BSS, Rangpur :
The cooperative micro-credit loan facilities have made the rehabilitated river-eroded families at Purbo Kochua-1 Asrayan Prokalpo here self-reliant through various income generation activities.
Side by side becoming self-reliant after 100 percent loan payments, the 90 rehabilitated homeless families in nine barracks there under Nohali union of Gangachara upazila have made own assets through proper utilisation of the microcredit loans.
Talking to BSS, the rehabilitated inhabitants said they got back new life and address with ensured livelihoods following the micro-credit loan facilities under the government’s comprehensive social safety-net programmes.
After getting training, input and support from local government departments, they are being provided with interest-free revolving micro-credit loans at only 8 percent service charge rate from the Upazila Cooperative Office for income generating activities.
“We are making good profits to raise our capitals through small- scale business, animal husbandry, poultry, tree plantation, vegetables and fruit farming,” said rehabilitated Nazrul Mian, 58, Bulbuli Begum, 43, and Tobiya Khatun, 53.
Rehabilitated couple Alef Uddin, 55, and Feroza Khatun, 45, said they became homeless thirteen years back along with many others as the Teesta devoured everything they had in nearby village Purbo Kochua Fakirpara.
They narrated the miserable days they passed for years amid uncertainty with son Sirajul, 23, and daughter Arjuma Khatun, 21, on the lands of others and flood control embankments.
“But, everything started changing when we got shelter at Purbo Kochua-1 Asrayan Prokalpo to begin new life as the then government of Sheikh Hasina completed its construction during her previous 1996-2001 tenure,” they couple said.
After providing necessary training, Upazila Cooperative Office formed Purbo Kochua Asrayan Phase-2 Project Multipurpose Cooperative Society Limited and provided with Taka 6,000 micro-credit to every rehabilitated family for income generating activities.
“We first bought a heifer, opened a grocery shop and completed loan payments through 45 weekly installments to get Taka 10,000 micro-credit again when we took lease of seven decimal cultivable lands that gives three crops, including paddy twice a year,” they said.
They again got Taka 15,000 cooperative micro-credit for the third time after paying all 45 weekly installments, completed marriage of their daughter, purchased a cow and made investment rest of the amount in grocery shop.
“We now lead a sound life and we have assets, including several cows, grocery shop and other properties to be estimated over Taka 2.50 lakh though we had nothing after becoming homeless following river erosion,” the couple said with smiling face.
Another couple Moshiar Rahman, 44, and Anichha Begum, 35, who were rehabilitated under the project there, said they purchased a heifer and old shallow machine after getting Taka 6,000 cooperative micro-credit first time.
After completing loan payments, they again got Taka 9,000 micro-credit, purchased another cow and 12 decimals cultivable land, again got Taka 12,000 and then Taka 15,000 after completing payments of the previously taken loans.
“We have now assets of Taka 2.30 lakh and we are earning through cultivating crops on own land, crushing paddy and irrigating crop fields of others using shallow machine and our children Minal, 15, Tazul, 9, and Tanzina, 8, are going to schools,” they said.
Couples Momidul Islam, 42, and his wife Beauty Khatun, 25, Anwar Hossain, 58, and his wife Shahzadi Begum, 48, and divorcee Bulbuli Begum, 45, achieved similar success after receiving micro-credit loans four times so far after 100 percent loan payments.
They thanked Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina through launching cooperative micro-credit loans to change their fortune when commoners are making failure to become self-reliant getting micro-credit with high interest rates from many private institutions and NGOs.
The cooperative micro-credit loan facilities have made the rehabilitated river-eroded families at Purbo Kochua-1 Asrayan Prokalpo here self-reliant through various income generation activities.
Side by side becoming self-reliant after 100 percent loan payments, the 90 rehabilitated homeless families in nine barracks there under Nohali union of Gangachara upazila have made own assets through proper utilisation of the microcredit loans.
Talking to BSS, the rehabilitated inhabitants said they got back new life and address with ensured livelihoods following the micro-credit loan facilities under the government’s comprehensive social safety-net programmes.
After getting training, input and support from local government departments, they are being provided with interest-free revolving micro-credit loans at only 8 percent service charge rate from the Upazila Cooperative Office for income generating activities.
“We are making good profits to raise our capitals through small- scale business, animal husbandry, poultry, tree plantation, vegetables and fruit farming,” said rehabilitated Nazrul Mian, 58, Bulbuli Begum, 43, and Tobiya Khatun, 53.
Rehabilitated couple Alef Uddin, 55, and Feroza Khatun, 45, said they became homeless thirteen years back along with many others as the Teesta devoured everything they had in nearby village Purbo Kochua Fakirpara.
They narrated the miserable days they passed for years amid uncertainty with son Sirajul, 23, and daughter Arjuma Khatun, 21, on the lands of others and flood control embankments.
“But, everything started changing when we got shelter at Purbo Kochua-1 Asrayan Prokalpo to begin new life as the then government of Sheikh Hasina completed its construction during her previous 1996-2001 tenure,” they couple said.
After providing necessary training, Upazila Cooperative Office formed Purbo Kochua Asrayan Phase-2 Project Multipurpose Cooperative Society Limited and provided with Taka 6,000 micro-credit to every rehabilitated family for income generating activities.
“We first bought a heifer, opened a grocery shop and completed loan payments through 45 weekly installments to get Taka 10,000 micro-credit again when we took lease of seven decimal cultivable lands that gives three crops, including paddy twice a year,” they said.
They again got Taka 15,000 cooperative micro-credit for the third time after paying all 45 weekly installments, completed marriage of their daughter, purchased a cow and made investment rest of the amount in grocery shop.
“We now lead a sound life and we have assets, including several cows, grocery shop and other properties to be estimated over Taka 2.50 lakh though we had nothing after becoming homeless following river erosion,” the couple said with smiling face.
Another couple Moshiar Rahman, 44, and Anichha Begum, 35, who were rehabilitated under the project there, said they purchased a heifer and old shallow machine after getting Taka 6,000 cooperative micro-credit first time.
After completing loan payments, they again got Taka 9,000 micro-credit, purchased another cow and 12 decimals cultivable land, again got Taka 12,000 and then Taka 15,000 after completing payments of the previously taken loans.
“We have now assets of Taka 2.30 lakh and we are earning through cultivating crops on own land, crushing paddy and irrigating crop fields of others using shallow machine and our children Minal, 15, Tazul, 9, and Tanzina, 8, are going to schools,” they said.
Couples Momidul Islam, 42, and his wife Beauty Khatun, 25, Anwar Hossain, 58, and his wife Shahzadi Begum, 48, and divorcee Bulbuli Begum, 45, achieved similar success after receiving micro-credit loans four times so far after 100 percent loan payments.
They thanked Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina through launching cooperative micro-credit loans to change their fortune when commoners are making failure to become self-reliant getting micro-credit with high interest rates from many private institutions and NGOs.
