The New Nation - Internet Edition

Habitat helps rebuild houses for vulnerable people

Staff Reporter

Habitat for Humanity, a USA based multinational organisation in Bangladesh plans to support rebuilding houses for 50 thousand vulnerable people at urban areas during the next five years with the support of the Government.

"One of the main challenges for urban poor in Bangladesh is land tenure. We seek private public partnership for supporting the homeless people," Jonathan TM Reckford, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Habitat for Humanity, now works in 90 countries said at a press conference at Dhaka Regency in the city.

He said that the organisation would take a special project for garments workers and slum dwellers.

He called upon the Government to make such kind of policy for solving residence crisis of the urban people in Bangladesh that will also save the cultivable land.

A high official of habitat for Humanity informed that the organisation has been rebuilding houses of 280 families under its post cyclone programme in Patuakhali.

Besides, it has also invested $331 thousand for its 12 projects across the country.

Kyle Scott, Regional Programme Manager, Habitat for Humanity, South Asia, Kelly Koch, National Director, Habitat for Humanity, among others, addressed at the press conference.

Woman gets 50 years for killing brother-in-law

UNB, Brahmanbaria

A court here on Thursday convicted a woman and sentenced her to 50 years imprisonment for killing her bother-in-law in 2005.

The court also fined Mamata Rani Debnath Tk 5,000, in default, to suffer three months more RI.

According to the prosecution, the convict killed his husband's youngest brother and Nabinagar upazila unit Chhatra Union president Prokash Debnath Paltan in his house at Bholachang in the upazila on July 31, 2005.

District and Sessions Judge Mustafa Enamul Hafiz found her guilty and pronounced the verdict.

Govt. urged to save Lawachhara forest

UNB, Dhaka

Environmentalists yesterday urged the caretaker government for taking immediate steps to save Lawachhara forest in Habiganj from the "destructive" activities of US-based oil company Chevron.

"The Lawachhara forest is a home to many rare species, including Ulluk (Holoock Gibbon). Unfortunately, foreigners are now destroying our forests, which will be disastrous for the country's environment," noted environmentalist Prof. Zillur Rahman Siddiqui said.

He was talking to media on the sidelines of a roundtable titled "Modhupur and Lawachhara: Stolen Forest Threatened Heritage".

Society for Environment and Human Development (SEHD) arranged the roundtable at the Drik Gallery here in the morning.

SEHD also arranged a photo exhibition titled "Threatened Heritage" at the Gallery. It will continue till June 27.

The function was addressed, among others, by Prof. Sakhawat Ali Khan, Prof. Anu Mohammad and Dr Noazesh Ahmed and Dwijen Sarma.

Prof. Anu said such a 'greedy' oil company with the help of some dishonest government officials carried out blasts in the country's forest as part of its seismic survey.

"When environmentalists at home and abroad have issued statements against Chevron's activities, the Petrobangla chairman supports the seismic survey," he said.

The Lawachhara forest is popular globally, as it is the home to 167 species of plant, large number of species of animal and bird, and the tribal community Khasia.