A different Eid gift for ex-beggars
This year the Eid celebration was quite different for physically challenged Julmat Ali, 60, and his family of Keshba village in Kishoreganj upazila as he got a new home on the eve of Eid-ul-Fitr, which was a special Eid gift from the upazila administration.
Alongside Julmat, the joy became significant for many others like Hasina Bewa of Barovita village, Khatiar Rahman of Ranchandi, Monjila Khatun of Magura village, who earlier lived on begging, but now have the opportunity to celebrate the Eid in their own houses.
As many as 100 people who lived on begging got new houses under Ashrayon-2 Project, initiated directly from the Prime Minister's Office, on Friday, Upazila Project Implementation Officer (PIO) Mofakhkharul Islam said.
Mofakhkharul, also secretary of upazila beggars' house building committee, said under government scheme, each beneficiary received a 256 square feet tin-shed room with a veranda and a sanitary latrine, built at a cost of Tk one lakh.
“I used to work as a farm labourer 10 years ago. After losing one of my legs in a road accident I had to start begging as I have no alternative to maintain my family, which was a shameful experience for me,” Julmat said.
“Earlier, I was enlisted under the beggars rehabilitation programme and was provided Tk 8,000 to start a grocery shop beside my house,” he added.
Alema Bewa said earlier she and her two daughters had to sleep on others' veranda or cowshed as she had no house.
Upazila Parishad Chairman Rashidul Islam, also advisor to the beggars' rehabilitation committee, said as per the project principle, beggars who have at least one decimal of land and gave up begging for quite sometime were brought under the rehabilitation programme.
Earlier, the beneficiaries were provided financial support under the government's 'Ekti bari, ekti khamar' project so that they can start income-generating works, the chairman said.
Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Mehedi Hasan, president of upazila beggars' house building committee, said as many as 100 beggars received new houses under Asrayan-2 Project on the eve of the Eid so that they can celebrate the occasion joyously.
Among 1,477 enlisted beggars, a total of 790 people in the upazila have received as many houses under the project since 2016, the UNO said.
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