Poverty Alleviation Effort in Bangladesh: Involvement of Selected Banks and Ngos
Poverty Alleviation Effort in Bangladesh: Involvement of Selected Banks and NGOs
Munim Kumar Barai* Md. Liakat Hossain Moral*
Abstract
Reduction of poverty has remained the most important national goal since the independence of Bangladesh. Though it was initially the sole responsibility of the government, banks, FIs and NGOs got themselves involved in the effort beginning from the late 1970s. Now their role has emerged as to be vital in the entire pursuit of poverty alleviation. Available statistics suggest a gradual reduction of poverty in Bangladesh over the years. Evidently, the participation of NGOs in health care, education, micro finance and other welfare activities has generated a kind of dynamism particularly in rural Bangladesh. But we follow a pattern of rise in inequality in the society in the 1980s and in the first part of 1990s. During the period, growth in urban inequality is more prominent than that of the rural area. Two factors might have played an important role in this regard. Along with the poverty alleviation activities of these institutions, an increasing use of modern farming methods may have led to an overall improvement of poverty position in the rural sector. On the other hand, negative fallouts of the globalisation measures might have affected the urban poverty.
INTRODUCTION
Poverty has remained the most vital source of discomfort for the nation. A significant portion of the population in Bangladesh still lives under poverty. A provisional estimate for 2000 indicates that national index of poverty has come down to 44.3 percent out of which 20 percent of the population was hard core poor.
* The authors are Assistant Professor, Leading University, Sylhet and Assistant General Manager, Computer Cell, Bangladesh Krishi Bank, Head Office, Dhaka respectively. They present the paper in their private capacity.
304
Bangladesh Jornal of Political Economy Vol. 17, No. 2
The government efforts to reduce poverty were mostly
Munim Kumar Barai* Md. Liakat Hossain Moral*
Abstract
Reduction of poverty has remained the most important national goal since the independence of Bangladesh. Though it was initially the sole responsibility of the government, banks, FIs and NGOs got themselves involved in the effort beginning from the late 1970s. Now their role has emerged as to be vital in the entire pursuit of poverty alleviation. Available statistics suggest a gradual reduction of poverty in Bangladesh over the years. Evidently, the participation of NGOs in health care, education, micro finance and other welfare activities has generated a kind of dynamism particularly in rural Bangladesh. But we follow a pattern of rise in inequality in the society in the 1980s and in the first part of 1990s. During the period, growth in urban inequality is more prominent than that of the rural area. Two factors might have played an important role in this regard. Along with the poverty alleviation activities of these institutions, an increasing use of modern farming methods may have led to an overall improvement of poverty position in the rural sector. On the other hand, negative fallouts of the globalisation measures might have affected the urban poverty.
INTRODUCTION
Poverty has remained the most vital source of discomfort for the nation. A significant portion of the population in Bangladesh still lives under poverty. A provisional estimate for 2000 indicates that national index of poverty has come down to 44.3 percent out of which 20 percent of the population was hard core poor.
* The authors are Assistant Professor, Leading University, Sylhet and Assistant General Manager, Computer Cell, Bangladesh Krishi Bank, Head Office, Dhaka respectively. They present the paper in their private capacity.
304
Bangladesh Jornal of Political Economy Vol. 17, No. 2
The government efforts to reduce poverty were mostly
References: Source: Household Expenditure Survey, 1995-96, BBS.