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Speakers at an event in Sylhet on Saturday laid emphasis on the need for coordinated measures to face the increasing urban poverty in Sylhet City Corporation (SCC) area in 2020.
The function was arranged in connection with signing of an MOU between the SCC and BRAC.
The SCC mayor Ariful Haque Chowdhury and BRAC'S Urban Development Pogramme chief Hasina Moshrofa signed the three-year programme on behalf of their respective sides.
The programme is taken up with a target to achieving sustainable development towards SDG.
Education, health, social security and other citizen rights and facilities would be ensured for the target people under the programme, the organizers said. However, Brac would implement the programme in 20 cities and municipal areas countrywide at same time.
Addressing as the chief guest Ariful Haque Chowdhury said coordinated efforts of the NGOs working on different sectors is very much essential to achieve the goals of poverty alleviation, health and sanitation programme and others of the poor on the slums in the city areas. Besides, involving the students of both public and private universities in the urban development activities would help us in a big way, he added.
Brac's Hasina Moshrofa said this programme was created to tackle the increasing incidence of urban poverty. "We create opportunities for people living in urban poverty to access affordable basic services, safe and productive jobs, affordable housing and transportation. We ensure that people can effectively engage with the government and realize their rights and entitlements," she said.
Aim of the programme is to making a major change on the poor of the city slums and others through direct participation of all concerned by need based interventions, the event was told.
Besides, proper implementation of the programme would develop the capability to lead and contribute to other urban initiatives by the government, academic institutions, INGOs and other private sector people.
SCC's Secretary Badrul Haque chaired it at a hotel while Ward councillors and officials, NGO activists and other social leaders were present.