The people living in Dargah Bari Ashrayan Project, located in Bajita area under Madhabkhali Union in Mirzaganj upazila of Patuakhali, are now passing their days in misery as there is no electricity and arrangement of safe drinking water in their houses.
The Ashrayan Project is a government initiative in Bangladesh aimed at providing housing for the homeless and landless people in the country. While many people were allotted houses under this project who otherwise would not have a place to live, the condition of houses allotted under the project is often poor, with many lacking access to running water and electricity in many places.
The same can be seen said about the houses in Dargah Bari Ashrayan Project. Large cracks have appeared in the wall of their houses, as well as in the toilets. Even after 10 years since the construction, the residents have not received the land deeds. The area becomes pitch black as the sun goes down. It is a heartbreaking scene of unbearable living conditions. Such an inhuman life is being endured by the residents of the Dargah Bari Ashrayan Project.
It was learnt that in 2014, the Ashrayan Project was constructed on government khas land beside the embankment in Bajita (3rd section) village, funded by the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief. Three buildings were constructed, each containing five rooms. Separate toilets and tube wells were installed for each building. However, even after nearly a decade, electricity has yet to be connected to this shelter. As a result, the residents rely on kerosene lamps and lanterns for their children's studies and for having dinner at night.
When this correspondent visited the area, it was seen that although there are three buildings in the shelter, one of them is completely uninhabitable. Large cracks have formed in the walls, and most areas of this building have collapsed. The structure could fall down at any moment. In addition, water leaks through the ceilings in many rooms of the other buildings. The plaster is falling off, and the flooring is coming apart. While there is a tube well, it does not provide water properly. The shelter is in a dilapidated condition. The residents of the Ashrayan Project complained about their living condition, saying, it has been many years, yet we still have not received our land deeds or electricity. Without the land deeds, we cannot claim ownership of the land in the shelter. People from the surrounding areas plant trees on this land, and when we try to plant our own trees, they come to threaten us. The lack of electricity makes it frightening for the small children as soon as night falls. The children cannot study properly. We barely manage to eat dinner by lighting a kerosene lamp. It is extremely difficult during the hot season, as the excessive heat makes the children ill. The toilets are also unusable, with no water supply available. There are cracks in the walls and ceilings, and rainwater seeps into the rooms. Many people have left due to the hardships, but we have no other place to go. Currently, six families are living here in extreme difficulty. Local Union Parishad Member Md Monir Hossain said the residents of the Ashrayan Project are living their life facing extreme hardship. Their situation could be improved significantly if electricity were provided in that area and their houses were renovated.
Mirzaganj Upazila Nirbahi Officer Md Tarikul Islam said measures will be taken according to the regulations after conducting an on-site investigation in the project. Steps have already been taken to renovate in some of the Ashrayan Project housing units. Initiatives will be taken to gradually solve the problems in all the Ashrayan Project housing.
