Shelters for the homeless

The government has set up a cluster village to provide shelter for around 70 poor families at Latshala Char in Sundarganj upazila of Gaibandha district. Photo: Star

At least 110 families, who were rendered homeless by Teesta River erosion, have been provided with dwelling houses at Ramdakua and Latshala cluster villages in Sundarganj upazila.
More than 500 erosion-hit members of the families who had been living on flood control dyke for the last three years got the shelters.
Erosion by the river renders a large number of people homeless every year. Many of them take refuge on WDB embankment while the rest migrate to the char areas sources said.
Earlier, the government allocated Tk 1.68 crore for construction of 110 tin-shed houses to rehabilitate the ultra poor erosion-hit people, said sources in the upazila administration.
Of the total, 40 houses were built at Char Latshala while the rest at Ramdakua in Tarapur union.
Apart from giving shelter, the villagers would be provided with sanitation, water supply and education facilities for children, said the sources.
While visiting the spots a few days ago, this correspondent talked to Omar Ali, Nargis, Jahanara, Ambia, Shaheb Ali and Anwara, who expressed their gratitude to the authorities for providing them new houses besides other facilities.
"Erosion turned me into a destitute three years ago. I was living on the nearby dyke at Belka along with my five-member family. I am really grateful for getting a shelter, at last," said elderly Omar Ali.
Although the destitute people got the shelters, the cluster villages would be formally inaugurated soon, said upazila nirbahi officer Ahsan Habib.

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