❐ Staff Reporter
Reshma Begum (48) lives in a hut on government land in Paschim Samitypara, Cox’s Bazar town. Her husband, Amir Hossain, used to run a rickshaw. He is now unemployed after his hand was amputated in a road accident. After their home in Tablerchar, Kutubdia, was swept away by the sea in the devastating cyclone and tidal wave of April 29, 1991, they came to Cox’s Bazar town for shelter. Reshma Begum collects vegetables from different places and sells them on the sidewalk. Even after more than three decades of being destitute, they have not found a permanent place to live.
Reshma Begum’s name was drawn in the lottery for the allocation of a flat in a special shelter project built for climate refugees in Khurushkul, Sadar Upazila, Cox’s Bazar on Sunday afternoon. She became emotional after being allotted a flat in a five-story building free of cost.
Reshma said, “I used to live in a polythene hut for so long. When it rained, I couldn’t sleep, I had to take shelter under the shop shed. Needless to say, there was no fan. My life was spent in the middle of mosquitoes day and night. Now I can’t imagine living in a five-story building. I pray for Sheikh Hasina. She built these buildings for the poor. But now her name cannot be taken, the government has banned it. Still, I pray to Allah for Sheikh Hasina. Whether anyone remembers her or not, I will pray for her and her children all my life.”
Like Reshma Begum, Abdul Hakim, a jailer in Kutubdiapara, also got a flat through the lottery. He said, “I never thought I would live in a five-story building, own a flat. After my name came up in the lottery, I couldn’t believe it at first. I will be able to move from a shack to a flat in a few days. I thank the government. And I thank Sheikh Hasina, the daughter of the sheikh who built the buildings thinking of the poor. No matter how people think of her, she is a blessing from Allah to us.”
Abdul Hakim’s wife Bilkis Akhter also agreed with her husband. However, she warned her husband not to talk too much. If the BNP leaders and activists find out, they might cause trouble, so she pulled her husband aside.
On Sunday, a lottery was held in Khurushkul to allocate flats among 730 families of the special shelter project for climate refugees. More than 2,000 climate refugees participated in it. Most of the beneficiaries are members of extremely poor and working-class families. The lottery was held in the presence of everyone under the management of the district administration. Through this, the dream of permanent housing for several hundred more displaced families has been paved.
Reshma Begum had her own home in Tablerchar, Kutubdia. That home was washed away by the sea in the cyclone and tidal wave of 1991. After that, they settled in Cox’s Bazar town. Numerous families like Reshma and Amir Hossain have been living in huts on private land for a long time.
Their lives are changing after they were allotted a flat in the Khurushkul shelter project. They said that their lives in the huts are changing because of the buildings built by the Awami League government. They are all happy to have the opportunity to live safely in the new flat.
600 families have already been rehabilitated in the first phase in 19 buildings that have already been constructed. Now, the second phase of rehabilitation has been completed.
Sheikh Hasina government’s priority project Khurushkul Ashrayan
The Khurushkul Special Shelter Project is a priority and the largest housing project of the Awami League government for the rehabilitation of climate refugees and landless people in Cox’s Bazar. It is implemented on the banks of the Bankkhali River under Shelter Project-2.
The Special Shelter for Climate Refugees project is being implemented at Khurushkul on the east side of the Bankkhali River to relocate and rehabilitate more than 4,000 refugee families for the expansion of the runway of Cox’s Bazar Airport. The project was implemented by the 34th Engineer Construction Brigade (ECB) of the Bangladesh Army under the office of Sheikh Hasina at a cost of Tk 1,457 crore during her tenure as Prime Minister.
A total of 139 modern 5-storey residential buildings were constructed under the project. Each flat is 456 square feet in size.
Apart from the building, street lights, mosques, temples, community centers, cyclone shelters, and market complexes have been constructed. Several bridges and jetties have been constructed for river communication. A drying hall has also been built. There, residents of the shelter project can directly bring fish and dry it.
In addition, solar panels, safe water systems, and waste management facilities have been installed.
A section of the displaced population at the flat distribution ceremony
The project, which began in December 2020 with the inauguration of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, is expected to be completed by December this year. The entire project will provide permanent housing for 4,128 families.
Project Director Lieutenant Colonel Mirajul Islam said, “Work is underway to complete the project within the stipulated time while maintaining quality standards. Their goal is to provide well-planned and environmentally friendly housing to people living in ordinary slums or huts. This is not just a housing project, but a humanitarian initiative to restore stability and dignity to the lives of climate refugee families.”
Mirajul Islam said that in addition to the building, various facilities including drainage, water treatment plants, solar power systems and jetties will also play a role in the socio-economic development of the area.
Deputy Commissioner Md. A. Mannan said, “From the beginning, the list was verified and a lottery was held in front of everyone in a transparent, impartial and accountable process, so that the real affected people get their due rights. Buildings and flats were allocated for 730 families on Sunday. These families will now have the opportunity to live a safe and better life.”
Superintendent of Police ANM Sajedur Rahman said, “The district police will work with utmost importance to prevent crime, drugs, theft, robbery and social disorder in the project area. Regular patrols, intelligence surveillance and necessary measures will be taken to ensure the safety of the residents.”
Additional Deputy Commissioner (Revenue) Imran Hossain Sajeeb, Upazila Executive Officer (UNO) Tahmina Akhter, Assistant Commissioner (Land) Md. Mashiur Rahman and others were also present at the lottery ceremony.
According to district administration sources, each five-storey building has 32 flats. Of these, the construction of 122 buildings has been completed. The work of the remaining buildings is also in the final stage. Earlier, 600 families have been rehabilitated in 19 buildings. In the second phase, building and flat numbers have been determined for 730 families. The remaining families will also be rehabilitated in the same process in phases.
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