Monir Hossain, a carpenter by profession, used to earn nearly a thousand taka per day during normal days but since lockdown started his earning has come down to zero.
He has to pay bills, house rent, and buy food for four members of his family. He said, “We are the middle-class people so we can neither beg alms or afford savings. I don’t know how I will pay my bills. Earlier I took loan from a bank too. Who will help us?”
Another road side small tea shop owner Zakir Hossain said, “We are not poor, we don’t need any kind of charity. Just withdraw this lockdown. Our savings are coming to an end. If I had my tea shop running, I would have earned enough for my family,”
“Government will help poor people; not middle-class men like us. We can’t stand in queue for food or beg to someone for assistance; actually that’s the real crisis. Nobody thinks about us,” Zakir commented.
“Yes, it’s true that poor people seek help but what about the middle class? No, they can’t, because they have self-respect. They are not poor. It’s a crucial time so who would help them? Asked Rights Activist Shipon Karmaker.
“NGO’s, social organizations, local government or volunteer foundations can help by finding them as there is no exact number of middle class people in the city” he added.
According to economists and sociologists, as well as Global Journal, people with daily income of between $ 10 and $ 40 in South Asia are defined as middle class. As such, their monthly income is between Tk 25,000 and Tk 1 lakh.
However, education, health, housing, social status, values and cultural factors should be brought in addition to financial capacity to determine the middle-class people. In that regard, the number of middle class in Bangladesh is about 4 crores. However, a significant portion of them is the lower middle class.
“They are dependent on small private jobs, small businesses and daily work. Due to the lockdown of the country their income source is now closed. They worry about food and house rent, says social researcher of Danish NGO based in Dhaka, Yeasir Bhuiyan.
He also mentioned that because of their social status they cannot go and beg for alms or food. As a result, they suffer in silence during lockdown.
A report by the Center for Policy Dialogue (CPD), a private research institute, says that there is enough food in the country. At present, the quantity of food reserve in the country is about 18 lak tons, which is one and a half million tons more than the reserve of last year. In such a situation, if food can be reached through proper distribution, there will be no food crisis.
The former economic adviser to the caretaker government Dr AB Mirza commented that it is very common that the middle class is in danger. The government does not have proper statistics on the middle class.”
He believes that selling of rice at taka 10 per kg should be introduced area-wise extensively.”
He also said that there is problem with our distribution system. It is not possible to improve overnight. This requires precise planning.
According to him, a section of the middle class has some savings. He thinks in this crisis period, they will encash the savings. He urged the government to exempt their taxes in the next budget.