With new homes ready, Eid comes early for them this year

Some 32,904 houses built under the government's Ashrayan Project-2 will be handed over to landless and homeless families on Tuesday.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will formally hand over the houses to the families as Eid gifts.

Tofazzel Hossain Miah, senior secretary at the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), said the premier would be virtually connected to the handover ceremonies at four upazilas.

The upazilas are Faridpur's Nagarkanda, Barguna Sadar, Sirajganj Sadar and Chattogram's Anwara.

The homeless say they are happy to be able to move into new homes before Eid. The first Eid to be celebrated at their own homes has added a different dimension to their lives.

The Business Standard talked to Sharmin Akhter, a widow who will get a government home in Chattogram, on Monday. Sharmin said her husband died 17 days ago. She will move into her new home with her only son.

"We have been living in poverty for a long time. My husband fell ill after a stroke six months ago and died recently. On his deathbed, my husband prayed for well-being of the PM," Sharmin said.  

Mohammad Nezam, another project beneficiary in Chattogram, is a construction worker. He had been staying with his in-laws.    

"I spent most of my life in someone else's house. What could be more exciting than to be able to move into my own home," he said.

Chattogram's Khurshida Begum said she will move into her house with her three sons and a daughter. She said she is very happy.

Yaar Mohammad lost his home and land in the devastating 1991 cyclone. He had been living on the seashore embankment since then. Yaar Mohammad said he is happy to get a house with land under Ashrayan Project-2. He thanked the prime minister, and said his family will be able to celebrate Eid in their new home thanks to the generosity of the premier.

PMO Senior Secretary Tofazzel Hossain Miah said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has stated that no one in Bangladesh will remain homeless on the occasion of Mujib Year.

He said each housing unit has two rooms spanning around 871 square feet. The PM herself was involved in preparing the design of the houses.

"In the first phase, 60,191 houses were handed over on 23 January 2021 and 53,300 houses on 20 June 2021. The total number of houses built in the first and second phases is around 1.17 lakh, while the number of houses under construction in the third phase is 65,674," he said.

Tofazzel Hossain Miah said the houses are being officially allocated jointly to husband and wife.