Although urban poor in the country are grappling with several problems that are already hindering them from enjoying citizen rights, speakers at a consultation meeting said, if secure housing could be ensured for them, it would also end other problems.
Power and Participation Research Centre (PPRC) organized the consultation meeting– Addressing Urban Poverty: What works, What Doesn’t? – at Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) Bhaban in the city, where urban experts, right activists, and officials from non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and community based organizations (CBOs), were present on Saturday.
Speakers at the program expressed their disappointment by stating that since the 1980s, urban development work has been ongoing, but no visible progress have been made.
PPRC Chairman, Dr Hossain Zillur Rahman, said that this discussion meeting has been organized to bring an effective change to the status of urban poor.
Fatema Akhter, a CBO representative, and a slum dweller, said: “When we work at the slums, we cannot concentrate since the fear of losing our house either by eviction or by fire incidents always haunts us.”
“When we participate in programs such as these, we always listen to talks of having better sanitation near houses – especially for women – but when such initiatives are actually taken, even by the government, landlords increase the rent,” she said.
“We carry the cost of the services that are provided free-of-cost by the government,” she added.
Slum dweller Sirajul Islam said, that they hear of crores of taka being spent on the poor so that some services could be made available.
“We would rather prefer initiatives for permanent rehabilitation for us. We can assure to pay it back to you [government] in installments, over a long period of time,” he added.
Brac program manager Sajal K Saha said that, there are several dimensions to be considered when looking at citizen rights for urban poor. Planning for cities, towns, and municipalities need to be different according to the nature of the given urban areas.
UNDP urban specialist Ashekur Rahman said that, a new challenge has emerged recently as the number of slums in privately owned lands are increasing. In Sylhet, more than 90% slums are on private land. In Chittagong and Dhaka, it is more than 50%.
“So, we need to take housing, as well room rental issue, into consideration to solve the housing problem. Besides, a social housing project is needed for the extreme urban poor,” he added.
Professor of geography and environment department of Dhaka University, Nurul Islam Nazem, said government mindset plays a key role in solving the housing problem. “But the authorities are indifferent towards the urban poor, as they treat slum dwellers inhumanely.”
“They [government] value the land but not the people,” he added.
“Besides, our research shows that, the urban poor are paying much more than those living at bigger houses or apartments when you compare the price per square feet,” the professor said.
National Housing Authorities (NHA) consultant Bivas Das said that, government planning generally excludes community level thinking, while planning development projects, thereby prolonging such problems.
Quazi Baby, executive director of Participatory Development Action Program (PDAP), said: “If we want to ensure citizen rights to these people, we have to solve the problem of secured accommodation.”
If the urban poor are ensured accommodation, it will end other issues they have been facing, she added.
Major issues to be addressed to ensure citizen rights of urban poor
• Urban poor policy and framework
• Children integrated security package
• Health and urban primary health care
• Vocational education
• Housing for urban poor
Worries of the urban poor
• Would my home be safe or evicted or burned
• Is my little daughter safe and secure
• Is my child able to collect water timely
• Will I get low cost treatment facilities from govt or NGO
• Would room owner evict me
• Is my son going to become drug addicted
