BSS, Rangpur :
A total of 700 river-erosion victim families,living in 70 barracks at ten projects built under the ‘Asrayan Prokalpo’ in Gangachara upazila, in Rangpur have changed their fate in recent years.
The rehabilitated floating families lost everything following repeated river erosion over the years. However, continuous government assistances being provided to them under the project have made them self-reliant.
Under the ‘Asrayan Prokalpo’, the rehabilitated 700 river-eroded families have now got houses, a permanent address and an option for a better livelihood with a dream of brighter future for their children. The rehabilitated women at Purbo Kochua-1 and 2 Asrayan Prokalpo,
Neelchondi Asrayan Prokalpo, Chengmari Asrayan Prokalpo-1, Bagpur Asrayan Prokalpo, Balatari Asrayan Prokalpo and Chengmari 1 and 2 Asrayan Prokalpo and Lalchand Asrayan Prokalpo recently narrated their success stories. Talking to BSS, rehabilitated Feroza, Shahzadi, Beauty, Mariyam, Lalbanu and many others at Purbo Kochua-1 Asrayan Prokalpo narrated their stories of sufferings and getting back life anew with hopes and aspirations. Earlier, the river eroded families led floating life amid untold miseries on embankments, high lands or other places for 9 to 14 years or even more after losing houses, property, arable lands and everything they had.
“We have got houses, an address, livelihoods and dream of brighter future for our children following the comprehensive social safety-net programmes being implemented by the present government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina,” the women said. The beneficiary women have got necessary training, input and support from local government departments while Upazila Cooperative Office is providing them with revolving interest-free micro credits for income generating activities.
“We have been earning profits to increase our capitals through small-scale businesses, animal husbandry, poultry, tree plantation, vegetables and fruit farming at homesteads,” said rehabilitated Bulbuli Begum, Aklima and Tobiya Khatun.
Like many others, Feroza Begum said she became homeless 17 years back after the river Teesta devoured everything they had in nearby village Purbo Kochua Fakirpara.
She narrated how she passed miserable days for many years amid uncertainty with her two children on the lands of others and flood control embankments and stories of achieving self-reliance and overcoming malnutrition of her family members.
“But, everything started changing when I got shelter at Purbo Kochua-1
Asrayan Prokalpo after the then government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina completed its construction during her previous tenure 1996-2001,” she added.
After providing training in income generation, Gangachara Upazila
Cooperative Office gives Taka 6,000 as microcredit loan in the beginning to every rehabilitated family, she said.
“I first bought a heifer, started grocery business and completed loan
payments timely to get Taka 10,000 microcredit and subsequently Taka 15,000 again when I took lease of seven decimal cultivable lands that give three crops a year,” she said.
“I am now leading a happier life and I have assets including three cows,grocery shop and others amounting to over Taka 4 lakh though I had nothing after becoming homeless following river erosion,” a happier Feroza said.
Similarly, rehabilitated women Shahzadi, divorcee Begum, Anichha Begum and many others narrated success stories of achieving self-reliance after getting cooperative microcredit loans four to five times so far and timely re- payments of those.
Chairman of local Nohali union Abul Kalam Azad Titul said the government assistance under the ‘Asrayan Prokalpo’ have changed fortune of the rehabilitated families and their children are now going to schools with a dream of better future.
A total of 700 river-erosion victim families,living in 70 barracks at ten projects built under the ‘Asrayan Prokalpo’ in Gangachara upazila, in Rangpur have changed their fate in recent years.
The rehabilitated floating families lost everything following repeated river erosion over the years. However, continuous government assistances being provided to them under the project have made them self-reliant.
Under the ‘Asrayan Prokalpo’, the rehabilitated 700 river-eroded families have now got houses, a permanent address and an option for a better livelihood with a dream of brighter future for their children. The rehabilitated women at Purbo Kochua-1 and 2 Asrayan Prokalpo,
Neelchondi Asrayan Prokalpo, Chengmari Asrayan Prokalpo-1, Bagpur Asrayan Prokalpo, Balatari Asrayan Prokalpo and Chengmari 1 and 2 Asrayan Prokalpo and Lalchand Asrayan Prokalpo recently narrated their success stories. Talking to BSS, rehabilitated Feroza, Shahzadi, Beauty, Mariyam, Lalbanu and many others at Purbo Kochua-1 Asrayan Prokalpo narrated their stories of sufferings and getting back life anew with hopes and aspirations. Earlier, the river eroded families led floating life amid untold miseries on embankments, high lands or other places for 9 to 14 years or even more after losing houses, property, arable lands and everything they had.
“We have got houses, an address, livelihoods and dream of brighter future for our children following the comprehensive social safety-net programmes being implemented by the present government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina,” the women said. The beneficiary women have got necessary training, input and support from local government departments while Upazila Cooperative Office is providing them with revolving interest-free micro credits for income generating activities.
“We have been earning profits to increase our capitals through small-scale businesses, animal husbandry, poultry, tree plantation, vegetables and fruit farming at homesteads,” said rehabilitated Bulbuli Begum, Aklima and Tobiya Khatun.
Like many others, Feroza Begum said she became homeless 17 years back after the river Teesta devoured everything they had in nearby village Purbo Kochua Fakirpara.
She narrated how she passed miserable days for many years amid uncertainty with her two children on the lands of others and flood control embankments and stories of achieving self-reliance and overcoming malnutrition of her family members.
“But, everything started changing when I got shelter at Purbo Kochua-1
Asrayan Prokalpo after the then government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina completed its construction during her previous tenure 1996-2001,” she added.
After providing training in income generation, Gangachara Upazila
Cooperative Office gives Taka 6,000 as microcredit loan in the beginning to every rehabilitated family, she said.
“I first bought a heifer, started grocery business and completed loan
payments timely to get Taka 10,000 microcredit and subsequently Taka 15,000 again when I took lease of seven decimal cultivable lands that give three crops a year,” she said.
“I am now leading a happier life and I have assets including three cows,grocery shop and others amounting to over Taka 4 lakh though I had nothing after becoming homeless following river erosion,” a happier Feroza said.
Similarly, rehabilitated women Shahzadi, divorcee Begum, Anichha Begum and many others narrated success stories of achieving self-reliance after getting cooperative microcredit loans four to five times so far and timely re- payments of those.
Chairman of local Nohali union Abul Kalam Azad Titul said the government assistance under the ‘Asrayan Prokalpo’ have changed fortune of the rehabilitated families and their children are now going to schools with a dream of better future.
