Cox’s Bazar, 7 January2024 – UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and its humanitarian partners are scrambling to respond to the latest devastating fire that ravaged through Camp 5, one of the 33 camps in Cox’s Bazar that make the largest refugee camp in the world.  Nearly 800 shelters are feared to have been destroyed in the first large fire of 2024, which started around 01:00 in the morning on 7 Januaryand was brought under control by 4 am. Additionally, some 93 shelters were partially damaged, andaround 120facilities, including learning centres, mosques, healthcare centres, latrines and bathing facilities, water points and solar street lights, havealso been destroyed or damaged by the inferno.   So far, there have been no casualties reported yet as a result of the fire. Refugee volunteers were first to respond to the blaze, with community volunteers trained on firefightingsupported by Bangladeshi authorities, UNHCR, IOM, and local firefightersfrom the host community in nearby Ukhiya.  Specialized three-wheeled Mobile Firefighting Units andwater pumps which had been earlier provided by UNHCR were quickly deployed from other camps. Water was also drawn from the water network of WASH partnersas well as nearby streams and ponds to extinguish the fire. Fire corridors,created by removing shelters in the immediate vicinity of the fire during the blaze, ensured the flames did not spread further within the camp.    Refugees displaced by the fire are temporarily taking shelter within the camp’s community centres, including in temporary communal shelters, and are providedwith emergency food assistance including fortified biscuits and hotmeals.  Bangladeshi authorities and humanitarian agencies are on site to assist the people affected in the fire with emergency support, medical and psychologicalfirst aid, and linkingrefugees with other relevant services as required.   In the aftermath of the fire, the Bangladeshi authorities and UNHCR, in coordination with IOM and other UN and NGO partners, as well as refugee volunteers are supporting the Rohingya refugees who lost their shelters and belongings in the devastating blaze during cold weather of the winter season, and assess further needs.  The cause of the fire currently remains unknown, and we are assured by the Government authorities that an investigation into the cause of the fire will be carried out.

As part of the government's target to ensure housing for the landless and homeless people, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will hand over 26,229 more houses to landless and homeless families under the third phase of Ashrayan-2 Project tomorrow. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will hand over the houses virtually tomorrow under the third phase of the Asrayan-2 project, said Prime Minister’s Principal Secretary Dr Ahmad Kaikaus at a press conference at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) on Monday. The premier will be connected virtually from her official Ganabhaban residence with five places in five districts, he mentioned.   The places are Charkalakopa Ashrayan Project under Ramgati Upazila in Lakshmipur District,  Gaurambha Ashrayan Project under Rampal Upazila in Bagerhat district, Char Velamari Ashrayan Project under Nandail Upazila in Mymensingh District, Mahan Para Ashrayan Project under Panchagarh Sadar Upazila in Panchagarh District and Jangalia Ashrayan Project under Mohammadpur Upazila in Magura district. Ahmad Kaikaus informed that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will also announce 52 upazilas, including all upazilas of Panchagarh and Magura districts, as homeless and landless free upazilas. He said a total of 67,800 more single houses are being handed over across the country under the third phase of Ashrayan-2 Project. Among the 67,800 houses, he mentioned, 32, 904 single houses were handed over on April 26, 2022 while rest of 8,667 houses are being constructed.    According to the project details, a total of 1,17,329 single houses were constructed under first and second phases of the project while 1,85,129 houses were allotted till 2021-2022.   On January 23 in 2021, 63,999 homeless and landless families received houses under the first phase and 53,330 families got a roof over their heads under second phase of the Ashrayan-2 Project on June 20 last year. At the third phase of Ashrayan-2, the government has raised the cost and brought changes in design to make the houses more sustainable and climate-resilient.   Now the landless and homeless people will get better quality tin-shed semi-pucca houses on two decimals of land. The cost against each house has been increased to Taka 2,59,500 from Taka 1,91,000 to make the houses more sustainable.   The government is constructing the houses having strong great-beam, lintel and Reinforced Concrete Column (RCC) pillar for making the houses more sustainable. Ahmad Kaikaus informed that Taka 4,028.96 crore was allocated for construction of single houses till the fiscal year 2021-22.   Some 1,242 specially designed houses have been allotted for char region under the third phase, he mentioned.   Special design for portable houses has been made so that the houses can be shifted to other places in view of any natural disaster like cyclone or flood, he added.   Apart from khas land, he said, the government has purchased 191.79 acres of land for rehabilitating homeless and landless people.   "Purchasing lands by government is a unique example in the world," he said. According to project details, Taka 134.49 crore has been allocated for purchasing lands.   A total of 8,462 landless and homeless families will be rehabilitated on the houses to be built on the purchased lands.   The government recovered 5,512.04 acres of khas land from illegal occupation across the country for constructing houses for the project on the occasion of Mujib Barsho. Approximate market price of the recovered khas land is Taka 2,967.09 crore.   Under the Ashrayan project, a total of 5,09,370 families have been rehabilitated till fiscal year 2020-21 from 1997.   Under the project, rehabilitated families are brought under VGF programs for 3 months.   According to the government policy, the benefits of freedom fighters, the elderly, widows and the disabled are considered with priority under the social benefits program.   Rehabilitated family members are provided with practical and technical training to engage in various productive and income-generating activities.   Micro-credit for their socio-economic development is disbursed from various government agencies (such as Bangladesh Rural Development Board, Cooperatives, Department of Women and Children, Department of Social Services).   Other social organizations and NGOs are also involved in these programs. Free electricity connection is provided for the rehabilitated families and tube-wells are being installed for safe water at the project site. Community centres, prayer houses and graveyards, ponds and roads for internal communication are also being facilitated.   Different types of fruits, forest and medicinal trees are being planted in the project area. Homeless people are also being encouraged to be involved in agricultural work.   The unique feature of the Ashrayan Project perceived by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is that there is a special connection of housing activities with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).   Building houses alone can have major footprints in the attainment of various sustainable development goals.   Housing is related to positive changes in the areas of education, health, security, empowerment and women's empowerment as well as inclusive development. Source: BSS AH

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today (Saturday) inaugurated the distribution of 66,189 houses as part of her government’s campaign to bring all landless and homeless families under housing facility on the occasion of the “Mujib Borsha”. For the first time in the world such a large number of houses are being distributed among the landless and homeless people at a time, signaling how the government proceeds to tackle the issue of homeless people. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina joined the houses handing over ceremony virtually from her official residence Ganabhaban. The government has built 66,189 houses at a cost of Taka 1,168 crore for homeless people on the occasion of the Mujib Borsha. Some one lakh more houses will also be distributed among those people in the next month. Besides, Ashrayan Project under the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) rehabilitated 3,715 families by constructing 743 barracks under 44 project villages in 36 upazilas in 21 districts during the Mujib Year. Armed Forces Davison is constructing barracks for landless and homeless families. The Ashrayan Project has prepared a list of 885,622 families in 2020, including 293,361 landless and homeless families, and 592,261 families having 1-10 decimal land but no housing facility. Ashrayan has also rehabilitated 320,058 landless and homeless families from 1997 to December 2020. On the other hand, Ashran-2 project (July 2010-June 2022) has a target to rehabilitate 250,000 landless, homeless and displaced families at a cost of Taka 4,840.28 crore. Ashrayan has already rehabilitated 192,277 landless and homeless families across the country from July 2010 to June 2019. A total of 48,500 landless and homeless families have been rehabilitated in barracks and 143,777 families having own land (1-10 decimal) but no capacity to construct houses in semi-barracks, corrugated iron sheet barracks and specially designed houses. In addition, the government also constructed 20 five-story buildings at Khurushkul in Cox’s Bazar for 600 families, who are climate refugees as a special gift by the Prime Minister. Armed Forces Division is also implementing more 119 multi-storey buildings and related activities through Detailed Project Proposal (DPP). Source: BSS AH

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said, nobody will be homeless in Bangladesh. Nobody will live in hut. We will build homes with iron sheet at least for everybody. She said these at a public gathering in Khulna circuit house ground organized by Awami League on Saturday. After inaugurating and laying foundation of nearly one hundred projects she said, the government is working on for the development of Khulna. We have established fire service station in every upazila. We have provided whatever is needed throughout the country including books and medical services for free.  The Prime Minister said, we have granted ‘One house-One farm’ project. With this people now can manage their own businesses. She said, Bangladesh is the role model for development in the world. Our growth was 7.28 percent in last year. Poverty rate has come down to 22 percent. Foreign currency reserve is over 33 billion dollars. Per capita income stands at one thousand 610 US dollars. We have achieved great development in every sector. Sheikh Hasina said, we are turning into developing country from the status of least developed country in the month of independence. Urging people to vote for Awami League for maintaining the trend of development she said, we want to take the country towards progress. The premier said, as a winning nation Bangladesh has raised its head before the world. We are working on to initiate rail service from Padma bridge to Mongla through Jessore, Khulna and Bagerhat.  She said, Khaleda Zia committed corruption, she is in jail following court verdict and we have nothing to do in this regard. Upholding development in power sector she said, coal based power plant, atomic power plant and hydro power plant with joint venture with Bhutan and Nepal will be constructed. Inter grid network will be set up with India. Through this regional energy security belt will be created. The Prime Minister said, we are importing 500 megawatt electricity from India. It will be raised to one thousand megawatt by phases. We are also planning to import hydro electricity from Nepal and Bhutan. She said, the world has turned into a global village. It is impossible to develop alone in this global village. For economic development intercontinental, inter country and regional connectivity and cooperation need to be developed. Earlier she delivered her speech as the chief guest in the inaugural ceremony of 58th convention of Engineers Institution Bangladesh at IEB center in Khalishpur. Prime Minister’s Political Advisor HT Imam, Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu, Fisheries and Livestock Minister Narayan Chandra Chanda, State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid Bipu and former president of IEB Professor Dr. Zamilur Reza Chowdhury were present on the occasion. AH