Ziauddin Kamal

House 25 (2nd Floor), Road 5

Nikunjo 2, Dhaka 1229
Cell: 01199-023391
Email: zia_kal@yahoo.co.uk
Key Development Issues in Bangladesh: A Brief Scenario

A large population of about 140 million, Bangladesh remains one of the poorest and least developed
countries in the world. Development in many sectors is still a crying need for betterment of the human
beings of this country. Complying a number of psycho-socio-economical indicators at a standard
lifestyle level to be needed. Bangladesh government already identified 12 thematic sectors in this
regard under PRSP banner. Which complements to the UN declared eight MDGs. Bangladesh is one of
the signatories of 189 countries to the Millennium Declaration (2000). PRSP and MDG both have
identical targets to mend the deficiencies of human nationally and internationally.

Development targets focusing on poverty, education, health and nutrition, population and
reproductive health, water sanitation, gender, environment, Justice, labor market and employment,
governance, ICT and global partnership.

Since 1990, a combination of generous international aid, a dynamic civil society and government
policies has created an outlook for achieving the targets by 2015. Bangladesh with its partners like UN,
World Bank, IMF, OECD, regional groupings and experts and other development agencies works on
this line.

Passed over half of the time towards goals, Bangladesh has achieved remarkable progress in the areas
of primary schooling, girls education, immunization, micro-credit, female participation, birth control,
physical mobility and safety nets.

Poverty rate has declined from 59% to 40% over the last decade. Child malnutrition with prevalence
underweight reduced 27%.

Enrollment in primary education has increased to 87%. Gender equality in primary and secondary
education has already been attained.

Health indicators such as child mortality rate declined at 62 per 1,000 live births and maternal
mortality rate at 290 per 100,000 live births over the period (1990-2006). Notable development
achieved (in urban areas) in access to safe water (82%) and improved sanitation (56%).

Despite the uneven achievements, emphasis need on many key issues, like:

ƒ Most importantly, poverty reduction, about 40% of the total population living below the
poverty line. Which 20% falls into the extreme poverty category, lacking resources to acquire a
minimum dietary intake (1,805 calories).
ƒ Quality education, adult literacy programs and good governance needs attention to better
delivery system.
ƒ Health sector remains concern about early marriage & birth, diseases and water & sanitation.
Safe drinking water in rural areas dropped from 93% to 79%.
ƒ Agriculture growth with crops diversification is essential, especially for food security, rural
employment.
ƒ Create better jobs to provide productive and gainful employment opportunities for the vast
number of underemployed people and for the expanding workforce.
ƒ Structural reforms in the energy and ICT sectors are must. Only 30% population has access to
electricity.
ƒ Bangladesh’s complex political landscape and corruption are being at the heart of the
country’s development.

Poverty permeates all sectors and hold back growth in every sense. 56 million people of Bangladesh
are still rests under poverty line, which 41 million in rural and 15 million in urban areas. To address
this issue, Bangladesh should take substantial efforts and honest implementation activities with its
development partners to overcome.