Ashrayan-2 Project Director Md Mahbub Hossain on Friday said any sort of negligence in the construction of the houses under the project will not be tolerated as it is a dreamt project of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
“It is a dream of the Prime Minister and (her) dreamt project. This is the beginning of a dream for a poor man who is getting a house. So, we will not neglect it and will not tolerate any negligence,” he said.
The project director said this while talking to reporters after visiting the construction works of houses in Munshiganj Sadar upazila.
Five teams of the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) on Friday started their visits to inspect the quality and design of Ashrayan houses in different parts of the country.
Despite of Covid-19 lockdown, the PMO teams will be on their grassroots visits for the next few days to inspect the houses that have already been constructed or are under construction under the Ashrayan-2 Project. The visiting teams will have to prepare reports with the use of pictures following their inspection.
Of these, two teams went to Munshiganj initially under the leadership of Project Director of Ashrayan-2 Md Mahbub Hossain. They visited some under-construction houses and exchanged views with beneficiaries in Munshiganj Sadar Upazila.
Also read: Ashrayan-2: Over 53,000 houses set to be distributed in June
In Munshiganj, Mahbub Hossain said, "We have formed five teams and today the inspection has started across the country. We will go to all districts in phases especially in the areas where there are allegations of irregularities. We asked the teams to investigate to verify the allegations.”
Noting that the landless and homeless families are getting free houses and lands under the Ashrayan project, he said “its Sheikh Hasian model for inclusive development.”
In reply to a question about rifts in the floors of some houses in Munshiganj, the Project Director said they formed a committee to investigate it. The works were not standard, according to primary information, he said.
“The repairing work (of the houses) has been started as per the recommendations of the committee. All those who were involved in this work in Munshiganj Sadar have been made OSD. Actions will be taken against them as per the service rules,” said the Project Director.
“All --the Upazila Administration and public representatives-- worked together here. It is not a small task to provide 118,380 houses (to landless and homeless families) during this corona period. We would definitely appreciate them and express gratitude to them. But we get upset when we hear two-four problems (allegations of irregularities over the houses),” Mahbub Hossain bemoaned.
Deputy Commissioner of Munishganj Kazi Nahid Rasul, PM’s deputy press secretary Hasan Jahid Tusher and PM’s assistant press secretary ABM Sarwer-E-Alom Sarker were present at the time.
Then the two teams left Munshiganj for two separate destinations.
One team, led by Project Director Mahbub Hossain, went to visit Mirzapur Upazila in Tangail, Sherpur, Shahjahanpur and Sadar Upazila in Bogura district.
Another team, led by deputy project director of Ashrayan-2 Mohammad Zahedur Rahman, went to visit Habiganj Sadar, Moulvibazar Sadar and Bishwanath in Sylhet.
Also read: Hasina inaugurates home distribution under Ashrayan-2 Project
Besides, three other teams went on the visits in Mymensingh, Jamalpur, Nilphamari, Lalmonirhat, Pabna, Manikganj and Natore districts.
The PMO has initiated the inspection as some newly constructed houses were damaged with the advent of monsoon and news of alleged irregularities in some places surfaced.
Five government officers have already been OSD on charges of the alleged irregularities in the construction of the houses.
The government in two phases provided some 118,380 tin-shed pucca houses to the landless and homeless families as the gifts of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina this year marking the Mujib Year.
The government also has a plan to provide more one lakh houses to homeless families under the Ashrayan-3 project that is run by the PMO in the Mujib Year.