Reflections

Picture of Poverty of Bangladesh June 24, 2010

BSS (Bangladesh Statistical Bureau) has recently made a survey on basic requirements enjoyed by the people of Bangladesh in 2009. BSS has published the report in last March 2010. The decision was taken during the Caretaker Government and the survey was conducted in March and April 2009.
Primarily 1000 survey points were selected. Then from them 700 areas were fixed on Random basis. For every point 20 families had been selected. Total 1400 families had been interviewed. Amongst them 8400 were from villages and 5600 from towns. During the survey two World Bank advisers one from Washington and one from Dhaka worked in the survey.
The survey was conducted to find out the no of people who are enjoying the basic facilities of life. he survey was sponsored by the World Bank.

Percentage of poor:
The survey said that 41.2% of people are poor. Amongst this, 31.9% is poor and 9.3% is ultra-poor. 37% families thought that poverty is increasing; 23% thought that it is decreasing. and 40% thought that it remain static.
Earlier it was stated that 40% population of Bangladesh are below poverty line. Work Bank newly defines the poverty as earning below 1 dollar 25 cents/day. In that respect , the poverty n Bangladesh is increased.
Regarding the cause of poverty -60% population has no house of their own or no other inherited property, 18.4% due to loss in the business, 17.2% due to lack of education or any skill.
According to the survey, 4.7% are affluent, middle class is 20.5%, lower class is 34.1%.

Education:
percentage of minimum literacy is 54.8%. Male are more educated than female. % of male education is 58.9% and in female the percentage is 50.6%.
In relation to the stages of education, who admit themselves in primary education, 27.6% can complete the primary education, 22.7% can reach upto Class IX, 5.6% only can complete SSC, HSC complete 3.8% and Degree 2.3%.

Food security:
Though majority of the population has food security, 39.8% population are in insecurity. Those who are insecure, 19.2% of them are in temporary insecurity, remaining 80.8% are in long term insecurity. 2 reasons could be identified for food insecurity, one is inadequate income, second is inadequate land for cultivation. For loss in the business, some people will fell into the trap of insecurity. 9.5% population remains in food insecurity for lack of job, only 35.5% of whom is covered by the social security program of the government.

Housing:
Majority of the population of the country are still live in Kachcha house. According to the survey, 72% of population live in Kachcha Hosue, in shanties 2.8%, 16.9% in semi-pacca hosue and only 8.3% live in pacca hosue.

But 83.7% population live in their own house in town and villages. 12.6% population live only in rented house.

Drinking water and health care:
Majority of the population drink pure water. 87% drink from deep tube well,1% from deep well, 9.2% drink from supplied from WASA in city and municipal corporations.
According to the survey, 90% of the children took vaccination, birth registration was done by 80.3% of population, most of the children still born in their own houses,birth is attended by physicians only in 12.15, midwives in 8.9%.untrained birth attendants still form the major bulk 57%.

Telephone and Computer:

only 2.2% men have land phone connection. But mobile phone connected 48.3% population. Only 1.9% has personal computers. In rural areas 0.5% and in towns 6.4% have computers.

Judiciary:
Even after 4 decades after liberation, most of the people do not go the judiciary or police for justice. Only 17.5% people got the law enforcing authority. 23.1% population go to the elected representatives,25.3% people go to the local and social leaders. 10.5% go the religious institutions. And 23.2% population seek no help from anybody for justice.

Experts told that many of the statistics reflect the true picture of the society , though they differ with some of the points.
[Reference: Prothom Alo, 9 June , 2010]

An ordinary citizen