Night shelters
Photo: AFP
There has been an alarming rise in the number of street people in the capital. Each night, 15,000 to 20,000 people both adults and children - make the streets of Dhaka their home. The number of street people rises day by day as many families rush towards the capital from country's rural areas for earning livelihood. They live on the street in inhuman condition and also fall victim to torture, oppression, exploitation and abuse. They live and grow up on the margins of the society in a state of neglect, deprived of affection, care and guidance. They have no access to basic services like education and healthcare and live in a condition undesirable in any standard living. They remain the most vulnerable group and a serious obstacle to the country's development. In other countries of the world city corporations take steps to resolve the problem. Concern Worldwide Bangladesh, a major non-government development organisation, has come forward to their aid by launching a five-year project, Amrao Manush project, in March 2008. The goal is to support 10,000 pavement dwellers through dedicated pavement dweller centres, providing them with the opportunity to make their own choices for a better future. Focused on empowering them to create real and lasting change, the project progresses in collaboration with Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) through partner NGOs Sajeda Foundation, Social and Economic Enhancement Programme (SEEP), Nari Moitree and Coalition for Urban Poor (CUP). Nine centres have been set up at Karwan Bazar, Kamlapur railway station, Sadarghat, open space of Dhaka stadium, High Court area, Osmani Uddyan, Green Road, Mirpur mazar, Mirpur stadium and Mouchak. Various services are being rendered to them from 8:00 in the morning to 5:00 in the afternoon. Services include healthcare, toilet facilities, arrangement for cooking, daytime rest, non-formal education for children, day care centre for working street women, awareness programmes and advocacy, technical and vocational training, savings and locker system. As it is not enough, the DCC should take greater initiatives to set up more safe night shelters for street people. If properly brought up the children may become worthy citizens, he added.
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