Chattogram Bureau :
Private industrialists, similar to the government, have initiated housing projects for the impoverished and
the poor, total 16 households of Subarnachar area in Noakhali, are
each being provided a unit of 600 square feet with two rooms, a kitchen, a bathroom and a balcony. South Korea’s POSCO International who
specialised in trade and resource
development have partnered with Bangladesh’s PHP Family to implement this pilot project. The houses
handover ceremony was held December 11 with Sr Executive Vice President of POSCO International, Korea Kyein Lee, PHP Family Managing Director Mohammad Iqbal Hossain, accompanied by Commercial head of Posco AhsanulAlam, senior officials from POSCO International and PHP Family along with local public representatives and administration
officers also with them.
Ahsanul Alam said, “People who have their own land but do not have the ability to build a house, we are helping them by constructing homes. To ensure neutrality in the selection process of households, we are working very closely with the local NGO, NRDS (Noakhali Rural Development Society). In collaboration with PHP Family, we aim to continue our mission.”
In the first phase, five units will be handed over to the families in December this year and the next will be by March 2023. Ahsanul also mentioned that the cost per house would be Tk4.70 lakhs where building materials used in construction includes PHP Family’s colour-coated sheets. Each house is being built with the best materials in the market to ensure quality and sustainability. Mohammad Iqbal Hossain, Managing Director of PHP Family, said, “It is indeed a challenge for the government to single-handedly guarantee housing throughout the nation, and our initiative is a mere replication of how the private sector can play its part to overcome this problem. After all, amongst all dreams owning home is indispensable.”
At the end of the ceremony, the keys of the house were handed over by MD, PHP family and PoscoVP to the owner of the households.