Bangladesh has made significant progress towards reducing all forms of poverty in the country, according to a new UN report. The UN Development Programme (UNDP) on Thursday published the 2019 global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) -- a tool to measure progress against Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 1, which aims to end poverty in all its forms and dimension. According to MPI, Bangladesh is among 10 countries with a combined population of 2 billion to have made statistically significant progress towards achieving SDG 1. Bangladesh got about 19.3 million people out of poverty between 2004 and 2014, the fastest reduction in UNDP’s poverty index during that period.
For many years poverty and Bangladesh were synonymous to the international community. The scenario has changed quite convincingly, and the country’s efforts against poverty are now very well recognized and admired throughout the world. The remarkable development that the country has gained over the last ten years of Awami League regime has instilled the confidence into people that becoming a developed nation is very much possible.
Bangladesh started its journey in 1971 with a poverty rate of 80 to 90 per cent. Since the inception of this country, the basic principle of the different governments toward development was poverty alleviation and to this day this continues. Though we have achieved huge success in poverty alleviation in recent times, the rate of poverty reduction is not adequate compared to the country’s striking growth rate.
It is common that any kind of social or financial crisis hits the poor harder. Hence poverty alleviation is not just the responsibility of the government; it is also our collective responsibility. Though the government has integrated allowance for the poor and needy, the amount is not sufficient. Therefore, apart from giving allowance, it is high time to involve the poor in income-oriented jobs. Also the government and policymakers should give more priority to inclusive and micro-level development than economic growth only.