BSS, Rangpur :
The Chars Livelihoods Programme (CLP) has successfully alleviated extreme poverty bringing fortune to 1.20 lakh have-nots group char families living in the riverine char islands on the Brahmaputra basin.
Under the comprehensive livelihoods development programme, the beneficiary landless char families have achieved self- reliance to lead better life bidding permanent good-bye to decades-old ‘monga’ in recent years.
The extremely poor people lived in utter miseries even a decade ago in the remote and hardly reachable char areas for having no income and livelihood during the lean periods of ‘Aswin’ and ‘Kartik’ months every year.
Now, they have achieved self-reliance to lead improved life with their family members through various income-generating activities after adapting with changing climate and natural disasters like floods in the riverine island chars.
Successful implementation of the comprehensive CLP activities effectively through GO-NGO collaboration has brought the success since 2004 improving life standard of the extremely poor char families.
Livelihoods Coordinator of CLP Dr. Mahbub Alam told BSS that the UKaid through the Department for International Development and Australian Government through Australian Agency for International Development are funding CLP implementation.
Under the sponsorship of the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives, CLP is being executed by the Rural Development and Cooperatives Division with the management through Maxwell Stamp Plc.
He narrated the multi-dimensional CLP activities being implemented by different NGOs in the riverine char islands to assist the char people in adapting with adverse situations and improving livelihoods.
“Some 55,000 poorest households were benefited under CLP phase-I during 2004-2010 and about 65,000 out of 75,000 households so far under phase-II (2010-2016) to improve livelihoods of 1.9 million extremely poor char people by 2016,” he added.
The CLP has been working with the extremely poor char households through providing package supports, assets, raising plinths and training for income generation activities under adverse situations to boost char economy and improve their life standard.
