Progress of the beggar rehabilitation project in the Sylhet division remains profoundly disappointing. Despite the allocation of significant funds over the last decade, approximately Tk 2.76 crore has been spent in this region to rehabilitate only 896 individuals.
Experts and local officials suggest that a critical lack of supervision has undermined the initiative, as many beneficiaries reportedly sell their provided rehabilitation materials to return to the streets.
Consequently, despite the government’s substantial budget allocations, the rehabilitation process is failing to meet its intended targets.
The “Beggar Rehabilitation Project” was originally launched by the Awami League government in 2010. However, the initial four years were largely consumed by nationwide surveys and piloting programmes conducted in the Mymensingh and Jamalpur districts.
Formal local-level implementation of the field-level work did not commence until the 2015–16 fiscal year, a process that continues today.
National allocation vs local implementation
The project’s financial history at the national level shows significant fluctuations. In the 2010-11 fiscal year, the allocation was Tk3.26 crore, which rose to Tk 6.70 crore in 2011-12 and Tk 10 crore in 2012–13.
Funding subsequently dropped to Tk 1 crore in 2013–14 and only Tk50 lakh in 2014-15. A major surge occurred in the 2015–16 fiscal year when local implementation began, with the budget jumping to Tk50 crore.
Despite this massive expenditure, only 251 people were rehabilitated nationwide that year. For the last three fiscal years, the national annual budget for this sector has been maintained at Tk 12 crore.
Within the Sylhet division, the distribution of the Tk 2.76 crore since 2015 reflects varying levels of investment across the four districts. Sunamganj received the highest allocation of Tk93.28 lakh to rehabilitate 295 people, followed by Habiganj with Tk82.24 lakh for 317 individuals.
Sylhet district was allocated Tk56.51 lakh for 190 beggars, while Moulvibazar received Tk44 lakh for the rehabilitation of 94 individuals. According to the Department of Social Services (DSS), these beneficiaries were provided with sewing machines, livestock, and capital for small businesses.
Operational hurdles and asset liquidation
The rehabilitation strategy strictly avoids direct cash transfers; instead, individuals are provided with materials based on their physical capability.
Mohammad Rafiqul Haque, assistant director (Operations and Social Security) at the Sylhet District Social Services Office, stated that support can reach between Tk 1.2 lakh and Tk 1.3 lakh per person.
He noted that priority is given to permanent residents to prevent them from selling assets and relocating. While Haque claims many rehabilitated individuals are doing well and have not returned to begging, this optimism is not shared by all.
Md Habibur Rahman, deputy director of the Habiganj District Social Services Office, admitted that the process is not as successful as expected.
He pointed out that many recipients sell assets, such as rickshaws, to return to their former trade.
Rahman clarified that at the upazila level, beggars are typically selected through Upazila Nirbahi Officers (UNOs), with materials usually purchased for between Tk20,000 and Tk50,000. These funds are held in local upazila accounts and spent according to committee decisions.
Increasing urban visibility and sociological resistance
Despite these expenditures, the presence of beggars in Sylhet city and its surrounding upazilas is reportedly increasing, including a significant rise in “seasonal beggars.” The DSS currently lacks specific statistics on the total number of people engaged in begging in the region.
Public frustration is mounting as beggars – many of whom view the practice as a permanent profession – increasingly frequent hospitals, shrines (mazars), bus stands, and even long-distance buses and trains. Furthermore, organised groups are now frequently visiting private households.
Suchitra Roy, deputy director of the Sylhet Divisional Social Services Office, confirmed that 896 people have been rehabilitated since 2015.
She highlighted a unique sociological barrier, noting that many individuals refuse government aid because it is contingent upon a formal condition that they never beg again in the future.
While Roy maintains that the department provides maximum cooperation to prevent a return to the streets, the lack of a definitive database and consistent follow-up remains a significant hurdle to the project’s long-term efficacy.
