Rickshaw pullers, day labourers will also live in flats: PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said that there will be no slums and unhealthy living environment in Dhaka as the rickshaw pullers and day labourers will also live in flats.

“It cannot be that only the rich people will stay in flats. From the rickshaw pullers to day laborers will also stay in the flat. We have undertaken an initiative so that everyone can live in a beautiful environment. Working for the welfare of people, that is our goal. We are working with this goal, she said while addressing the inaugural ceremony of four development projects of Dhaka South City Corporation on Saturday morning (May 25).

The projects include a 10-storey Bangabazar Paikari Biponi Bitan at the site of the burnt Bangbazar market, eight-lane Bir Muktijoddha Sheikh Fazlul Haque Mani Saroni from Postogola Bridge to Rayerbazar Sluice Gate, Nazrul Sarabor at Dhanmondi Lake and modernisation of Hossain Shaheed Suhrawardy Children's Park at Shahbag.

Sheikh Hasina said, “We are making flats for our sweepers, and constructing rental flats for slum dwellers. The rent will be the same which they pay as rents in slums. But they will stay in the flat. There will be arrangements also to pay the rents daily, weekly and monthly basis. We have already provided flats for 300 families.”

Urging all to plant trees to protect the environment, the Prime Minister said, “Those who have a piece of land should plant a flower tree, even a fruit tree. It will be ensured that those who have houses in villages do not have uncultivated land.”

Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Md Tajul Islam presided over the event addressed by, among others, DSCC Mayor Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh, and lawmaker AFM Bahauddin Nasim. Mukammad Ibrahim, secretary to the Local Government Ministry, delivered the welcome speech at the event.