Housing for the poor

Every year due to cyclone, heavy rain, tornado and flood; millions of huts, bamboo made and tin shed houses of the poor people are damaged, blown off, or destroyed. This causes huge loss for them, and the poor becomes poorer. The country has a population of 160 million people. What is the percentage of the people living below poverty line? Economists give different figures. Some say it is 49 per cent, some say 45 per cent, and some even say it is 90 per cent. No correct statistics or data is available at the Bureau of Statistics or any other public or private organisation. Our ministers, MPs, government officials, businessmen and traders all long for a house, flat, building in Dhaka by any means. Real estate developers in the country are constructing hundreds of houses, flats, buildings for the rich people. The present cost of a flat in Dhaka ranges from Tk 75 lakh to one crore and above. How many of our middle class and poor people can afford to purchase or own a house or flat in Dhaka. Why the public as well as private sector organisations do not come forward to build low cost house or flat for the poor and middle class people? Why the government does not seek financial help, loan or grant from Saudi Arab, Kuwait, ADB and World Bank to mitigate the sufferings of our poor people? O H Kabir Wari, Dhaka