BNP on Tuesday demanded the government arrange permanent accommodation for slum dwellers.

“"The government's first priority should be to ensure permanent accommodation for them (slum dwellers). Adequate compensation must be paid to those who have been affected by fire here, he said.

The BNP leader made the demand while talking to reporters after visiting fire-ravaged Mohakhali's Sat Tola slum. Over a hundred shanties of the slum were gutted in a fire early Monday.

Fakhrul also urged the government to carry out a fair investigation to identify the reasons behind the fire incident.

Also read: Govt's apathy behind recurring slum fires: BNP

He said floating and homeless people like domestic helps, rickshaw-pullers and cobblers live in slums.

“It's been 50 years since the country became independent, but we still couldn’t ensure people’s basic rights like accommodation, food and clothing,” the BNP leader said.

He said the government is implementing mega projects spending thousands of crores of taka, but it is not taking any effective steps to ease the sufferings of the homeless and the poor people.

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Fakhrul said the government can allot khas land for the accommodation of the homeless people.

Expressing solidarity with the fire victims of the slum, he assured them of providing finical assistance for them from their party shortly.

BNP organising secretary Shama Obaid, executive committee member Tabith Awal and senior leaders of the party’s Dhaka north city unit were present there.