A project – funded by the European Union – was launched on Wednesday aiming to alleviate poverty and improve the livelihoods of extremely low-income households in the Chittagong Hill Tracts.
The project titled "Partnership for Resilient Livelihoods in the CHT Region" was officially launched at a city hotel in Dhaka.
The project is funded by the European Union in collaboration with UNDP Bangladesh and Manusher Jonno Foundation (MJF).
With a budget of EUR 8 million, the four-year project will be implemented in the districts of Rangamati, Bandarban, and Khagrachhari.
It aims to closely collaborate with the Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs (MoCHTA), Chittagong Hill Tracts Regional Council (CHTRC), three Hill District Councils (HDCs), relevant line departments, local elites, and leaders in CHT, according to a press release.
Minister of CHT Affairs Bir Bahadur U Shwe Sing was present at the launching ceremony as the chief guest.
During his speech, Bir Bahadur emphasised on the importance of collaboration with multiple partners and expressed gratitude towards the development partners for working alongside the government to achieve the common goals in the CHT region.
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“The government is dedicatedly working in CHT to alleviate poverty and improve livelihoods. We deeply appreciate our development partners working alongside the government to achieve our goals in the CHT region. This project, launched under the joint management of Manusher Jonno Foundation and UNDP Bangladesh, will help take our development goals forward,” the minister said
Charles Whiteley, the EU Ambassador to Bangladesh, highlighted the objectives of the PRLC project.
He mentioned that the project aims to create a sustained pathway out of poverty in the most vulnerable areas of the CHT region.
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"Together with UNDP and Manusher Jonno Foundation, the PRLC project will create a sustained pathway out of poverty in the most vulnerable area of the CHT region, with special attention to livelihood promotion for the extremely poor, expansion of nutrition services, community mobilisation, and market development. Issues like gender equity, women empowerment, and disability inclusion will be the core of the project," he said.
Van Nguyen, Deputy Resident Representative of UNDP, Bangladesh, welcomed the guests and acknowledged the long-standing partnership between the EU, UNDP, and the Government of Bangladesh.
“EU and UNDP have been working with the Government of Bangladesh for many years with a focus to alleviate poverty, achieve SDGs, and graduate from LDCs. UNDP, together with MoCHTA, has been supporting the capacity building of the CHT institutions and communities during the last two decades, and the EU was one of the major contributors to UNDP’s project funding in the region. We highly appreciate the EU’s firm engagement through this PRLC project to support the CHT communities and institutions,” she said.
“The project will work very closely with MoCHTA, CHT Regional Council, and Hill District Councils on policy and other important issues, including facilitating discussions on achieving SDGs, harmonisation of laws and supporting the Land Commission. We hope that the project will be able to make a positive change in the CHT,” she further added.
Shaheen Anam, the Executive Director of Manusher Jonno Foundation, delivered a welcome speech at the launching ceremony. She expressed optimism that the PRLC project would improve the living standards of people in the three CHT districts.
The event was presided over by Nirupa Dewan, MJF's governing board member.
Among others, Mongsueprou Chowdhury, Chairman of Khagrachari Hill District Council, and Secretary Mashiur Rahman, ndc, the Ministry of CHT Affairs (MoCHTA), were also present as Special Guests.