Overpopulation and poverty

Ahmed Tareq Even if the economic growth rate of Bangladesh accelerates into the double digit of 10 per cent or in its neighbourhood in the next two decades, the present per capita income is unlikely to show any major increase for the simple reason that population would also be growing in this time. Even if the government estimate of population growth is accepted, there would still be some 180 million Bangladeshis well before the next quarter century in the absence of stringent population control activities. Thus, without limiting population growth, it would be simply impossible for Bangladeshis to enjoy substantially increased per capita income in the future regardless of how well its economy grows. One example should make it clearer. The per capita income in the United States of America is about $47,000 whereas the same is about $3,000 in China. Thus, the resources for spending available to the average American is sixteen times more than the average Chinese. China has been enjoying well over double digit economic growth unmatched by other countries for decades; it presently has foreign currency reserves worth trillions of dollars and here also other countries are no match for the Chinese. Why then the Chinese per capita income is so low? The reason is the sheer number of the Chinese people. The USA has a population which is about one-ninth of that of China. Therefore, the average American can enjoy a far bigger per capita income or share of the national pie than the average Chinese as we get the figure of per capita income of a country by dividing its total national income by the total number in its population. Thus, the policy planners in Bangladesh must put a far greater emphasis on population control. This has become an absolute imperative for the country to consolidate the gains from the economic advances it is making in different spheres. Population control is a neglected area in Bangladesh today when it should be among the highest priorities of the government. All kinds of clichés to the effect that the large population of Bangladesh is not a liability and that Bangladeshis in millions can swiftly be turned into productive persons, will not quite prevent the economic catastrophes to be faced by the country from allowing its already overpopulated conditions to turn even worse.