LAKSMIPUR, July 19, 2022 (BSS) - 'Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Guccho Gram' at Char Poragacha Union at Ramgati upazila of Lakshmipur district has become a model of providing shelter to the landless and homeless people across the country.

After independence, on February 20, 1972, the architect of the Independent Bangladesh, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman visited the remote area of Char Poragacha and allotted 590 acres of land for 210 families of river erosion and cyclone hit people.

It was the first village tour of Bangabandhu outside Dhaka in independent Bangladesh and the first initiative of Bangladesh to give shelter to the landless and homeless people.

Beneficiaries of the area still now remember the memory of Bangabandhu with proud and joy. They are now leading a standard life with all facilities of modern village.

Talking to BSS, Freedom Fighter Ekram Uddin, a beneficiary of the Bangabandhu's initiative, said that time they faced an uncertainty due to river erosion, but the declaration of Bangabandhu created hopes in their life.

"2.5 acres land was allotted for each family," he added.

He mentioned that this is a prudent planning of Bangabandhu and for that now each family is living smoothly despite increasing the number of population of their families.

Ekram Uddin said 85 acres land were allotted for market, school, ponds, mosque and temple.

 Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) General of the Lakshmipur District Nure Alam said the government has taken initiative to preserve the memory of Bangabandhu at the place.

For preserving the memory, he informed, a monument, a children park, two markets and 28 houses are being constructed at a cost of around Taka 8.50 crore.

It is reported that the Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, had arrived by a helicopter in the morning of February 20, 1972. He then inaugurated the road construction work by voluntarily digging the soil with spade after a short speech.

Nure Alam said Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman prioritized the issue of rehabilitation of disaster affected people and made his first out of Dhaka tour to Ramgati Upazila of Lakshmipur district (the then Noakhali) within 40 days of his arrival in country from the jail of Pakaistan, and allotted 2.5 acres of land to each homeless family.