The present government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been implementing comprehensive development programmes on priority basis for mainstreaming the citizens of former enclaves.

General Secretary of Panchagarh district Awami League and Sadar upazila chairman Anwar Sadat Samrat said this while distributing sewing machines among distressed young women of erstwhile Garati enclave in Panchagarh on Sunday afternoon as chief guest.

"Paraspor', a local NGO, provided the sewing machines for distributing among the 12 young women after their successful completion of six-month training course on sewing at a ceremony held at Panchagarh Sadar upazila parisahd auditorium.

With Executive Director of 'Paraspor' Akhterunnahar Saki in the chair, Panchagarh Sadar Upazila Nirbahi Officer Laila Muntazeri Deena and Sadar upazila Female Vice-chairman Karun Nahar attended the ceremony as special guests.

After getting six-month long training on sewing and sewing machines free of costs for conducting income generation activities, Miss Renu Akhter and Miss Shimu Akhter of Jhakuapara Moholla of erstwhile Garati enclave expressed their happiness.

"Earlier, we got no assistance for being stateless citizens of the former enclaves. We are very happy to get training and sewing machines. We can now earn our livelihoods at our own. It is great achievement for us," the young women said.

The chief guest said the government has been constructing roads, bridges, culverts, hats-bazaars, educational institutions, community centres, digital sub-centres, police camps and houses for homeless in former enclaves to speed up development there.

"The government departments are providing training, loans, inputs and assistance to youths of former enclaves for income generations," he said adding that allowances would be distributed to widows, elderly citizens, disabled people, sub-stipends to female students and other facilities.

He called upon the sewing machine recipient women for making best use of the knowledge and skill they acquired from the six-month long training course to become self-reliant through income generation activities.