Speakers at a meeting observed that concerted efforts of all the entities concerned has become crucial for ensuring safe habitat for the slum dwellers as they contribute to the society in many ways. They viewed that improving living and livelihood condition of the distressed and underprivileged population side by side with ensuring their peaceful existence is one of the preconditions to overall development of the nation. So, importance should be given on the issue.
They came up with the observation recently while addressing a view-sharing meeting titled “Problems and Way-out of Slum Dwellers Habitat in Rajshahi City” at conference hall of Coffee Bar Restaurant in Rajshahi.Bangladesh Resource Centre for Indigenous Knowledge (BARCIK), a research-based development organization, arranged the meeting in association with various youth organizations including Barind Education, Cultural and Diversity Protection Centre.
During his concept paper presentation, BARCIK Regional Coordinator Shahidul Islam
gave an overview of the slum dwelling people along with their vulnerabilities. It was
also addressed, among others, Freedom Fighter Toybur Rahman, national environment award winning farmer Yousuf Ali Mollah, Business leader Sekendar Ali and General Secretary of Rajshahi Rakkha Sangram Parishad Jamat Khan.Some slum-dwelling people, who took part in the meeting, also shared the views on the issue depicting their grim picture.
The speakers unanimously noted that the slum dwellers in Rajshahi city areas should be given the scopes of getting safe drinking water, sanitation, housing and education facilities with ultimately goal of improving their living and livelihood conditions. They urged the authorities concerned to keep for special allocation for the population in the annual budget and international donor agencies to extend their furthermore cooperation in this field.
Shahidul Islam said the poor, extremely poor and other underprivileged populations in the slum areas face eviction and various other problems related to water and airborne diseases as they suffer a lot due to constraints of safe drinking water and sanitation.
