Ashrayan homes bring smile to millions

Realising the sufferings of the homeless, marginal and ultra-poor people, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, after coming to power in 1996, envisioned the Ashrayan project for the rehabilitation of millions.
 
"In all shabby weather, particularly during monsoon and winter, we had to face unbound sufferings,as I virtually lived under the open sky," according to Monira Begum, one of the beneficiaries of the Prime Minister’s Ashrayan Project.

Now, smiles glowed on Monira’s face after she received her dream home in Lakshmipur district, about 190 km from the capital Dhaka.

Like Monira, a small piece of land and a home on it have made thousands of shelter-less people happy as they got it as ‘gift’, free of cost, from the Prime Minister.

"Ashrayan project has changed the lifestyle of my family, as the home has provided me with sources of livelihood and created some other facilities as well, like water supply, hygiene and sanitation," according to Monira.

In rural Bangladesh, thousands of people had, since the country’s independence, to live by floating from one place to another to sustain their lives. They had no permanent address.

"After 50 years of independence, we have got our permanent address thanks to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s noble gesture," Monira observed.

The Ashrayan project—a home for the homeless—is seen as a "Sheikh Hasina Model" for inclusive development. So far, around 1.0 million families received such homes across the country, giving shelter to more than 3.5 million people.

According to the officials, in the first phase of their project, a total of 63,999 houses were distributed among the poor, 53,330 houses in the second phase, and 59,133 houses in the third phase.

With the success of the Ashrayan Project 1, the government initiated the Ashrayan Project 2. And under the project, a total of 39365 houses have so far been allocated among the poor, bringing their total number of houses to 2,15,827.

In 1972, after independence, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman initiated the programme for the housing of the poor. But, after his brutal murder in 1975, the rulers kept the programme in abeyance, leading to an increase in the number of homeless people due to river erosion and other natural disasters.

So, the Ashrayan Project, envisaged by Sheikh Hasina, was just a reinforcement of the footprint of Bangabandhu for the welfare of the toiling masses.

Under the Ashrayan projects, the government has rehabilitated 5,54,597 families, and out of them, 2,16,704 families were rehabilitated in different programmes under various ministries.

Through providing shelter to the ultra-poor, the Prime Minister has boosted the confidence of the downtrodden to live with their basic rights to shelter, alleviate their poverty, and live in society with dignity.

Of course, after getting their homes, the beneficiaries would express their gratitude to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for making their dreams come true and their lives meaningful.

Under their project, their prime minister handed over the deeds of the two-decimal land and the keys of the two-room home with separate kitchen and veranda to the beneficiaries.

The Ashrayan project is a life-changing initiative of the government for the welfare of the country’s poor, who can now dream of a new life.

Amena Begum, a 49-year-old from the district, narrated BSS about her long sufferings with sick and physically challenged children.

Amena used to work as a maidservant from house to house, keeping her children in a makeshift slum. Now, she has a shelter in the Ashrayan project.

Pramila Karmakar married Ranjit Karmakar 30 years back and had been living in a rented house. The couple, day labourers by profession, have given marriage to their three daughters but could not arrange their own home in their struggling lives.

"When my sons-in-law came to my house, I could not provide them a place to sit. Now, I am very happy as I'm the owner of a home," Pramila said.

A 42-year-old Arefin from Dolnarchar in Daudkandi said, "I never imagined that I would have a permanent house on my own land."

Arefin planted vegetables and fruit trees around his house, attracting the attention of local people.

He also runs a shop in a corner of the house and lives with his only daughter and mother.

"I loved this home very much, and after coming here, I did not even go anywhere for a moment, Arefin said as tears rolled down his cheek.

Daudkandi Upazila Parishad chairman Muhammad Ali Sumon told BSS that every human being has a fundamental right to have access to their housing. The Ashrayan Project is a real manifestation of realising the rights of the people.

Many underprivileged people, including transgender people, tea garden workers, and leprosy patients, have found shelter in the Ashrayan project in his area, the chairman said, extending gratitude to the Prime Minister and her government for taking this great reformative initiative.

Daudkandi Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Mohinul Hasan recalled the prime minister’s announcement on the occasion of the Mujib Barsha, saying they are working to ensure that no one is left without a home in the country.

Under the Ashrayan project, a total of 487 homeless people were enlisted in Daudkandi Upazila, and out of them, 300 houses were already handed over. The remaining houses would be allocated in the month of June, the UNO said.