National
PM announces 12 districts, 123 upazilas free of homeless-landless people
In a recent development, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has declared 12 new districts and 123 upazilas (sub-districts) to be free of homeless and landless populations. This announcement came as part of the ongoing Ashrayan-2 project, which aims to provide housing to vulnerable families. A total of 22,101 families were provided with semi-pucca houses under this initiative.
The Prime Minister made this significant declaration during a video conference from her official residence, Ganabhaban. With these newly added districts and upazilas, the tally has now reached 21 districts and 334 upazilas across the nation that have successfully eradicated homelessness and landlessness.
During the event, keys to 22,101 houses and ownership documents for parcels of land were handed over to families in various districts. This effort is part of the larger endeavor to rehabilitate around 115,000 individuals within these houses.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina personally engaged with beneficiaries and local residents at three different locations. This distribution marked the sixth occasion of such an event during the Mujib Year, which commemorates the birth centenary of the nation’s founding leader, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
The specific locations where the housing was distributed include the Barasat Sonar Bangla Palli Ashrayan Project site in Terokhada Upazila (Khulna), Chakla Ashrayan-2 project site in Bera Upazila (Pabna), and Amanullahpur Ashrayan project site in Begumganj Upazila (Noakhali district).
Prime Minister Hasina’s administration has not only focused on providing shelter but also on empowerment. The 12 districts newly recognized for their achievement in eliminating landlessness and homelessness are Manikganj, Rajbari, Mymensingh, Sherpur, Dinajpur, Naogaon, Natore, Pabna, Kushtia, Pirojpur, and Jhalakathi.
In an extensive list, the 123 upazilas include various regions across the country. These efforts signify the government’s commitment to addressing the plight of the homeless and landless population, with a comprehensive approach to rehabilitation.
The distribution ceremony was overseen by PM’s Principal Secretary M Tofazzel Hossain Miah. Notably, this declaration follows the earlier recognition of nine districts as landless and homeless people-free districts on two separate occasions. In total, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has provided homes to a remarkable 829,607 families through various projects and programs aimed at uplifting the vulnerable. This comprehensive effort has led to the rehabilitation of approximately 4,148,035 individuals since 1997, under the Ashrayan project overseen by the Prime Minister’s Office, as of July 2023.
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.
