Poverty prevent people from accessing potential housing options, and make others hard to sustain. There are significant linkages between housing and poverty. These have impact on people’s lives and livelihood. As such, these linkages deserve greater attention so that they can be properly addressed.
Focusing on current location, situation, practices and existing law for the housing for the poor, and to find possible strategies and options according to those issues, Bangladesh Urban Forum and Habitat for Humanity Bangladesh jointly organized a round table discussion on the topic “Housing for the poor; strategies and options”. Mostafa Quaium Khan, Advisor, Bangladesh Urban Forum moderated the round table.
Dr. Shahidul Amin, Professor, Architecture Department of the BUET, in his discussion on Housing Situation for the Poor in Bangladesh: Strategies and Options said that About 3.5 
million low income people and about 52,000 floating people are living in 4000 slums and squatters or without shelter in Dhaka city. Recent housing projects are not affordable for the urban poor. We should provide them more opportunities for safe shelter. Housing is a commodity and should be supplied according to demand. Bangladesh government has taken several housing targets since 1995. Bangladesh needs one million additional houses for people every year. We need proper attitude, planning and mechanism to make best uses of available lands.
Abu Sadek, Director, Housing and Building Research Institute said that we have to move forward in a systematic way to ensure housing for all. Considering recent sustainable goal we have to ensure housing for all in Bangladesh. We have to advocate, share the research and development plan with all. Honorable prime minister has stated that we should build multi-storied buildings and save agricultural lands. Our mandate is by 2020 we have to eliminate misuse of agricultural lands. HBRI has a lot of research outcome proves that it is possible to reduce house building cost up to 30 percent than traditional houses, alternative materials for building sustainable, disaster resilient and cheaper houses.
Eng. Shahidul Kabir from the National Housing Authority said that there are government projects going on in Khulna and in Mirpur in Dhaka for the shelter less people. Government is initiating a pilot project that will be funded by the World Bank and will be implemented by the PKSF. This project will provide land, financial and infrastructural support to the low and middle income and shelter less people.
Mohammad Akterruzzaman, Program Manager, UN Habitat said that private sector and government should promote low cost research output to all. Housing demand is an individual need and we have to find out the best way to help people building disaster resilient houses. We have to change definition and approach and enable access to resources and technology for better living for all.
Afroza Ahmed, shelter specialist, UNDP said that housing sector is neglected and looks guardian less, and we are behind in case of innovation. There are so much to do but we are not taking responsibilities. We need to attract donors and build capacities to develop basic hosing for the homeless people in rural and urban areas.
Abdullah Rayhan – according to seven five years plan, Bangladesh government is budgeting one hundred billion in housing sector. We need co-ordination of departments of the government to ensure housing for the poor.
Tamjidul Islam, Urban co-ordinator of the World Vision Bangladesh said that the Bureau of statistics should provide essential and authentic data which can be used for any development planning. Land issues is crucial in Bangladesh. There should be subsidy from the government for the low income and poor people.
Prof. Golam Rahman, President, Bangladesh Institute of Planners said that we need to decentralization plan. Empowering upazillas and unions can reduce poverty and housing problems. There should be no homeless people in the country and sheltering homeless people in the villages is important.
John A Armstrong, National Director, Habitat for Humanity Bangladesh said that we need to bring together muli-stakeholders and units to prioritize housing issues and bring it to the governments consideration.
Habitat for Humanity Bangladesh, a branch of HFH International, was established in 1999 and It currently operates in 7 locations across the country, aiming to break the cycle of poverty. More than 8000 low-income Bangladeshi families have partnered with Habitat to improve their housing, water and sanitation, and living conditions. This represents around 300,000 people who have also received training in safe water and sanitation, appropriate construction technology, microfinance, disaster response and mitigation.
