Disaster-resilient houses of Asrayan project, a prime initiative of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for sheltering the poor, have proved their worthiness as these houses provided safe shelter to nearly four lakh people of 19 coastal districts during the devastating cyclone ‘Sitrang’ on Monday.

The four lakh people living in disaster-resilient houses in the coastal districts did not have to go to the cyclone shelters to escape rage of cyclone ‘Sitrang’ as they stayed safely in their houses gifted by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina under Ashrayan project.

According to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), in the last two years, a total of 61,378 landless-homeless families were given disaster-resilient houses in 19 coastal districts.

There has been no information about any damage so far to any house of Ashrayan as those were built as disaster resilient.

The officials concerned said that disaster risk of those people has been reduced due to the house gifted by the Prime Minister, and safety of people, cattle and livestock is ensured during the calamities.

They said that over 219,690 people along with their 45,442 cattle have taken shelter in shelter centres in 19 coastal districts to escape the ravages of cyclone Sitrang. A total of 7,490 shelter centres have a capacity of 42,74,000.

Officials said the third phase houses of Ashrayan are much more durable than the first and second phase houses.  In the third phase, Taka 259,500 is being spent on the construction of each house where RCC pillars, grade vim, linkers etc, were added.

Out of 61,378 houses given by the Prime Minister under Ashrayan project in coastal 19 districts, 3805 houses are in Gopalganj district, while 2662 in Shariatpur, 3640 in Cox’s Bazar, 5043 in Chattogram district, 408 in Chandpur, 3228 in Lakshmipur, 3628 in Noakhali, 1659 in Feni, 2906 in Satkhira, 2153 in Jessore, 3950 in Khulna, 829 in Narail, 2794 in Bagerhat, 3529 in Bhola, 4867 in Pirojpur, 1842 in Jhalkathi, 6941 in Patuakhali, 2600 in Barguna and 4834 in Barisal district.

In 1997, the then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina took a project called “Ashrayan” under the direct supervision of the Prime Minister’s Office with the aim to rehabilitate the landless, homeless and displaced people due to cyclones, floods and river erosion.

A total of 507,244 landless and homeless families have been rehabilitated across the country from 1997 to March 2022 under Ashrayan and Ashrayan-II projects.

Beneficiaries under the Ashrayan scheme include small ethnic minorities, hijras, vede communities and other socially backward groups.