Family planning programmes in different unions of Gazipur’s Sreepur upazila have slowed down, with designated workers facing the allegation of selling family planning equipment meant to be distributed free of charge.
A range of such equipment are now available in the local market in Sreepur while the poor and low-income people continue to remain ignorant about the importance of birth control and family planning.
The slow progress of family planning programmes is getting in the way of the government’s objectives to rein in population growth.
There are 46 family planning workers working in different unions and their key task include educating women about family planning and distributing contraceptives free of charge, said Sreepur Upazila Health Complex officials.
Forty of the 46 family planning workers are old and are rather reluctant to carry out field tasks despite pushes by officials.
Local men and women said they were completely unaware of such initiatives of the government.
Husne Ara, wife of Abdul Latif who lives at Satkhamair village in Barmi union, told the Dhaka Tribune she had no idea that the government ran family planning programmes.
“I would see some family planning workers occasionally visiting houses but have not seen any in the past three years,” said Sarbanu of the same village.
Ambia, wife of day-labourer Hamid Ali of Uttar Para village in Mawna, said she had never received any family planning product free of charge.
“But those are available at local stores,” she said.
Grocery store owner Abdul Rahim of Badni Bhanga village said he buys family planning devices at a very low price from designated workers. “Such products are in great demand among people who belong to the low-income group.”
Family planning worker Sajeda Begum, who covers Tengra area in Telihati union, said she does not discharge her duties regularly as she has aged but denied the allegation of selling birth control products in the market.
Another worker Rashida Akhter who works in Gosinga union observed that she sometimes sell family planning devices to drug stores as not many people are interested in collecting such products if supplied without any charge.
The upazila family planning officer, Dr Jinat Sharmin, refused to directly respond to the allegation of birth control products being sold to medicine shops but said action would be taken against those involved in such practice.
