Number of abandoned houses 10,313

The country has got some 10,313 abandoned houses, according to statistics placed in the Jatiya Sangsad (Parliament). Housing and Public Works Minister Engineer Mosharraf Hossain has placed the statistics replying to a starred question from Jatiya Party MP Mahjabeen Morshed. The minister, however, said there is no abandoned house in Barisal division. According to the statistics, 6,467 abandoned houses are in Dhaka and Narayanganj districts, while 1,363 in Khulna, 507 in Kushtia, 378 in Dinajpur, 353 in Chittagong, 280 in Bogra, 228 in Rajshahi and 223 in Nilphamari. Besides, 123 abandoned houses are there in Pabna, 108 in Lalmonirhat, 92 in Jessore, 42 in Rangpur, 30 in Naogaon, 27 in Chuadanga, 21 in Gaibandha, 17 in Kurigram, 16 in Chapainawabganj, 13 in Sirajganj, nine in Thakurgaon, seven in Natore, four in Sylhet, three in Comilla, one each in Joypurhat and Bagerhat. But there is no abandoned house in the rest of the districts. The minister said the abandoned houses were allocated only to martyrs and wounded freedom fighters. "There is no provision of allocating abandoned house to any helpless people," according to UNB.