Bangladesh’s remarkable progress in poverty reduction over the past decades is a testament to its resilience and determination. From a nation struggling to feed its population, it has emerged as a development success story, with millions lifted out of extreme poverty. Yet, the battle is far from over. The specter of poverty continues to haunt a significant portion of the population, exacerbated by recent global crises and systemic inequalities.
It is because of the latter that a significant portion of the population now finds itself well below the poverty line -- 19.2% if a recent report published by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics is anything to go by.
While the national poverty rate has declined, regional disparities remain stark: According to the report, Barisal division has the highest poverty rate at 26.6%, while Chittagong division has the lowest poverty rate at 15.2%. The capital, Dhaka, meanwhile witnessed its poverty rate increase by 1.8 percentage points to 19.6%. However, it is Dasar upazila in Madaripur district which currently houses the highest number of poor people, with 63.2% of its population living below the poverty line.
Poverty has always been a policy failure, the previous government’s social safety nets and poverty alleviation programs had been commendable, but it is clear just how inadequate they were in result. Rampant corruption, inefficiency, and lack of targeted interventions have historically prevented any initiatives from reaching those who need them most.
As things stand, it is up to the interim government to pick up the slack. For the current administration to truly eradicate poverty, it must adopt a multi-pronged approach: Strengthening governance, ensuring transparency, and investing in sustainable infrastructure are critical. Equally important is empowering marginalized communities through education, skills training, and access to finance.
Bangladesh stands at a critical juncture in its development trajectory, and poverty cannot be allowed to be a part of that narrative anymore.
