Dhaka Bureau: The poverty rate of Bangladesh is gradually decreasing after overcoming the impact of CORONA. Every year, this number decreases significantly in percentage terms. Food assistance is provided at a low or no cost in conjunction with the government’s various employment programs.Cash financial benefits are also provided. With these benefits, people are becoming more self-reliant. Apart from giving money and food assistance to the poor and destitute, the government also gives financial and food assistance to special people, which is actually to keep these people in the social security zone.
According to the official Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), the rate of poor people in the country is 20.5 percent. Out of 14.5 million people in the country, the number of poor people is around 3 million. Among them, about one and a half crore are extremely poor.
The poor were 33.4 percent in 2009, 31.5 percent in 2010, 29.6 percent in 2011, 28.5 percent in 2012, 27.2 percent in 2013, 26.0 percent in 2014, 24.8 percent in 2015, 24.3 percent in 2016, 23.1 percent in 2017, 21.8 percent in 2018, and 20 percent in 2019.Extreme poverty, on the other hand, was 19.3 percent in 2009, 17.6 percent in 2010, 16.5 percent in 2011, 15.4 percent in 2012, 14.6 percent in 2013, 13.8 percent in 2014, 12.9 percent in 2015, and 12.1 percent in 2016.It can be seen from this that since the Awami League came to power, the rate of the poor and destitute has been decreasing gradually, from a maximum of 3 to below 1 decimal point every year. The hope of the government is that by 2041, the number of poor people in the country will come down to zero.
Sources in the Prime Minister’s Office said that in the current financial year (2022-23), cash and food assistance are being provided to about 5 crore people in the social security sector. The government spends Tk 57 thousand 223 crore per year on honoraria for freedom fighters, treatment and honoraria for martyrs’ families and war-victims, disability allowance, old age allowance, widow’s and widow’s allowance, mother and child support program, Hijra, Bede, and Cash, which are given as living allowance to backward communities.A job creation program has also been launched in exchange for 100 days a year. Apart from this, retirement and family retirement allowances are also being given to government employees. The number of beneficiaries of these programs is 1 crore, 28 lakh, and 47 thousand. Apart from this, 3 crore 62 lakh 97 thousand people are receiving food assistance in various ways through 11 programs. The total number of people receiving cash and food aid is 4 crore 91 lakh 44 thousand.Out of this, 1 crore 80 lakh people are getting food benefits in VGF, 62 lakh 50 thousand in the food-friendly program, 37 lakh 35 thousand in OMS, 33 lakh in GR (food), 18 lakh 20 thousand in Kabita, 1 lakh 80 thousand in Kabita, and 1.5 million in the VWB program. Social security is managed in the country through 24 ministries and departments. 123 programs are running in these sectors. However, the same person is known to be the beneficiary in more than one case.
In this context, the Chief Secretary of the Prime Minister’s Office said Tofazzal Hossain Miah said that efforts are being made to coordinate between the relevant ministries and departments so that the same person does not get multiple benefits. The online system is expanding. If this is the case, then there will be no problem. He said that according to the expectations of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the country will be included in the list of developed countries before 2041. There are all-out efforts to achieve that goal. Noting that no person will be homeless in Bangladesh during this period, he said that the work of the shelter project is going on rapidly as per the wishes of the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister’s priority projects are being implemented with the cooperation of people from all walks of life, including politicians, government employees, and social workers.
If you want to know, the Ministry of Social Welfare, the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs, the Ministry of Food, the Local Government Department, the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief, the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs, and some other ministries and departments provide allowances and food assistance to a large number of people through various programs.
