Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday (March 22, 2023) provided 39,365 more houses with two-decimal lands to landless and homeless families as part of the government's target of ensuring housing for all. With the distribution of the houses under the 4th phase of Ashrayan-2 project, nine districts and 211 upazilas have so far gained the status of landless and homeless family-free status in the country. The premier opened the handing over of the abodes to the homeless families, joining a virtual ceremony at her official residence Ganabhaban. Also read: Ashrayan Project: Govt thoroughly scrutinizing “irregularities” On her behalf, public representatives –ministers, MPs and Upazila chairman-- as well as government officials –Divisional Commissioners, Deputy Commissioners and Upaizla Nirbahi Officers-- who were present at different project sites handed over the house certificate and land documents to the beneficiaries of 493 upazilas across the country. Earlier, Hasina provided 63,999 houses in the first phase, 53,330 ones in the second phase and 59,133 in the third phase under the Ashrayan-2, a project of the Prime Minister’s Office. With the distribution of 39,365 houses in the 4th phase, the total number has stood at 215, 827 under the Ashrayan-2 Project. Read More: Islami Bank donates Tk4 crore to Ashrayan Project The premier also declared seven more districts and 159 upazilas as homeless and landless-free areas. Seven districts are Madaripur, Gazipur, Narsingdi, Joypurhat, Rajshahi, Chapainawabganj and Chuadanga. Earlier, she declared Panchagarh and Magura as homeless-landless free districts and 52 upazilas as homeless-landless free upazilas. With the distribution of 39,365 houses, a total of 196,825 people have got a shelter, getting semi-pucca houses on their own lands. Prime Minister's Principal Secretary Mohammad Tofazzel Hossain Miah conducted the event. Read More: Erosion: Dumuria’s Ashrayan project houses at risk of washing away Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman introduced the rehabilitation programme for homeless people in 1972. Following the footprints of Bangabandhu, her daughter PM Hasina took the initiative to provide ownership of houses and lands to homeless and landless people through the Ashrayan Project in 1997. Since then, a total of 771,301 families have so far been rehabilitated. The number of rehabilitated people is 38,56,505 (estimated as five persons in a family). Read More: 230 ethnic minority families to get ‘Machang Ghar’ in Bandarban under Ashrayan scheme Some 5,54,597 families were rehabilitated directly under the Ashrayan Project, while 2,16,704 families under different programmes of concerned government offices, including the Land Ministry and Disaster Management and Relief Ministry.