National
PM Sheikh Hasina Distributes 18,566 Houses to Homeless Families Ahead of Eid-ul-Azha
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has distributed 18,566 houses to homeless and landless families across the country under the Ashrayan-2 project, just five days before Eid-ul-Azha. The distribution ceremony took place on Tuesday, with the Prime Minister inaugurating the process via videoconference from her official residence, Ganabhaban. The event connected to Kaliganj upazila of Lalmonirhat, Eidgaon upazila of Cox’s Bazar, and Char Fashion upazila of Bhola.
During the ceremony, the Prime Minister also declared 70 additional upazilas, including all upazilas from 26 districts, free from landlessness and homelessness. This brings the total number of landless and homeless-free districts to 58 and the number of upazilas to 464 nationwide.
Under the government’s flagship housing initiative, the Ashrayan-2 Project aims to ensure housing for all. On this occasion, 1,282 houses were distributed in Lalmonirhat, 261 in Cox’s Bazar, and 1,234 in Bhola districts.
This initiative builds on previous distributions where the Prime Minister handed over 63,999 houses in the first phase, 53,330 in the second phase, 59,133 in the third phase, and 39,365 in the fourth phase of the Ashrayan-2 Project.
Each beneficiary family receives a semi-pucca house on two decimals of land, with ownership jointly granted to both husband and wife. Each house includes two bedrooms, a kitchen, a toilet, and a veranda.
The rehabilitation program for homeless people was originally introduced by the Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, in 1972. Prime Minister Hasina revived the effort with the Ashrayan project in 1997, aiming to provide homes and land ownership to the homeless and landless.
Since the project’s inception, a total of 771,301 families have been rehabilitated, benefiting approximately 3,856,505 individuals. Across all programs, 4,340,000 people from 867,904 families have received homes, including 2,910,265 people from 582,053 families under the Ashrayan Project.
The Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) has forecasted light to moderate rain or thundershowers accompanied by temporary gusty winds at most places across the Rangpur, Rajshahi, Mymensingh, Dhaka, Khulna, Barishal, Chattogram, and Sylhet divisions. Some areas may experience moderately heavy to very heavy rainfall, according to their latest weather bulletin released on Thursday.
Day and night temperatures are expected to remain nearly unchanged across the country.
The highest rainfall in the country over the past 24 hours was recorded in Kumarkhali, with 104mm of rain by 6 a.m. on Thursday.
The axis of the monsoon trough extends from India’s Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, and West Bengal to Assam, passing through Bangladesh, with one of its associated troughs stretching into the North Bay of Bengal.
The monsoon remains active over Bangladesh and moderate to strong over the North Bay region.
The Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) has forecasted that the mild heat wave currently affecting parts of the country, including the capital, is expected to subside in most areas within the next 24 hours, starting from 9 am today.
“A mild heat wave is sweeping across the divisions of Rangpur, Rajshahi, Dhaka, Mymensingh, and Sylhet, as well as the districts of Jashore, Chuadanga, and Kushtia. It is likely to ease in most regions,” the department reported.
In addition, BMD predicted light to moderate rainfall or thundershowers, accompanied by temporary gusty winds, across most of Rangpur, Rajshahi, Dhaka, Mymensingh, Khulna, Barishal, Chattogram, and Sylhet divisions. Some areas are expected to experience moderate to very heavy rainfall.
Temperatures across the country may drop by 1-2 degrees Celsius during both day and night.
On Monday, Dinajpur in the Rangpur division recorded the country’s highest temperature at 38.6°C, while Bandarban in the Chattogram division saw the lowest temperature at 24.6°C early today.
Meanwhile, rainfall recorded in the past 24 hours, ending at 6 am today, reached 66 mm in Nikli of Dhaka Division.
The sunset in Dhaka is at 5:53 pm today, and sunrise is expected at 5:49 am tomorrow.
Two separate murder cases were filed today in connection with the deaths of a private service holder and a Madrasa student during the anti-discrimination student movement.
The first case was lodged by Ridwan Ahmed with Panchlaish police station, accusing former ministers Dr. Hasan Mahmud, Barrister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury Naufel, and 127 others for the death of his nephew Sujan, 14. Sujan, the son of Belal Hossain from Beramara village in Noakhali’s Sadar Thana, was a student at Al Jamirul Hayat Madrasa in the city’s Chandgaon area. He was fatally shot in the Muradpur area on July 18.
The second case was filed by Jamal Uddin at Doublemooring police station, accusing 225 individuals, including Dr. Hasan Mahmud and Education Minister Barrister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury Naufel, for the killing of his elder brother Alam, a private service holder, on August 5.
