In Bangladesh, three out of eight administrative divisions now have the highest concentration of extreme poverty.
The latest poverty mapping, released by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) on Thursday, finds that extreme poverty is most concentrated in the divisions of Rangpur, Mymensingh, and Barisal.
With over a fourth (26.6%) of its population living below the national poverty line, Barisal currently has the highest poverty rate among all divisions in the country.
In Rangpur and Mymensingh divisions, 25% and 22.6% of the population, respectively, live below the poverty line.
With a poverty rate of 19.6%, the central Dhaka division stands just above the national average of 19.2%.
Poverty rates are relatively lower than the national average in the remaining four divisions: Sylhet (18.5%), Khulna (17.1%), Rajshahi (16.3%), and the lowest in Chittagong (15.2%).
High incidence of poverty at the upazila level
To gain insights into extreme poverty, the BBS report categorizes upazilas and districts into several groups based on upazila-level poverty quantiles.
Upazilas where over 28.2% of the population lives below the poverty line are classified by BBS as having a "very high" level of poverty incidence.
In the Barisal division, 19 out of 42 upazilas fall under this category. In Rangpur, 23 out of 64 upazilas are classified as having a very high incidence of poverty, while in Mymensingh, the number is 12 out of 35.
In other words, over 38% of the upazilas in these three divisions have populations living in extreme poverty.
By contrast, in the remaining five divisions, only about 14% of upazilas experience a "very high" incidence of poverty.
Disparities in poverty levels warrant urgent action
The findings from this iteration of the poverty map underscore the persistent geographic and demographic disparities in poverty levels across Bangladesh.
While some areas show promising signs of economic stability and even prosperity, others remain entrenched in cycles of poverty that demand urgent and targeted intervention.
The stratification of districts and upazilas into poverty quantiles has revealed both broad regional patterns of wealth distribution and nuanced intra-regional variations that complicate poverty alleviation efforts.
This detailed understanding of poverty distribution is crucial for the effective allocation of resources and the strategic planning of development initiatives.
"By identifying specific areas where poverty is most acute, policymakers, development partners, and stakeholders are better equipped to tailor their interventions to meet the distinct needs of these communities," states the latest poverty map, published by BBS with support from the World Bank and the World Food Programme (WFP).