Houses for the landless lie in disrepairs for two decades

MANIKGANJ, Nov 15: The Uttar Jamsha Ashrayan Project in Singair upazila of Manikganj, once a beacon of hope for the landless, widowed, and underprivileged families, now tells a story of long neglect and human suffering.

Established in 2003 with 60 houses, the project initially brought joy and security to its beneficiaries. But twenty-two years on, the situation has changed drastically. With no renovation work carried out over the past two decades, the houses are severely dilapidated and nearly uninhabitable.

A visit to the site revealed that among the 60 houses across six plots, at least 10 were destroyed in a fire around seven to eight years ago. The remaining structures have rusty and perforated roofs, broken doors and windows, and dangerously weakened walls. Although many houses have been unfit for use for eight to nine years, around 30 to 35 families, totaling more than 100 people, continue to live there due to a lack of alternatives.

Bathhouses, toilets, and tube-wells are largely out of order, leaving residents to rely on makeshift solutions such as plastic sheets and sacks for basic privacy. During rain, water seeps into the rooms; during winter, cold winds penetrate through the damaged tin sheets.

Shahida Begum, a 55-year-old widow, said she has nowhere else to go. "This is our only shelter. The tin sheets are rusted with holes everywhere. When it rains, water pours inside, and we have to sit with buckets. We are poor; there is no money to repair the house. Winter makes it even harder," she said.

Another resident, Rezia, who lives with her daughter, also a single mother, said their struggle is constant.

"My daughter works in people's houses. Her small income barely covers daily expenses. How can we repair the house? We have repeatedly asked the authorities, but nothing has happened. If the government repaired these houses, our lives would be much easier," she said. Khokon, a school student, shared how the condition of the structures affects his studies. "Rainwater leaks inside. My books get wet. The roof and windows are broken. People fix things with sacks and polythene. It feels like the house will collapse at any time. It's hard to study properly," he said.

Housewife Salma described the daily humiliation and hardship. "The bathroom door is broken, so we hang sacks to bathe. The tube-wells are almost all unusable. Doors and windows are damaged. We live in fear. We have gone many times to the chairman and the UNO office, but nothing has changed. Since this project was built during the BNP government, may be that's why no work has been done in the last 17 years. We are poor people; we just want the government to look into it," she said.

Asma Aleya, a reserved seat member of the Jamsha Union Parishad, confirmed the dire state of the project. "The houses were built long ago. They are now nearly unfit for living. Roofs, walls, and doors are broken. The bathhouses, toilets, and tube wells are in terrible condition. We informed the UNO and the project implementation officer, but no action has been taken yet. Renovation is urgently needed," she said.

When contacted, Manikganj Deputy Commissioner Dr. Manowar Hossain Molla said, "A team will visit the Uttar Jamsha Ashrayan Project and report to higher authorities. Necessary steps will be taken afterward." Residents of the project have made one urgent plea: immediate repair of the settlements so they can live safely and with dignity once again.

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