Living conditions ignored while building houses for the homeless
The government's undertaking to hand over thousands of houses to the homeless across the country to mark the birth centenary of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman this year is commendable. According to a recent report in this daily, in Moulvibazar alone, under the first phase of the Ashrayan-2 project of the Prime Minister's Office, it will hand over 1,126 houses to homeless families on January 23. However, there is a worrying concern regarding the 300 recipients in Srimangal upazila—the government land where most of these houses are being built in Srimangal is surrounded by hillocks, covered in natural vegetation or tea plantations, and is prone to flash floods as well as attacks by wild animals.
Each family unit has been allocated 285 square feet of area—with two bedrooms, one kitchen, one toilet and one veranda. However, the exterior wall and foundations of the structures are being made of plain bricks, without using reinforced cement concrete (RCC) columns or beams embedded with steel rebars. Locals have opined that not only are the small rooms (about nine feet by eight feet) unsuitable for habitation, but as the houses are built at the bottom of the hills, without any elevated platforms or foundations, they are more likely to be flooded during heavy downpours, and are also at high risk of being damaged by mudslides.
It is disappointing to know that the execution of such a noble cause has been so unplanned in Srimangal, with neither the topographical aspects nor the local environment being taken into consideration. If there are any untoward accidents or natural disasters, who will be held responsible for the people who will be affected by it? Housing is a fundamental need that our citizens are surely deserving of—the provision of which should take into account the safety and basic comfort of its occupants, regardless of which social background they are from. If the houses do not serve the purpose of providing shelter to the homeless, it will also be a waste of government funds. We hope the concerned authorities will look into the matter while there is still time and ensure that the housing provided will protect its occupants from climatic events/disasters and will provide a minimum standard of living. The ownership of property is a dream for the people at the lowest rungs of society and while fulfilling this dream is a praiseworthy initiative, we must also take the safety and dignity of these people into account.
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