JATIYA KABI KAZI NAZRUL ISLAM UNUVERSITY

Trishal, Mymensingh

Course Name: Bangladesh Studies

Course code: GED-263

Assignment on: Social Problem in Bangladesh and its remedies

Submitted to:

Name: Nazmul Hossan Polash

Designation: Lecturer

Depertment of Public Administration And Governance Studies

Jatiya Kabi Kazi Nazrul Islam University

Submitted by:

Name: Sadiya Sarna

Roll:

Session: 2017-18

Depertmant of Computer Science and Engineering

Jatiya Kabi Kazi Nazrul Islam University

 Social Problem in Bangladesh and its remedies

Introduction:

A social problem is a problem that influence many citizens within a society. It is an unexpected
situation which hinders to lead normal life. This problem is often the consequence of factors
extending beyond an individual’s control. It is a multidimensional problem which are created by
various reasons. Social problem is a common problem in present day society and one that many
people strive to solve it.

Definition:

Sociologists usually consider a social problem to be an alleged situation that is incompatible with
the values of a significant number of people who agree that action is needed to alter the situation.

Soerjono Soekanto defines social problems as a discrepancy between the elements of culture or
society, which endanger the lives of social groups. Elements that exist in society may interfere
with social relationships if you have a friction or clash. Normally a social problem is any
condition or behavior that has negative consequences for large numbers of people and that is
generally recognized as a condition or behavior that needs to be addressed. Social problems often
involve problems that affect the real world. It also affects how people react to certain situations.
Everyone would agree about some social problems, such as huge population burden in a small
country, Violence against woman and children, poverty, corruption, crime, illiteracy, Drug
addiction, beggary and vagabond problem etc. Others social problems may be viewed as such by
certain groups of people.

Social problem in Bangladesh:

Social problems are universal in nature, but their intensity and type change from society to
society. Social problems are socially relative. Bangladesh, already been declared as a middle
incomed country, is emerging with huge potential of further economic development. Despite of
huge potential and high hope of the Bangladeshis the country is still haunted by various social
problems. People of Bangladesh experienced long history of social and political struggle. Yet
there are number are social problems that is forcing people to lag behind.
Types and causes of social problem:

Bangladesh is attacked by various social problem which is always an obstacle to lead the normal
life of the people. The main problems are over population, crime, unemployment, corruption ,
drug addiction, eve teasing, poverty, illiteracy, child marriage, dowry system, juvenile
delinquency etc. we will briefly discuss these problems.

1.Population problems:

Population problem is, no doubt, a burning question in Bangladesh. Population of a country is an

asset but when the country cannot provide the people with the necessities, it becomes a burden
for a country. Though Bangladesh is a small country, it has a huge population. About 1116
people live per square kilometer here. The present growth rate of population in Bangladesh is
1.33%. The population of our country is increasing at an alarming rate. As a result, it creates
food problem, communication problem, shelter problem, health problem, environment problem,
poverty, unemployment problem etc. So, the overpopulation problem has reach to such an acute
level that it is now considered number of one problem on the country.

The causes of high rate of population growth in Bangladesh are as follows:

 Ignorance: Most of the people of our country are illiterate. They do not know
about the problem of over population. So, they do not take the measure control the birth rate
through family planning.

 Superstitious: Some rural and religious superstitions obstruct our people in family
planning or birth control. For the reason, they do not become eager to family planning.

 Early marriage: Most of the girls in Bangladesh get married within 14 to 18 years
before they become matured. This early marriage is a special causes of high rate of population
growth.

 Lack of female education: Women constitute almost half of the population in our
country. But most of them are not educated. For this, they are contributing population boom due
to lack of consciousness

 Poverty: Large number of people in Bangladesh are living under poverty line.
They are deprived from many opportunities of life. They have need for money. They believe
“more children earn more money.” So, they procreate more children in their married life.

 Climate factor: The climate of Bangladesh is neither very cold nor hot. It is
temperate. So, Bangladesh is very favorable to live and agriculture work. Earning means and
living are easy in Bangladesh so that population is increasing at high rate.
 2.Crime:

Crime is doing something forbidden by low. That could mean stealing a mobile phone,
vandalism, graffiti mugging, stealing or taking and selling drugs. Antisocial behavior is
criminalized and treated as offences against society which justifies punishment by the
government. Crime has a great impact on every society. It hampers general condition of people.
The fight against crime is not a new one in humanity and it has since the establishment of
society, tried to bring crime down. There can be many different causes of crime. Such as:

 Depression and other social and mental disorders: Depression is also a major
cause of crime. Other than depression, people with grave mental disorder also end up committing
crime.

 Family conditions: There are a lot of things that go on in families that often
cause people to get into a life of crime. People who are neglected by their families and do not get
the love and attention that they desire also get into criminal activities.

 Regionalism: Regionalism is a major cause of crime and unrest among people.

Such people that harbor such regionalist feelings often go to great lengths to commit crimes
against others communities.

 Politics: Politics is often a cause of crime. It is seen that many political

associations all around the world have their own mafias running which they use to manipulate
and subjugate people. Politics is more related to crime on a much large and a much heinous level
than anything else.

 Poverty: Economic deprivation or simply poverty is a major cause of crime all

around the world. People are often driven to great lengths of desperation by poverty and this a
major cause of crime. The fact that such frustration is created is in itself a very dangerous thing
for society on the whole as global inflation has risen significantly over the last few years.

 Drugs and alcohol: Some social factors pose an especially strong influence over
a person’s ability to make choices. Drug alcohol abuse is one such factor. The urge to commit
crime to support a drug habit definitely influences the decision process.

3. Unemployment:

Unemployment means to remain out of earning the livelihood. When qualified men do not get
any work for earning their livelihood is called unemployment problem. The unemployment
problem is one of the greatest problems of our society or country. A large part of the active
educated and skilled people in our country are unemployed. As a result, many people have to
live in utter poverty. Unemployed men treated as a burden in our society.

The causes unemployment problem in Bangladesh are as follows:

  Rapid Population Growth: Bangladesh is a country of over population.  It is the
leading cause of unemployment in Bangladesh. In Bangladesh, particularly in rural areas, the
population is increasing rapidly. It has adversely affected the unemployment situation largely.

 Limited land: Land is the gift of nature. It is always constant and cannot expand
like population growth. Since, Bangladesh population increasing rapidly, therefore, the land is
not sufficient for the growing population. In rural areas, most of the people depend directly on
land for their livelihood. Land is very limited in comparison to population. It creates the
unemployment situation for a large number of persons who depend on agriculture in rural areas.

 Lack of Industrialization: Bangladesh is not an industrialized country. The

industrial sector of the country is much weak and cannot provide jobs for many people.

 Illiteracy: Illiteracy is another reason for unemployment in the country. An

illiterate person lacks skill and cannot employ himself in productive activities, whereas a literate
person can make proper use of his opportunities and create scope for employment.

 Decline of Cottage Industries: In Bangladesh, village or cottage industries are

the only means of employment particularly of the landless people. They depend directly on
various cottage industries for their livelihood. But, now-a-days, these are adversely affected by
the industrialization processes. Owing to this, the people who work in there remain unemployed
and unable to maintain their livelihood.

 Defective Educational System: The education system in Bangladesh is very

defective. It has little provision for vocational training for a learner. It fails to give him an
independent start of life. The number of educated unemployed people is increasing day by day
for the cause of session jam in the higher educational institutions.

4.Corruption:

Corruption means the adoption of unfair ways to achieve something being without morality and
by defying the regulations of a country. At the moment, corruption has the most devasting
problem in Bangladesh. The wider society is influenced by a high degree of corruption in terms
of lowering of trust in the law, education and consequently of life.

The main causes of corruption in Bangladesh may be categorized as bellow:

 Lack of patriotism, the overall crises of ethics, degradation of morality of the

society, social tension and economic insecurity -which is on the rise for growing division in the
society.
  Lack of the rule of law. The formation of corruption is mostly influenced by the
nature of the political and economic system, the weakness of the system which means absence of
rule of law, inefficiency of the judiciary system, bad legislation, etc.

 Personal interest, greed rather than national interest/ last for money.

 Growing poverty of the society/ need.

 Lack of political and professional commitment, abuse of the power vested on

them, lack of transparency and accountability.

 Lack of education of the density of population.

 No/ very limited access for citizens to government information.

 Ineffective anti-corruption measures to fight against corruption in real sense.

5.Drug Addiction:

Drug Addiction is a controversial topic for all the people of our country, especially for the
teenagers. Being isolated the addicted person becomes more frustrated and gets involved in
criminal activities. In order to buy costly drugs, Then, they don’t feel hesitated to involve
themselves in harmful activities. Thus, drug addiction spoils social peace and order. Drug is a
dangerous thing. It spoils the young generation a country. It is a social and national curse.

There are many reasons behind taking drugs or being drug addicted. Such as:

 Unemployment: Ours is a developing country. Her most people particularly

educated young boys and girls are unemployed. They have job facilities to be provided.

 Poverty: Poverty is a curse. It makes people frustrated, inactive and surpasses

people to advance further.

 Mental tribulation: Mental tribulation also indicates the mental format for any
sort of reason. When a man cannot find any solution to problems, he is at a loss as to what to do.
Both exploitation and injustice bring the victim mental torment.

 Disappointment: Disappointment in any respect causes mental torturing at any

moment.

 Bad company: The influence of a bad company is not less serious. Mixing with it,
an unaddicted becomes addicted to intoxicant.
  Heredity: Heredity is a factor which either leads the generation to the path of
right or misleads them to the wrong way. Its Influence cannot be ignored. An addicted father
cannot have control over his children.

6.Eve Teasing:

Eve-teasing stands for a kind of sexual harassment of a young woman. Eve-teasing is a growing
social problem in Bangladesh, taking place in the society repeatedly to suppress women’s
freedom, stop their growths and create hurdles in their way of progress. Now, Eve teasing is one
of the main intimidations for Bangladesh because it is destroying the social equilibrium. The
following points may be taken into account as causes of eve-teasing:

 Natural attraction to each other: One of the great causes of eve teasing comes
from the natural tendency of man and woman to attract each other.

 Lake of religious education: When peoples are not religiously educated, they
will not understand respect of women by man and vice versa. For this reason, they are doing evil
deeds frequently without any fear.

 Open sky culture: Open sky culture, satellite communication, internet etc. are to
great stand responsible for eve teasing.

 Absence of Family Educations: Parents now a day remain carefully careless

about the movement the son and daughter. For getting fun instead of going to their educational
institution and this carelessness encourages eve teasing.

 Cultural aggression: Sometimes alien cultural aggression may induce eve

teasing.

 Absence of Law: Absence of Law is a great factor of encouraging eve teasing.

There are some laws to prevent eve teasing but we not enough and the implementation of these
laws is difficult due to procedural complexity, political influence etc.

 Alcoholism and Drug addiction: Uninterrupted alcoholism and drug addiction is

a great cause of eve teasing

 Lack of social bondage: Lack of social bondage is a big cause of eve

teasing. Fellow feedings are lessening day by day that is why eve teasing is increasing day by
day.

7.Poverty:
As in many developing countries, poverty in Bangladesh has been an alarming social issue for a
significant amount of time. Shortly after its independence, approximately 50% of the population
lived under the poverty line. The per capita income of this country is very low.
There are many causes of poverty in Bangladesh. The main causes of it are the following:

 Rapid growth of population.

 Inequitable distribution of land, income and productive assets.
 Death of chief wage-earner.
 Incapability of chief wage-earner through accidents, illness and old age.
 Chronic irregularity of work.
 Largeness of family.
 Habits drinking, betting and gambling.
 Careless housekeeping for improvident expenditure.
 Chronic shortage of cash.
 Natural calamities (river erosion, cyclone, tidal surge etc.)
 Under developed communications system.
 Lack of education and skilled labor.
 Lack of administrative fairness and accountability.
 Limited access to public services.
 Lack of female education
 Lack of mass people’s participation in local government etc.

8.Illiteracy:

Illiteracy is a state whereby one is unable to read and write. In its simplest form, it can be defined
as lack of any or sufficient education. Illiteracy greatly inhibits the economic and social progress
of an individual as well as that of the country. Illiteracy leads to poverty. It is a social curse.
There are so many reasons why an individual can be illiterate. These are some of the causes of
the inability to read or write:

 Illiteracy among parents: Many illiterate parents do not put much emphasis
on the importance of education This is a reason for their children’s illiteracy.

 Lack of family support: This can be the cause of illiteracy more so where a
child has difficulty reading or writing because of dyslexia. Supportive family members help a
child overcome reading disability and go through formal education with minimal challenges.

 Lack of awareness: In rural areas where the local population do not

understand why it is important for them to go to school, the level of illiteracy may be high.

 Social barriers: Many social barriers such as restrictions on girls’ education

in some societies lead to illiteracy among the affected segment of the population. Family or
social norms where female education is not allowed also causes illiteracy.
  Lack of affordable education facilities: Those who live in very remote areas
with few or no education facilities may remain illiterate. Lack of access to education facilities in
rural areas has contributed a lot to the high number of illiterate people in these places.

 Poverty: Poor parents with low incomes find it difficult to pay school fees.
They are forced to choose between providing basic needs such as food, shelter and clothing and
cannot taking their children to school.

9.Dowry System:

The dowry System in Bangladesh refers to the durable goods, cash and real or movable property
that the bride’s family gives to the bridegroom, his parents as a condition of the marriage.
Women in Bangladesh are great victims of dowry system in our society, the male-dominate
society. It is a social cancer in all society. There are many reasons behind dowry system in
Bangladesh. Such as:

 Greed factor: The primary reason behind such desperate measure can be
justified through the greed factor. Owing to expectations of material benefits from the bride’s
family, dowry is demanded for, and at times, when the demands are not met the marriage is
called off.

 Illiteracy: In Bangladesh, nearly 41% people are still illiterate. They have no
knowledge about the laws and legislation, they face several atrocities owing to dowry exchange
practices.

 Status of women: It is quite obvious that women status in our society is not an
equal one. The plight doesn’t end here. Rather, the society owes its infrastructure buildup to the
effective contribution of both genders alike. The dowry system is the brainchild of such mindset
and is the primary reason behind the plight of women in the nation.

 Lack of willingness to adhere to laws: The government of our nation has drafted
several Legislation to counteract the dowry system. However, after the decades of drafting, these
laws are still insignificant and the social evil still resides in our society.

10. Child marriage:

Child marriage is a wide-ranging problem in Bangladesh. Bangladesh has the fourth-highest rate
of child marriage before age 18in the world. In Bangladesh the factors driving child marriage are
poverty, natural disasters, lack of access to education, social pressure, harassment, and dowry.
Child marriage is an adjustment mechanism for poor families. The major causes of child
marriages are as follows:

 Poverty is a major underpinning factor encouraging early marriage. Young

girls are often considered as an economic burden by their families and their marriage to an older
man and into another family is often a family survival strategy in order to obtain financial
security.

 Parents who are unable to feed their children, or pay for their education
costs, may seek a husband for their daughters simply so that the girls can depend;

 Social pressures and traditions, including the widespread practice of paying

dowry, and lower dowries for younger girls, make child marriage accepted and expected in some
communities.

 The practice of dowry requiring a bride’s family to pay significant sums to

the groom – encourages the marriage of the youngest adolescent girls because younger brides
typically require smaller dowries.

 Fear of Sexual Harassment of young daughters and failure by police to stem

this harassment another cause. Early marriage is seen as a way to “protect” a girl’s sexuality in
an unsafe environment.

11. Juvenile delinquency:

Juvenile delinquency is a burning issue and relatively a new phenomenon in the criminal and
human rights jurisprudence. Though Bangladesh is gradually becoming one of the emerging
countries in the south Asia by growing industrialization, it faces various types of problem
juvenile delinquency one of them. The reasons of juvenile delinquency in Bangladesh are given
below:

 Poverty: Most of the people in Bangladesh live here below the poverty
line. They can’t provide with their basic needs. So young as well as child become involved in
criminal activities to earn their basic need. Thus, create juvenile delinquency in our country.

 Family problem: Family problem is one the main causes for juvenile
delinquency. Feeling of rejection or insecurity in the family, feeling of unloved or
misunderstood, feeling of discomfort due to lack of family harmony and jealousy of brothers and
sisters may be identified as the emotional deprivation. There was clear evidence that those who
are found delinquent were very unhappy in their family life.

 Lack of parental control: In every family proper attitude of parents towards

the children is important for their normal growth. But if there no proper care and control either
from father or mother the children become delinquent and they commit illegal activities.

 Companionship: There is a proverb that “A man is known by his

companies.” There is an extreme influence of companionship upon a child’s personality.

 Broken family: Absence of father or mother due to death or divorce, bad

relation between father and mother are highly responsible for juvenile delinquency.
There are also many problems in the Bangladesh society like Women and Child trafficking, Air
pollution, High rate of Child and maternal mortality, lack of social security, Gender inequality,
social stigma and superstations, mentally disability, housing problem etc.

Remedies of social problems:

Our Society is suffering from many social tribulations at the present time. It is often the
consequence of factors extending beyond an individual’s control. Bangladesh its self is a
problem according to funding agency. It is the common problem in present day society and many
people strive to solve it.

Population problem is an alarming problem in Bangladesh. It is a number one problem. To check

the rapid growth of population, the following measures should be taken:

1.The danger and curse of overpopulation must be published widely.

2. Illiteracy must be removed from the society.
3. Social superstition must be rooted out.
4. Public awareness must be created about the danger of over population.
5. Female education and family planning must be made compulsory.
6. Early marriage must be banned in the country.
7. Modern scientific method of cultivation should be introduced immediately.

The other major problem in our country is poverty. To solve the problem of poverty, the
measures are mentioned below can be accepted.

1.By achieving universal primary education.

2. By promoting gender equality and empowering women.
3. By removing unemployment problem.
4. Proper distribution of wealth and decreasing misuse of wealth.
5 By increasing agricultural and industrial production.
6. By ensuring increased local govt. participation to evaluate and eradicate poverty.

Illiteracy is a curse in our society. Illiteracy and poverty are interrelated. To eradicate illiteracy,
the following steps must be adopted:

1.The government should set up more and more school.

2. Night school should be set up in every village and locality for adult and working
children.
3. By lowering the cost of education.
4.Creating digital platforms for reading and learning.
5. Creating awareness about the importance of education.

The unemployment problem is one of the greatest problems of our society or country. To solve
this problem, the following measures should be taken:
 1. A long term program should be taken by the government.
2. The speedy industrialization should be initiated.
3. Changing education system.
4.Increasing employment in agricultural areas.
5. The experienced and skilled people should be treated with a satisfactory salary,
honorarium, and remuneration.

Another major problem of our society is crime. To solve the problem of crime, the measures are
mentioned below can be accepted.

1. Ensuring the right of citizen.

2. Public administration must be active.
3.Ensuring the standard childhood for every child.
4.Increasing employment facilities.
5.Administration of justice should take proper steps.

Corruption is also a main problem in Bangladesh. To solve the problem of corruption, the
following measures should be taken:

1. End impunity.
2. Reform public administration and finance management.
3.Promote transparency and access to information.

Child marriage is a wide-ranging problem in Bangladesh. To solve this problem, the following
measures should be taken:

1. Empower adolescent girls at risk of, and affected by, marriage.

2. Work the families and communities to promote positive behave towards girls.
3. Ensure that health, education, protection and other system are responsive to the needs
of girls.

Eve teasing is another typical social problem in our society. Some proposals are submitted below
for the prevention of eve teasing:

1. Islamic education should be given importance in every stage of education.

2. All workless people must be given employment.
3. The door of vulgar song, cinema and open sky culture must be closed.
4. Eve teaser must be punished under the operation of law.

The other problem in our society is Dowry system. To solve this, the measures are mentioned
below can be accepted.

1.Raising social awareness.

2.Ensuring women’s right.
 3. Boycotting the people who demand dowry.

Juvenile delinquency has become a concern problem. And this problem is increasing day by day.
To solve this problem, the following measures should be taken.

1.Creating a good family relation.

2.Ensuring education facilities.
3. Making good educational environment.

Bangladesh faces many social problems. These problems are each other. If we can solve the
main problems than other small problems will be solved.

Conclusion:

Social problems are hard to solve. They seem to be ingrained in the complex web of unwanted
state intervention, reckless forms of individual behavior and economic factors. Social problems
have no commonly accepted forms of definition, but they all have common factors that relate to
them. In the problems that I listed above, they are all seen from different perspectives and given
different explanations. Most of the social problems still exists because people are ignorant of its
consequences. The Government, media and NGO’s must work together to eliminate the social
issues from society by educating the people through awareness programs. Besides this, the
political solutions are also needed for overcoming all types of social issues in the future.

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