Osmanpur Asrayan dwellers overcome economic vulnerability

RANGPUR, July 4: Most of the 200 rehabilitated families at Osmanpur Khamarerdanga Asrayan project in Badarganj Upazila have become self-reliant through various income generation activities.
The beneficiaries, who lost all hopes and led miserable life in the past, have also made good savings and assets after improving their livelihoods by taking advantage of the project.
A rehabilitated couple Ashraful Islam, 45, and his wife Sabina Yasmin, 40, said once they were homeless and struggled a lot for survival for a decade ago until their rehabilitation at the Asrayan project along with other 199 homeless families of the area in 2006.
"The Badarganj Upazila Cooperative Office through the local cooperative society first provided me with Tk 8,000 as interest-free loan in 2009 when I purchased a cow and opened a grocery shop," Ashraful said.
After paying the loans in 45 weekly instalments, he got Tk 12,000 for the second time."I regularly paid the loans and got Tk 20,000 for the third time and Tk 20,000 for the fourth time so far," Ashraful said, adding that he purchased a heifer and increased investment in grocery shop every time.
"Now, I have 10 cattle-head, including three milk-giving cows with furniture, television and solar panel," he said, adding that he has built a semi-pucca house and set up a dairy farm.
"Value of my total assets and properties may be around Tk 20 lakh now. My only son Sabbir and only daughter Armina are studying in class nine and class seven respectively in a local high school," Ashraful said.
Rehabilitated another couple Abdul Motaleb, 66, and his wife Suruza Begum, 55, said they got Tk 8,000 as revolving micro-credit in 2009 and purchased a cow.
"After that I took money several times as loans till 2017 and purchased a heifer every time," Motaleb said, adding that he also assisted his son-in-law Humayun to establish a poultry farm in nearby Beltoli Bazaar.
"Now, we have well-furnished house with television, solar panel, and 20 decimals of land which was taken on lease and other properties worth Tk 12 lakh," said Suruza Begum.
Beneficiary Tahuza Begum, 45, said she got Tk 8,000 in 2009 and Taka 10,000 in 2011.
Tahuza's husband Jahangir Alam earns Tk 250 daily by pulling a rental rickshaw.
Tahuza married off her two daughters Shahnaz and Shahinoor spending Tk two lakh last year and bears educational expenses of her sons Tozmul and Rabiul.
"I have three cows, 12 chickens, a solar panel, furniture, 10 decimals cultivable land taken on lease and other properties worth Tk six lakh," she said.
"I will purchase a rickshaw for my husband after getting the next loan," Tahuza said and thanked Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for providing them with shelters at the Asrayan project and new opportunity to lead a beautiful life.
Talking to BSS, Badarganj Upazila Cooperative Officer Shamsunnahar Begum said 200 homeless families were rehabilitated at Osmanpur Khamarerdanga Asrayan project in 2006.
Later, adult members of the rehabilitated families were provided with necessary trainings by local government departments to enhance their awareness and expertise before disbursing micro-credits to them for income-generation works, she said.
"We have disbursed Tk 14.92 lakh as revolving micro-credits to the families of the Asrayan project and many of them became self-reliant," she
added.     -BSS