The poverty rate in Bangladesh, despite the global crisis, declined by 5.6 percent in seven years from 2016 to 2022 due to various programmes taken by the government, says the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS).
According to the statistics of 2016, the poor population in the country was 24.3 percent, which declined to 18.7 percent in 2022.
The poverty rate in rural areas was 20.5 percent while it was 14.7 percent in urban areas.
This information was unveiled by the BBS while publishing a report titled “Household Income and Expenditure Survey - 2022” on Wednesday in BBS auditorium in the capital.
On the other hand, the extreme poverty rate stood at 5.6 percent in 2022, down by 7.3 percent over the previous time in 2016 amounting to 12.9 percent.
According to the latest report, the average monthly household income in Bangladesh jumped to Tk 32,422 in 2022, a rise of more than 102 percent compared to the last survey conducted six years ago in 2016.
In 2016, the average monthly income was Tk 15,988 while this was Tk 11,479 in 2010.
The Gini coefficient, which measures income inequality, increased to 0.499 in 2022 against 0.482 in 2016 and 0.458 in 2010.
This means that inequality has risen in the country. Those at the bottom now own less than they used to.
A Gini index of 0 represents perfect equality, while an index of 1 implies perfect inequality.
Consumption-related Gini coefficient was 0.334 last year, an increase from 0.324 in 2016 and 0.321 in 2010, according to the BBS data.
This means, both inequality and consumption inequality have risen.
Data from 2021 showed that the income share of the bottom 40 percent of people was 21 percent, and for the richest 10 percent it was 27 percent.
More startling, the World Inequality Report 2022, by the World Inequality Lab of Paris, showed that only 1 percent of Bangladesh's population held 16.3 percent of the total national income in 2021 and the bottom half 17 percent.
In addition to improving the quality of life and the advancement of socio-economic conditions, the data said that the percentage of households currently benefiting from electricity was 99.32 percent in 2022, which was 75.92 percent and 55.26 percent in 2016 and 2010. Currently, this rate is almost 100 percent.
Similarly, 92.21 percent houses are covered by improved toilet facilities and 96.1 percent houses have access to safe drinking water.
Currently, the literacy rate of seven years and above in Bangladesh is 74 percent, which was 65.6 percent and 57.91 percent in 2016 and 2010. The literacy rate is gradually increasing.
The monthly income of Khana (household) has increased at a significant rate.
In 2022, the average monthly income of Khana in the country has increased to Tk 32,422, which was Tk15,988 in 2016 and Tk11,479 in 2010.
The monthly cost of food has also increased. Based on the data obtained from the survey (2022), the average monthly cost for food of each Khana in the country was Tk 31,500, in 2016 it was Tk 15,715 and in 2010 it was Tk 11,200.
BBS reports that there has been noticeable progress in calorie intake.
According to the current survey, the daily intake of calories per person was 2,393 kcal, which was 2,210.4 kcal in 2016 and 2.318.3 kcal in 2010.
Planning Minister MA Mannan attended the programme as the chief guest while State Minister for Planning Dr Shamsul Alam attended as the special guest.
Secretary of Statistics and Information Management Department Shahnaz Arefin, Director General of BBS Md. Matiur Rahman and Project Director Mohiuddin Ahmed were also present at the event.
