Poverty reduction in B’desh ‘not sustainable’

Poverty reduction in Bangladesh is not sustainable as rural people are still out of economic activities in some areas, says Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal.

"The government is trying to bring the country's laggard regions into the vibrant socio-economic activities to ensure sustainable poverty alleviation," he said at a press briefing in Dhaka Wednesday.

Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) organised the briefing on its ongoing National Household Database (NHD) survey, where State Minister for Finance and Planning MA Mannan also indicated shortcomings of the statistical agency and stressed crosschecking its data.

Minister Mr Kamal said although the average poverty in Bangladesh is getting reduced at a commendable rate, hunger rates in some regions like Rangpur and southwestern Bangladesh are still higher.

So, he said, the economic activities in those regions will have to be expedited to bring the poor people in employment and work.

Meanwhile, the BBS has already started NHD survey across the country and collected 36 million samples (households) to know about the socio-economic status of people.

The national statistical body, in its second phase, will start survey in 25 districts of Dhaka, Chittagong and a part of Mymensingh divisions on January 14.

It has completed data collection from the households in Rangpur, Barisal and part of Mymensingh divisions in the first phase.

In the third phase, the BBS will conduct survey in 22 districts of Rajshahi, Khulna and Sylhet divisions.

BBS authorities said the government could use the NHD statistics for its social safety-net services to the poor and vulnerable groups.

State Minister Mannan urged the senior minister, Mr Kamal, to have a plan to crosscheck the BSS data to "ensure its credibility".

"In some countries, there are some crosscheck methods which make the national statistical body's data more accurate and credible," he said.

Mr Mannan suggested that the statisticians should have more foreign training to adopt modern technology and method to utilise in their professional work in Bangladesh.

In his response to the credibility question over BBS data, Planning Minister Mr Kamal said the statistical body is enough capable of providing credible data.

"No statistics are cent-percent accurate. So, we should not think that all the data will be accurate," he added.

Statistics and Informatics Division Secretary KM Mozammel Huq, BBS Director-General Amir Hossain and Project Director of the NHD project Shafiqul Alam also replied to queries from the journalists.

[email protected]