BRDB closes rural uplift project in 5 N dists

The BRDB (Bangladesh Rural Development Board) has also withdrawn its 97 staff from the area and returned three-fourths of the Tk 50 lakh it took as 'savings' from 'group members'.

But it did not give any micro credit to the members in two years since launching of the project in 2001, official sources said.

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Leaders of different political parties including ruling BNP and its allies and of social organisations criticised closure of the project in the monga prone areas. (monga is a situation when rural people have no work before harvest in October-November.)

The project styled Polli Daridra Bimochon Karmasuchi (PDBK) was launched in 20 upzilas out of 26 in Rangpur, Nilphamari, Gibandha, Lalmonirhat and Kurigram districts in 2001.

It is however continuing its poverty alleviation project in six upzilas, launched in 1994.

The aim of the project was to alleviate poverty by training people in different income-generating activities like poultry, dairy, pisciculture and giving micro credit.

It enrolled 24000 numbers, 20 in one group. It gave them training and realised 'savings', promising them micro credit.

The project in the 20 upazilas was closed in March this year without any prior notice to the members.

BRDB Deputy Director Abdul Hakim Sarker at Rangpur when contacted however told The Daily Star that the project has been "suspended".

The LGRD ministry, under which BRDB operates, has a plan to start "some other poverty alleviation projects in the region", he said.

"This is why the (BRDB) board has decided to keep all activities of the project suspended and withdrew its staff from its command areas for the time being."

But another official at BRDB's Rangpur regional office preferring unanimity said that the project has been "closed due to fund shortage". Re-launching of the project work in the area is uncertain, he claimed.

Asked why new poverty alleviation projects would be introduced instead of PDBK, the Deputy Director Said, "The reasons are best known to high officials".

Regarding withdrawal of staff, he said they were recruited for LGRD ministry's Rural Development Project-9 (RDP-9). As the project tenure expired in 1995, they became unemployed.

Later, the government absorbed them in PDBK in 2001 and expanded poverty alleviation activities to 26 upazilas from six spazilas in the region.

Halima Khatun, a member at Kazi Para in Baderganj upzila said she was given training on tailoring and she deposited her weekly savings with PDBK's fund. But the savings were returned without giving any loan and showing any reason.

Sumi Begum of Nobdiganj in Pirgacha upzila asked why BRDB took money from them in the name of giving loan and why it withdrew its activities from Rangpur.

Mojibor Rahman Pramanik, an Awami League leader in Gangachara said the decision to close the project in the monga prone area was "very unfortunate".

Kazi Mohammed Zunnun, outgoing Chairman of Rangpur municipality said, " Government committed to provide financial support to poor people of monga prone areas in Rangpur. But the poverty alleviation project has been closed. This is self-contradictory".