Home ›› 19 Oct 2022 ›› Nation
Many families of Koyra upazila in Khulna are passing their days in misery living in dilapidated makeshift huts after losing their houses due to natural disasters or government land acquisition.
In the last 15 years, a series of cyclones — Sidr, Aila, Bulbul, Amphan and lastly Yaas — have brought about untold sufferings for many families in the district.
Besides, tidal surges, floods and river erosion also added insult to injury of the poor living in low-lying lands of the district either, washing away their houses, furniture, crops and cattle in the rivers and ocean.
According to government sources, about 4,500 families in Koyra upazila have two to four decimal lands but are plagued by poverty due to various reasons including natural disasters. Losing everything including their land, they are now living inhumane life in the slums of the city.
Ayesha Akhter, 74, lost her husband over five decades ago and had been living in a dilapidated house on her ancestral land alone. Last year the government acquired the land to construct a road; however, she was not compensated for it.
Her only son lives with his wife in a slum in Bagerhat’s Mongla upazila and is spending their days in a similar state of poverty.
“I got 7 katha land from my father where I built a small hut in 2008 but it got washed away by the tidal surges triggered by cyclone Aila. I built a straw hut again but last year it was acquired by the government for the construction of a road,” Ayesha said in frustration.
In response to a question, she said that no compensation for the land or house was given. The former Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Animesh Biswas had promised to make housing arrangements for them; however, the promise is yet to be fulfilled.
Ayesha rears a few ducks, goats and sheep but has been struggling to keep them as she lives in a dilapidated shack by the road.
“I had to stay on the road during the flood last year. Rain or shine I have to make ends meet somehow, I am not scared of anything anymore,” Ayesha further said, adding that if she was given a house and some space she could lead a stable life by comfortably rearing cattle and poultry.
Sabur Sheikh, 66, lives with his wife Fatema and their family in Koyra upazila’s Bagali union beside the Kopotakkho River embankment. Nine members of three generations live in a small dilapidated hut.
His sons and grandchildren are all mentally handicapped but they do not receive any kind of government allowance. His sons work as day labourers while the grandchildren earn through begging.
“We left for the city with our two sons and a daughter in search of a better life. Our daughter got married and had three children but unfortunately, they are also mentally handicapped,” said Fatema adding that the whole family moved back to Koyra after six years of failing to earn a better living in Khulna Sadar.
Since then, Sabur’s family has been living in a shack by the road. The family has contacted the local administration and public representatives in hopes of receiving land or housing, but in vain.
Shajahan Dhali and Monwara Begum, a landless couple, live with their domestic animals in a small roadside shack with a canopy of polythene, straw and leaves in Koyra.
However, they are about to lose their last straw of hope as their house is on the verge of being eroded by the river. They are passing their days half-starved as Shajahan has been sick for a long time, and their only source of earnings is catching fish and crabs from the river.
“How much poorer do we have to get before getting government grants? We are already on the verge of becoming homeless,” Monwara Begum expressed her frustration.
Bagali UP chairman Md Abdus Samad Gazi said, “I have brought up the matter in administration meetings and even made formal applications in this regard. There are still about 150 homeless families in our union but we have been informed that no more housing grants will be permitted.”
Moharajpur UP Chairman Abdullah Al Mahmud said their efforts towards getting housing grant for over 200 homeless families of the union are ongoing.
Koyra UNO Md Rokunuzzaman said that he has recently taken over the position and was not aware of anyone not being compensated after the government land acquisition.
“We are prioritising the destitute who have neither a house nor land. They will get house allotment in a phased manner according to the project regulations,” he said adding that he will look into Ayesha Akhter’s case.
Koyra upazila parishad Chairman SM Shafiqul Islam said, “Many families in the upazila have received houses and lands through various housing projects. But there are still about 300 landless and about 4,500 homeless families.”
