Patuakhali and Barguna are the most poverty-stricken districts in the country, as 69.2 per cent people in the Southern districts are absolute poor and have to live on less than 2122 kilo calorie a day, a Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) study said. Although greater Rangpur has long been considered as the poorest region in the country, the latest estimates by the BBS put the two coastal districts at the top of the poverty list, a senior bureau official said quoting the study.
The BBS said people living in Kalapara, Baufal, Galachipa, Mirzapur, Dasmina, Dumki, Amtali, Bamna, Betagi and Patharghata upazilas of the two districts eat less than 2122 kilo calorie per day.
People taking less than 2122 kilo calorie a day are absolute poor and less than 1805 kilo calorie are extreme poor, according to the government yardstick on poverty. Jamalpur and Bandarban are found to be the second and third most poverty hit districts where 62.6 per cent and 60.7 per cent people are absolute poor and are unable to meet daily basic needs like food, education and medicare. Contrary to the popular belief, people in greater Rangpur districts are now better off, with five districts in the region—Gaibandha, Kurigram, Rangpur, Nilphamari and Lalmonirhat— jointly occupying the fourth position in the new poverty ladder. Some 57.4 per cent people in the five districts are estimated to be absolute poor, according to the BBS.
People in the Rangpur region make headlines all the time because of the Monga — a near famine situation in October and November — and concerted campaigns by non-government organisations and local newsmen, the official said. “But their fate has changed a lot in the recent years. Rangpur region has been benefited greatly by dry season irrigation facility. They can now farm three crops a day including the Boro in late winter,” he said. But people in the Southern region, who mostly live on fishing and farming, could grow rice crop only in the rainy season, he added. Besides the communication facility is now far better in Northern region thanks largely to the Jamuna Multipurpose Bridge and huge investment in road network.
“Communication is playing a key role in helping northern people come out of poverty very fast,” the BBS official said.
Sarishabari, Melandah, Madarganj, Islampur, Dewanganj and Boxiganj the main poverty-prone sub-districts in Jamalpur while Royanchari, Thanchi, Ruma, Lama, Ali Kadam and Naikhanchari are poorest in Bandanban district. Naogoan, Natore, Chapainawabganj and Rajshahi complete the list of the most poverty prone districts in the latest BBS survey. The percentage of poor people in the region is 44.6 per cent. The BBS prepared the list after requests from the finance and planning ministry, which needs latest poverty data to devise development projects to address growing regional disparity in the country.
Shakhawat Hossain, Financeial express.
Download : Patuakhali edges Rangpur as country- poverty count
