In a major humanitarian move, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has approved full government funding for the Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) sanitation workers' housing project. The decision, taken at Sunday’s ECNEC meeting, aims to resolve the long-standing housing crisis for the city’s essential workforce.
The revised project, titled "Construction of Housing for Sanitation Workers under CCC," was approved after the Local Government Department highlighted the corporation’s limited revenue capacity. Recognizing that the CCC struggles to fund large-scale developments alongside its operational costs, the Prime Minister agreed to waive the corporation's financial share.
Chittagong City Mayor Dr. Shahadat Hossain welcomed the decision, calling it "humane and commendable."
"Our revenue is primarily used for salaries, utilities, and basic maintenance, making it difficult to co-finance this project," the Mayor explained. "Sanitation workers are the silent warriors of our city. This project ensures they live in safe, planned housing, which will significantly boost their social status and morale."
The project cost has been revised to Tk 309.35 crore, up from the initial estimate of Tk 231.42 crore. Mayor Shahadat attributed the increase to updated 2023 Public Works Department (PWD) rate schedules and new design requirements.
Under the plan, 1,036 flats (each approximately 600 sq. ft.) will be constructed across seven buildings. While most buildings remain in their original locations, one building originally planned for Bundle Colony (Ward 21) has been moved to East Madarbari (Ward 30) due to space constraints.
The project deadline has been extended to December 2027 to allow for the proper rehabilitation of workers currently residing on the construction sites.
