Urban poor management has become a major challenge for the Chattogram City Corporation (CCC) due to the increase in the number of floating people settled in Chattogram for climate change and the Covid-19 pandemic.
CCC Mayor Md Rezaul Karim Chowdhury confirmed the matter in a meeting to inform about the 'SUDIN' programme that works for the development of urban poor organised at the CCC office in Tiger Pass of the Chattogram city on Tuesday.
The Mayor said “In the society, there is much less discussion about the rural poor than the urban poor. However, a large number of people have taken shelter in Chattogram city due to the changing climate, the impact of Coronavirus and after losing their houses and employment opportunities due to river erosion. Providing employment and develop quality of life of these people has become a major challenge in Chattogram.”
Besides, the mayor also assured SAJIDA Foundation to provide overall support from CCC in different activities for development of urban poor communities.
In his speech, CCC Chief Executive Officer Sheikh Muhammad Touhidul Islam who presided over the event, stressed on diversifying the services of private development organisations to change the condition of marginalised people.
Senior Advisor of SAJIDA Foundation, Md Fazlul Haque in his welcome speech, said that this meeting aims to coordinate between CCC and SAJIDA Foundation's ‘SUDIN’ programme to work for the slums and street dwellers of Chittagong. SUDIN funded by Sajeda Foundation is working for alleviation of urban ultra-poverty in Dhaka, Gazipur, Chandpur and Chittagong.
Fazlul Haque said that the SUDIN programme was launched utilising SAJIDA Foundation’s long experience in urban poverty alleviation and it was designed keeping in mind the diversity among the very poor population. SUDIN believes in taking the right initiatives at the right time for both the ultra-poor individuals and families, he stated.
SUDIN is committed to delivering various services appropriately to the target population through a 'Caseworker' approach. SUDIN's activities will focus on financial status, health, education, social activities and service integration to raise the per capita income of the very poor families above the poverty line.
Officials from CCC and SAJIDA Foundation including Councilor Haji Nurul Haque attended the meeting, among others.
