Eradicating poverty among slum dwellers (cinnomul bosti basindader jonno daridro durikoron prokolpo) Dhaka is one of the

most densely populated and rapidly expanding mega cities in the world. Over 30 million people live in various cities in Bangladesh, which is roughly around 24% of the total population. It is estimated that this number will increase to about 68 million by 2015. ( Dhaka bissher sorbapekha jonobohul ebong druto bere otha boro nogorir ekti. (3 kotir besi lokjon dhakar bivinno nogority bash kore, ja mot jonosonkhar 24% er kacey. Dharona kora hocce j eti 2015 saler modhe bere giye prai 6 koti 80 lokho er kacakaci hobe.)

About 49% of the total population of Bangladesh is poor, destitute, vulnerable and living inhuman lives. 20 million people are extremely poor, which is 7% of the total population. ( Bangladesh er mot jonosonkhar prai 49% doridro, chorom ovab grostho, vongur ebong omanobik jibon japon korche. 20 lokho manush marattok doridro ja mot jonosonkhar 7% ). As poor people become desperate for a way to make a living, they rush towards the city lights. It is estimated that 300,000 to 400,000 new migrants come to Dhaka every year. The population of Dhaka doubles every ten years. Unfortunately, the expansion and growth of our cities are not well planned, leaving those searching for new opportunities in a sad situation. ( doridro jonogosthi beche thakar proyojon e sohorer alor proti akristo hoi. Proti bochor anumanik 300000 theke 400000 manush dhakai ase. Ja dhakar jonosonkha 10 bochor e digun kore. Durvhaggo bosoto amader nogorir ei bistar ebong bridhir jonno valo kono porikolpona nei jar fole notun jara ase tara durvhaggojonok poristhitite sommukhin hoi.) These new migrants often try to look for a roof over their heads in one of the 4,966 slums of Dhaka city, where they may squeeze their bedding down next to one of the 5 million people living below the radar. With almost half the city's population living in slums, it's crucial that we explore ways to develop the means of livelihoods of slum dwellers in order to ensure growth, equity and achievement of the millennium development goals by 2015. ( notun ovibasira dhakar 4966 bostir ekti te jaiga kore neyar chesta korte thake., jkhane tara onnanno 5 lokho manuser sathe nijer jaiga kore nitey chesta kore. Jkhane prai ordhek jonosonkha bosti basi, eti joruri j amader ucit 2015 sohosrabder unnoti programmer madhome bosti basider jibon jatrar man er briddhi, sammota ebong orjon er unnoyoner chesta kora . )

Most slum people come from disaster prone, river eroded and monga affected areas, such as northern chars, haors, and coastal belts. They quickly become an integral part of our source of economic power, contributing to the major work force in the garments, transportation, construction, land development, domestic help, small industries and businesses and waste management sectors. We rely on them, exploit them, grow prosperous on their backs, but we continue to neglect them. (besir vhag bosti basi durjog kobolito, nodi vagon ebong monga kobolito jaiga theke esheche, jmon uttorer chor, hawor

elaka ebong upokul nikotborti elaka. Tara khub drutoi amader posak, poribohon, nirman, jomir unnotisadhon, ghorowa sahajjo, khudro sromshilpo ebong business o borjo bebostai ongso grohon kore amader orthonitir ekti gurottopurno ongso hoye jai. Amra tader upor nirvor kori, tader bebohar kore nijeder unnoti kori kintu tader amra sob somoy obohela kori. ) Slum people live in unhealthy and inhuman conditions and face continuous threat of eviction, unemployment, under-employment, hunger, malnutrition, disease, polluted water, lack of safe water supply and sanitation facilities, and harassment from the local power structures. (bosti basira khub e osasthokor ebong omanobik obosthai bas kore ebong cromagoto nirjaton, bekarotto, cakrir ovab, khudha, opusty, rog, dushito pani, oporjapto khawar pani sorboraho ebong poyoniskason bebostha ebong sthaniyo manuser ottachar er sommukhin hocce.)

Although a number of initiative have been launched by the government, non-government and UN agencies, and though poverty has also been reduced significantly in terms of percentages, the number of poor people is still increasing. ( jodio sorkari, besorkari ebong jati songho songsthar kisu uddog neya hoiyeche jar fole daridrotar sotkora har kisuta holeo hras peyeche kintu doridromanuser sonkha ekhono bere cholche.)

Despite the funds and programmes to alleviate poverty, many extreme poor households remain unassisted. It is an unexpected reality that urban extreme poor have no access to government safety net programmes such as VGD, VGF, old aged pension scheme and 100 days work scheme that are available to the rural poor. ( Daridrota komanor lokhe sohayota ebong karjocrom pronoyon sotteo onek doridro lok e sohayota pacce na. Dukhojonok holeo sotto j sohorer ottonto doridro jonogosthi sorkarer nirapotta karjocrom somporke oggo jmon VGD, VGF, boyosko vhata karjocrom ebong 100 days kajer porikolpona karjocrom jgulo gram porjaye royeche.)

Considering the overall situation, Dushtha Shasthya Kendra (DSK) is implementing a project targeting extreme poor slum dwellers in Dhaka city, with the support from the shiree project (Economic Empowerment Project) funded by UKaid and the government of Bangladesh. ( sorbopori poristhiti bibecona kore , DSK dhakai sorbocco doridro jonogosthir jonno ekti porikolpona grohon koreche , jar sohojogitai royeche sriree prokolpo (arthik khomotayon prokolpo) , ebong arthik sohayotai royeche UK aid ebong Bangladesh sorkar ) DSK is working on 10,000 households in two slums -- Korail and Kamrangirchar. This project hopes to increase the livelihoods of extreme poor slum dwellers through asset transfers (for example, sewing machines), start-up capital, capacity building for small businesses and other income generate initiatives. (DSK 10000 bostibasir jonno duti vinno jaigai kaj korche korail and kamrangirchor.. ei prokolpo theke asa kora hocee eti ottonto doridro bostibasir jibon jatrar man unnoyone sohayota korbe bisoy

sompotti sthanantor (jmon selai mechine), muldhon sohayota, khudro business ebong onanno upaye ai korar pontha uposthapon er madhome.)

The people in the slums are very entrepreneurial and hard working, and we believe, given the opportunity, they will be able to do well, economically and socially. However, the extreme poor require more than just start-up capital to climb out of poverty. They require forward and backward linkages (markets) for their products. They require a safe home at night. They require primary heath care services, safe water and sanitation facilities. (jara bostite bash kore tara ottonto uddogi and kothor porisromi, ebong amra bishas kori, ei sujoger madhome tara arthik ebong samajik obostahar unnoti korte parbe. Echarao Ottonto doridro jonogosthir business suru korar jonno muldhoner proyojon jar sahajje tara daridrota katiye utte pare. Tader ponno bajar jat koroner jonno proyojon bohirmukhi ebong ontormukhi somporko / sohayota. Tader ratey thakar jonno nirapod asroyer proyojon. Tader jonno dorkar parthomik sastho seba kendro, bisudho pani ebong poyoniskason bebostha.)

DSK would like to place a strong argument to the government of Bangladesh and development partners for formulating pro-poor development policies, expanding the social safety net programmes, and providing land ownerships to the urban extreme poor households/slum dwellers besides the other development initiatives. Also, the private sector can get involved to help extreme poor people become part of the formal sector by providing market support. (DSK Bangladesh sorkar ebong unnoyon sohojogi dara uposthapito prak daridro unnoti sadhon nitimala, samajik nirapotta bestoni bridhi koron prokolpo ebong sohorer ottonto doridro bosti basider jonno jomi malikana hostantor prokolpo ersathe onanno unnoyon prokolper bipokhe ekti kothin torko uposthapon korar icca poson kore. Echarao besorkari protisthan gulo ottonto doridro jonogosthider sahajjo korar lokhe bektigoto khat ebong bajarer sohojogitai jorito hote pare.) Urban slum dwellers are contributing significantly to Dhaka's economic growth as they are providing the labour necessary for manufacturing, services and other sectors. So, it is important to bring them into the mainstream economy and to provide support to lift them out of poverty. ( sohorer bostite bosobaskrito jonogosthi tader proyojoniyo srom utpadon, seba ebong onnanno khetre diche ja Dhakar orthonoitik unnoyone gurottopurno vhumika rakhe. Sutorang tader mul orthonitir vhetor niye asa ucit jate kore tara er sahajje daridrota katiye utte sokhom hoi.)