Bangladesh has made significant strides in several socioeconomic development indicators over the last 30 years. However, the Covid pandemic, as in the rest of the world, has caused disruptions in the country's development trajectory. The recently completed Sanem-GDI Household Survey 2023 produced some important insights. The national upper poverty rate fell from 21.6 percent in 2018 to 20.7 percent in 2023, primarily driven by the fall in rural poverty from 24.5 percent to 21.6 percent. However, urban poverty rate rose from 16.3 percent to 18.7 percent. The Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) headcount poverty rate fell from 25.8 percent in 2018 to 24.7 percent in 2023, with rural MPI poverty rate falling from 30.4 percent to 27.6 percent, but increasing in urban areas from 16.8 percent to 18 percent [66a4964b].
This opinion piece from The Daily Star highlights the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on food security and poverty in Bangladesh. It mentions the recently completed Sanem-GDI Household Survey 2023, which reveals that the national poverty rate has decreased slightly, with a fall in rural poverty but an increase in urban poverty. The Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) also shows a decrease in poverty, but with an increase in urban areas. The article emphasizes the need for urgent policy directives to address rising urban poverty and food insecurity, including widening social security programs and expanding open market sales (OMS) or food-friendly programs. It also highlights the learning loss among children due to the prolonged closure of educational institutions during the pandemic and the increase in food insecurity between April and October/November 2023. The article calls for measures to reduce inflationary prices and address concerns of increased dropout rates and learning loss among children [66a4964b].
This article from Eurasia Review provides a broader perspective on the issue of poverty reduction. It discusses the decline of extreme poverty over the past two centuries, from 80% of the world's population in 1820 to 10% in 2019. The article attributes this decline to the progress of industrialization and the use of machinery and technology. It also argues that socialist economies, such as the USSR, Eastern Europe, and China, have been effective in reducing extreme poverty. The article suggests that socialism's state control and support of economies contribute to successful industrialization and the reduction of inequality. However, it acknowledges that the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing wars have worsened the situation for those in poverty, with an estimated 70 million people pushed into extreme poverty in 2020. The article concludes by highlighting the challenges of achieving the UN target of eradicating extreme poverty by 2030 and the need to address racial disparities and the impact of industrialization on the environment [6a64b0a2].
This article from Asia Times challenges the narrative of China's poverty reduction miracle. It argues that while China's pro-market reforms of the 1980s and 1990s are believed to have reduced extreme poverty by almost 800 million people, a new study suggests that extreme poverty in China actually increased during the market reforms of the 1990s. The study used data from the OECD to calculate extreme poverty rates based on the prices of necessary subsistence goods. It found that China's rate of extreme poverty was only 5.6% from 1981 to 1990, compared to 51% in India, 36.5% in Indonesia, and 29.5% in Brazil. The study suggests that the World Bank's method of using purchasing power parity does not accurately reflect real poverty trends. The authors argue that public ownership, price controls, and universal access to social services can be effective in reducing extreme poverty, especially in low-income countries [e03675b6].
It is important to note that this article is an opinion piece and provides a specific perspective on the issue. However, it contributes to the ongoing discussion about the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on food security and poverty in Bangladesh, highlighting the need for urgent policy interventions [66a4964b].