Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday provided homes to 32,904 homeless and landless families across the country under the third phase of the Ashrayan-2 Project as her Eid gift.

She inaugurated the distribution of semi-pucca abodes, joining a virtual function from her official residence Ganobhaban in the morning.

The prime minister exchanged views with beneficiaries from the four cluster housing sites at Nagarkanda Upazila in Faridpur, Barguna Sadar Upazila, Sirajganj Sadar Upazila and Anwara Upazila in Chattogram through a videoconference.

The distribution of the houses along with land came as part of the government’s initiative to provide houses to all landless and homeless families on the occasion of “Mujib Year” as the prime minister promised that no one will remain without a home in the country.

Each unit has two rooms, a kitchen, a toilet and a veranda costing Tk 259,500 without tax and VAT. The amount is Tk 330,000 with tax and VAT.

Alongside the houses, the ownership documents of a two decimal land were given to each family.

Earlier, the government had given 63,999 houses on January 23, 2021 in the first phase, while 53,330 houses on June 20, 2021 in the second phase under the Ashrayan-2, a project of the Prime Minister’s Office, during the Mujib Year.

In the third phase, approval was given to build 65,674 houses, but 32,904 houses were handed over on Tuesday.

The number of specially designed houses for the island areas is 1,242. Portable houses are given to homeless families staying in Char lands so that they can move their houses during soil erosion.

Some 5512 acres of Khas lands recovered from the illegal occupation across the country to construct the houses under the Ashrayan-2 project.

Besides, the government procured 168.32 acres of land for the Ashrayan project till now which cost Tk 115.33 crore.

The Ashrayan Project also rehabilitated 507,244 landless and homeless families from 1997 to December 2022.

PMO Senior Secretary Md. Tofazzel Hossain Miah conducted the house distribution function.