Politicians are responsible for poverty, inequality and deprivation in Bangladesh, Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed has said, urging lawmakers to prioritise the rights and welfare of disadvantaged communities.
Speaking at a publication ceremony organised by the All-Party Parliamentary Caucus for the Rights of Disadvantaged People at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre in Agargaon, Dhaka, on Thursday, the speaker said politicians could not shift responsibility to bureaucrats, as political influence now extended to every level of society.
He said political leaders often became more concerned about securing their own privileges after being elected or assuming important party positions, while showing limited commitment to improving the lives of marginalised people.
“If politics is put in order, the country will also be put in order,” he said, stressing that elected representatives must work for the people who voted for them.
Hafiz said the July-August 2024 mass uprising had demonstrated the power of ordinary people, adding that political parties could claim credit for the movement, but meaningful change would not have been possible without public participation.
He also stressed the importance of a functioning democracy in ensuring the rights of disadvantaged communities, particularly during elections when politicians seek support from people often neglected at other times.
The speaker urged the parliamentary caucus to go beyond discussions on poverty and inequality and address the political exclusion of marginalised groups. He also called on lawmakers to take a firm stand against corruption, regardless of the positions held by those involved.
He further said the existing system of reserved parliamentary seats for women should be reconsidered, as women were increasingly capable of winning elections directly.
35 million remain below poverty line
At the event, Citizen's Platform Convener and Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) Distinguished Fellow Debapriya Bhattacharya said around 35 million people in Bangladesh still lived below the poverty line, including approximately 10 million in extreme poverty.
At least 20 million people who have moved above the poverty line remain vulnerable, he said, warning that losing just two days of work could push them back into poverty.
Debapriya said Bangladesh had made significant economic progress over the past 55 years, but social transformation and political reform had failed to keep pace because disadvantaged communities remained excluded from mainstream economic and social activities.
He said one in four young people was unemployed, while the rate among educated youths was one in three.
He also highlighted the disadvantages faced by sanitation workers, people with disabilities, residents of drought-prone areas in northern Bangladesh and coastal communities, particularly in access to education, healthcare and social protection.
Disadvantaged people were also disproportionately affected by poor governance, corruption and nepotism, he added.
The event, organised by the Citizen's Platform for SDG implementation, was attended by caucus President Barrister AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon, Chief Whip Nurul Islam Moni, Jamaat MP Md Saiful Alam Khan Milon, 25 lawmakers from different political parties and civil society representatives.
