Bihari families evacuated from a dilapidated building in the city’s Pallabi area two months ago are living in abject misery as they are yet to be rehabilitated properly.
Most of the 96 families who were evacuated have not found any shelter yet and those who did are living without water, gas and other basic amenities.
Children and elderly people are suffering mostly because of the abject conditions they are living in.
Leaders of the Bihari community claimed that about two-thirds of the residents of the Wapda building 4 became homeless after an evacuation drive by the administration on May 20.
It was one of the ten buildings in sections 10 and 11 of Mirpur identified as “highly risky” for residency.
Following the drive, sheets of tin were disbursed among the families to build temporary homes in the adjoining areas, but there are allegations that many families did not receive these.
Most families have either taken up temporary residence in the homes of their relatives or are living on roadside pavements.
Hasina Begum, aged about 80, a former inhabitant of the building, said her family is living in conditions which are “uninhabitable.”
“We are living in a small room, crowded together, with little ventilation and no water or toilet facilities. At the end of the day when everyone comes back from work, it becomes very taxing to live there,” she said.
Md Nasim, public secretary of the Pallabi branch of Stranded Pakistanis’ General Repatriation Committee (SPGRC), said the evacuation and subsequent demolition work on the building created pressure on the whole neighbourhood.
“The whole neighbourhood is suffering from the consequences of the evacuation. Often bricks and debris coming from the building under demolition become a nuisance.”
On May 15, the Dhaka Tribune ran a report on the 10 dilapidated Wapda buildings, prompting the authorities to take action. The four-storey building 4 was identified as the most vulnerable of them all, making it the first target of the evacuation drive.
Non-Bengali Reief Committee Chairman Sharfaraj Alam told the Dhaka Tribune: “We had requested the authorities to construct a new building to rehabilitate the Bihari families after the old one is demolished. The government agreed with us on this point.”
“The ministry of disaster management and relief distributed tin sheets among the evicted people, but nothing else. They promised a financial compensation of Tk3,000 for each family, which is still due.”
“Another thing that must be taken into account is the sluggishness with which the building is being demolished. Judging by its current pace, it may take another 3-4 months before the work is done,” he added.
Md Iqbal Hossain, the organising secretary of SPGRC, said: “The government made the eviction drive without taking any appropriate measures, which is manifest in the way ousted residents are currently living.
“However, I must thank the authorities for taking initiatives before a collapse could inflict serious damage on the Bihari families. That said, I would like to request them to construct a new building soon to properly rehabilitate these people.”
Deputy Commissioner of Dhaka district Sheikh Yusuf Harun said the ministry of disaster management and relief and the DC office are working jointly to look after matters surrounding the evacuation.
“We are aware that the Birharis are living on the roadsides and nearby areas. Once the demolition is completed, our priority will be to rehabilitate them all on the vacant space,” he added.
About constructing a new building, he said they have no such plan as of now.
“At present we have no plan to construct a new building for the community. If the government decides to do so, we will start work in this regard. But as of now we have no plan to do so.”
