 
At a press briefing at Gohailbari Ashrayan in Shimulia union under Savar
upazila today -- before which two groups of journalists under the arrangement
of PMO went on a three-day field visit to Ashrayan Project in countryside --
Project Director of Ashrayan-2 Abu Saleh Mohammad Ferdous Khan said on the
occasion of the 'Mujib Barsho', the government is constructing 65,474 more
single houses for homeless and landless families under third phase of
Ashrayan-2.
 
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.
 
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, he added.

He said, adding Taka 3,971 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 so that the houses can be
shifted to other places in view of any natural disaster like cyclone or
flood.

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 6891 landless and homeless families will be
rehabilitated on the houses to be built at purchased lands.

The government recovered 5512.04 acres of khas land from illegal occupation
across the country for constructing houses for the project on the occasion of
Mujib Barsho, he added.

He said the approximate market price of the recovered khas land is Taka 2967
crore 9 lakh.

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 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.