Poverty situation improves further

The country's poverty situation improved further between 2016 and 2018 but at slower pace among extreme poor households, according to final report of the Household Income and Expenditure Survey (HIES).
The Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) estimated that the poverty rate, among households belonging to upper 'poverty line', dropped to 21.8 per cent in 2018, down by 2.5 percentage point from 2016.
On the other hand, the poverty rate, among those in lower poverty line, dropped to 11.3 per cent in 2018, down by 1.6 percentage point from 2016.
The BBS measures poverty by using the cost of basic needs (CBN) method that consists of lower and upper poverty lines.
The extreme poor households or lower line poverty are those households whose total expenditures on food and non-food combined are equal to or less than the food poverty line.
The moderate poor households or upper poverty line are estimated by adding together the food and non-food poverty whose total expenditure are equal to or less than the upper poverty line.
Dr. Krishna Gayen, director general (DG) of the BBS, unveiled the final report at a programme, held at its conference room in the capital on Monday.
Ms Gayen also said data analysis shows that the rate of poverty is dropping fast. The poverty rate was 40 per cent in 2005, and it dropped to just over 24 per cent in 2016.
"We are estimating, by using growth elasticity of poverty, 21.8 per cent as moderate poor and 11.3 per cent as extreme poor in 2018," she added.
In 2017, the BBS had disclosed the preliminary report of the HIES.
In the meantime, the household income per month increased by Tk 4,509 to Tk 15,988 in 2016, over Tk 11,479 in 2010. The per capita income stood at Tk 3,940 in 2016 against Tk 2,553 in 2010.
The household expenditure was Tk 15,715 in 2016, and Tk 11,200 in 2010.
But protein consumption through intake of different foods declined in 2016 over that of 2010. The per capita per day protein intake dropped to 63.8 gramme in 2016 over 66.26 gramme in 2010, according to the final report.
The per capita per day rice consumption was 367.19 gramme in 2016 against 416.01 gramme in 2010. The wheat consumption also dropped to 19.8 gramme in 2016 against 26.09 gramme in 2010.
The vegetable consumption, however, increased slightly to 167 gramme per capita per day. Besides, fish, meat and egg consumption increased to 62.6 gramme, 25.4 gramme and 13.6 gramme respectively.
The HIES data showed that non-agriculture activities emerged as the main occupation, as it constituted 62.2 per cent of the total occupation, while agriculture constituted 37.8 per cent.
Meanwhile, poverty by gender also dropped in 2016 HIES survey over that of 2010.
The male poverty by using lower poverty line was 13.2 per cent in 2016. It was 17.9 per cent in 2010.
The female poverty by using lower poverty line was 10.4 per cent in 2016, which was 14.6 per cent in 2010.
On the other hand, the male poverty by using upper poverty line was estimated 24.8 per cent in 2016.
The female poverty by using upper poverty line was 19.9 per cent in 2016.
The migration per household also dropped to 11.2 per cent in 2016 against 12.3 per cent in 2010.
The BBS conducted the survey on some 46,076 households, the biggest-ever in size. The primary sampling units was also the largest at 2,304 in 2016.
Dr Dipankar Roy, project director of the HIES, Ziauddin Ahmed, director of the National Accounting Wing, and Ashraf Uddin Ahmed, joint director, were present at the press briefing, among others.

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