Census on slums, floating population launched

FE Report
Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal Friday formally launched the countrywide census on slums and floating population 2014.
While launching it in Comilla district headquarters, the minister called upon the slum dwellers to put in efforts for educating their children and refrain from early marriage to help change their present poor status.
He also urged them to provide true information and data to the enumerators during the ongoing census on slums and floating population 2014 so that the
government can take appropriate plans and programmes for their development and well-being.
The Minister's call came while visiting the field level data collection for slum census programme at Sujanagar Sweeper Colony in Comilla town. The third slum and floating population census started Thursday midnight.
The Minister exchanged views with enumerators, supervisors and slum dwellers during the visit. Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) director general Golam Mostafa Kamal, Statistics and Informatics Division Joint Secretary Aminul Bar Chowdhury and project director Ashraful Haq were present among others on the occasion.
AHM Mostafa Kamal said the government will be able to work to improve the life of the poor people living in slums through the census.
"It's not a crime to be born as a poor, but it is a crime to remain a poor. You should educate your children to help them grow as future leaders of the country," the Minister said.
There are 63 slums in Comilla district where more than 2,500 people live. As many as 63 enumerators are working with five supervisors and three zonal officers.
Chuni Lal, a resident of the sweeper colony, said it is a good feeling that the government is counting them as they also want to be part of the development process of the country.
Another resident Anju Ara said no one comes forward for their development. If the government plans properly, then their luck will change.
The census on slum and floating population which started on April 25 will end on May 02. The result will be published in December this year.