COUNTRY REPORT People’s Republic of Bangladesh Md. Shahidullah Mekong Institute, Khon Kaen, Thailand 2nd June 2009

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General Information Official name: The people’s Republic of Bangladesh Official name: The people’s Republic of Bangladesh Area :1,47,570 sq km Area :1,47,570 sq km Population :144.5 million Population :144.5 million Density :979 per sq.km. Density :979 per sq.km. Urban :36.7 million Urban :36.7 million Rural :107.8 million(74.6%) Rural :107.8 million(74.6%) Annual growth :1.39% Annual growth :1.39% Per capita income:599 us dollar Per capita income:599 us dollar GDP growth :6.21% GDP growth :6.21%

Literacy rate :63.36% Number of poor considering calorie intake(2122k.ca/day/person Urban :14.8 million Rural 41.2 million Hard core poor Urban :8.4 million Rural :18.7 million Per capita agri. Land :029 acre No arable land :42% Below one acre :38% Contribution of rural sector in GDP:50%

Objective The basic problems of our rural society are poverty and unemployment. Poverty oriented rural development can be designed to fulfill the following objectives: The basic problems of our rural society are poverty and unemployment. Poverty oriented rural development can be designed to fulfill the following objectives: Increasing the agricultural production at an accelerated pace; Increasing the agricultural production at an accelerated pace; Creation of new employment opportunities for rural population; Creation of new employment opportunities for rural population; control the increasing rate of population and ensure primary health care at the grass root level; control the increasing rate of population and ensure primary health care at the grass root level; Educate the rural people through various programmes; Educate the rural people through various programmes; More broad-based spread of incremental benefits; and More broad-based spread of incremental benefits; and Decentralization of power at grass root level. Decentralization of power at grass root level.

Strategic Agenda (In Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper-PRSP) Employment Employment Nutrition Nutrition Quality Education (Particularly in primary, secondary and vocational levels strong emphasis on girls’ education) Quality Education (Particularly in primary, secondary and vocational levels strong emphasis on girls’ education) Local Governance Local Governance Maternal health Maternal health Sanitation and Safe Water Sanitation and Safe Water Monitoring Monitoring

Annual Development Plan Participatory Rural Development Project-2 Participatory Rural Development Project-2 Employment Guarantee Scheme for Hardcore Poor of the Northern Region Project Employment Guarantee Scheme for Hardcore Poor of the Northern Region Project Strengthening Department of Cooperative and alleviation of poverty through creating Entrepreneurship and Income Generating Activities. Strengthening Department of Cooperative and alleviation of poverty through creating Entrepreneurship and Income Generating Activities. Creation of additional employment through irrigation and water management, increase in marginal productivities of labour in rural economic activities and poverty alleviation Creation of additional employment through irrigation and water management, increase in marginal productivities of labour in rural economic activities and poverty alleviation Action Research project on increasing irrigated areas through transferring RDA model and water management technology in southern and hill areas. Action Research project on increasing irrigated areas through transferring RDA model and water management technology in southern and hill areas. Physical Infrastructure Development for strengthening Activities of BARD. Physical Infrastructure Development for strengthening Activities of BARD. Comprehensive Village Development Programme. Comprehensive Village Development Programme. Chars livelihood Programme. Chars livelihood Programme. Barendra Development Project. Barendra Development Project.

Agencies Involved BRDB-Bangladesh Rural Development Board BRDB-Bangladesh Rural Development Board LGED-Local Govt. Engineering Department LGED-Local Govt. Engineering Department Department of Cooperative Department of Cooperative BARD-Bangladesh Academy for Rural Development BARD-Bangladesh Academy for Rural Development RDA-Rural Development Academy RDA-Rural Development Academy Zilla Parishad-at district level Zilla Parishad-at district level Upzilla parishad-at subdistrict level Upzilla parishad-at subdistrict level Union Parishad-at village level Union Parishad-at village level

NGOs Services Services -Micro credit -Training -Non-formal Education -Motivation -Loan for Housing Education etc.

Dimension of Rural Development Transformation of Agriculture Transformation of Agriculture Population and Family Welfare Population and Family Welfare Education Education Rural Credit Rural Credit Women Development Women Development Rural industry Rural industry

Issues / Problems Theoretical inconsistency Theoretical inconsistency Distance between experts and target groups Distance between experts and target groups Lack of motivation for work Lack of motivation for work Functional gap between development center and village Functional gap between development center and village Need does not governs aid but aid creates needs Need does not governs aid but aid creates needs Illiteracy Illiteracy Poor infrastructure Poor infrastructure

Future Prospects Fertile land Fertile land Agriculture Agriculture Livestock Livestock Huge human resource Huge human resource Water resource Water resource Fisheries Fisheries Forest resource Forest resource Micro credit approach Micro credit approach SME-Small and medium Enterprise SME-Small and medium Enterprise

Unlocking the potential Bangladesh is already embarked on a journey of transformation.Translating this into a journey of hope for poverty-free and egalitarian society is the key contemporary challenge. It is a challenge which demands active, intelligent and innovative engagement from all: government, development agencies,private sector, NGOs, community organization, media, academia, and above all, from the people of Bangladesh themselves. The engagement is not just for policy planning. It is as importantly an engagement for results, for inclusion, for imaginative solution, and ultimately an engagement to unlock the potentials of the nation. Bangladesh is already embarked on a journey of transformation.Translating this into a journey of hope for poverty-free and egalitarian society is the key contemporary challenge. It is a challenge which demands active, intelligent and innovative engagement from all: government, development agencies,private sector, NGOs, community organization, media, academia, and above all, from the people of Bangladesh themselves. The engagement is not just for policy planning. It is as importantly an engagement for results, for inclusion, for imaginative solution, and ultimately an engagement to unlock the potentials of the nation.

Thank U All

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