1. Bangladesh has made progress in reducing poverty through sustained GDP growth over 6% in recent years, lowering the poverty rate from 48.9% in 2000 to 31.5% in 2010. However, challenges remain like a growing population, climate change impacts, urbanization, youth unemployment, and political stability that could hinder further progress. 2. To achieve UN SDG targets of reducing poverty by half and eliminating extreme poverty by 2030, Bangladesh will need to maintain its past rate of reducing poverty by 1.74% annually while expanding social protection programs and access to education and healthcare. 3. Other challenges include population growth projected to reach 193 million by 2030, rapid urbanization as people migrate from rural

1. 1
End of Poverty in Bangladesh: A Dream
Written by: Kamalendu Das,
Student, MDM-2016, Asian Institute of Management (AIM)
October 19, 2016
Bangladesh is a county of South Asia located in south Asia bordered with India to the
west and north, India and Myanmar to the east and Bay of Bengal to the south. Asia’s largest
river the Ganga (known as Padma in Bangladesh), the Brahmaputra (known as Jamuna in
Bangladesh) and Megna flow through the Bangladesh and formed the Bengal delta, world’s
largest delta which is fertile land for crops. About 1581
million people live in the small territory of
1475702
square kilometer. Bangladesh is eighth most populous country in the world and fifth in
the Asia with a population density of 1222/sq.km (2014)3
which is 8th
times higher than China
and 3 times higher than India; and highest among the countries with a population size more than
10 million.
Bangladesh, a lower middle income countries with a $10804
GNI/Capita is a next eleven
emerging economy with a GDP at market price equivalent to $ 172.95
billion. From the last few
years it’s continuing an over 6% GDP growth and poverty head count ratio at national poverty
lines fall down from 48.9%6
in 2000 to 31.5%7
in 2010. Despite of having some significant
progress on poverty reduction, health and education climate change, growing number of
population, political stability, urbanization and youth employment is a critical issue which will
play a vital role in advance of Bangladesh in next 15 years.
Bangladesh has made commendable progress in respect of eradication of poverty and
hunger. It has sustained a GDP growth rate of 6 percent or above in recent years that has
played a positive role in eradicating poverty. The robust growth has been accompanied by
corresponding improvements in several social indicators such as increased life expectancy and
1
UN Data
2
UN Data
3
World Bank Data
4
World Bank Dada (2014)
5
World Bank Data (2014)
6
World Bank Data
7
World Bank Data

2. 2
lower fertility rate despite having one of the world's highest population densities. This impressive
performance is the result of persuasion of pro-poor and inclusive growth strategy. Inclusive
growth has resulted in impressive poverty reduction from 56.7 percent in 1991-92 to 31.5
percent in 2010; the rate of reduction being faster in the present decade than the earlier ones.
The latest HIES 2010 data show that the incidence of poverty has declined on an average 1.74
percentage points in Bangladesh during 2000 to 2010 against the MDG target of 1.20
percentage points. The poverty headcount ratio for 2015 is estimated to be 24.8 percent.8
In the
same time the extreme poverty also reduce from 16.5 in 2010 to 12.99
in 2015.
According to SDG, by 2030 the poverty percentage would be halve of present that means
12.4% and by 2030 there will be no extreme poor that means it would be reduced from 12.9% to
0% by 2030. if Bangladesh can continue the poverty decline rate percentage of 1.74, then it is
possible to achieve the target before 2030.
Bangladesh also has given emphasis in 7th
five year plan, on accelerating poverty
reduction. To address the poverty reduction Bangladesh also have a social protection strategy
with a vision to build a social protection system under which all Bangladeshis will enjoy
minimum acceptable services. Under this strategies Bangladesh have been taken several
Programme like Programme for people with disability, widow, elderly people, children, extreme
poor, socially excluded community. But 64% 10
of poor is not under any social protection
coverage. Most of the poor people or occasionally poor or those who have graduated from
poverty can become poor by a sudden shocks like disaster, health hazard etc. So to sustain the
achievement of MDG and to achieve the SDG we have to increase the coverage of social
protection area, education and access to health services.
Despite of population fall in fertility rate Bangladesh population growth continue at the
rate was 1.2%11
for last five years. At the rate of 1.2% growth rate the present population 15912
million in 2014 would be reach 171 million in 2020 and 193 million in 2030.
That is 2 million people added in every year to the total population. With the current
population of 153 million Bangladesh is the heist densely populated country. For this growing
8
Bangladesh MDG Progress Report 2015 (www.bd.undp.org)
9
Bangladesh Seventh Five Year Plan FY2016-FY2020 (www.plancomm.gov.bd)
10
Bangladesh National Social Protection Strategy (www.plancomm.gov.bd)
11
World Bank Data
12
World Bank Data

3. 3
amount Bangladesh would need additional facility for food, education, health, security and other
heath etc. Therefore growing number of population would be a challenge for Bangladesh in
next 15 years.
Bangladesh is changing quickly through an agricultural society to urban society.
Everyday thousands for people are moving towards the city. Lack of education, health and
employment are the main reasons of inland movement. Climate migration and Due to changes
in technology in Agriculture, agricultural labor requirement has been reduced. The addition labor
is migrating to the urban area. The urban requirement employment, housing, water and
sanitation are the major challenges for next years.
For the last few years Bangladesh is continuing GDP growth around 6%. Last year,
Bangladesh becomes Lower Middle Income countries to least developed countries. The major
contribution is Bangladesh readymade garments. As the major of export is from a single
product, so it export diversification is one of the major challenge in Bangladesh. The foreign
direct investment is very low. To attract the foreign direct investment Bangladesh has to create
enabling environment.
Bangladesh is located at the mouth of Bay of Bengal. The Bay of Bengal is the south and
the Himalayan tract is at north causes huge rain. The two major river Ganga and Brahmaputra
flow thought the Bangladesh. It coursed flood every monsoon. Besides it is very much exposed
to cyclone. The salinity in the southern part of Bangladesh is increasing day by day. Without
proper adapting to climate change sustainable development is not possible.
Lack in Good Governance and political instability is another major challenge for
Bangladesh. All the opportunity will be turned into major challenges if there is lack in good
governance. There is a lack in strong administrative bodies. The administration is heavily
influenced by Politics and its changes with the changes in political power. Without political
stability and good governance end of poverty will remain just a dream.
End