An Assignment

On

Justification of two child population policy; Bangladesh context.

Course Code: SOC 303

Course Name: Population and Society

Submitted by:
Submitted to:

Mohammad Mahbub Quaisar Name: Manir Hosen

Associate Professor Roll: 64
Department of Sociology 3rd Year 5th Semester
University of Dhaka Department of Sociology
University of Dhaka

Date of Submission: 15th July 2021

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Introduction:

Population policies are primarily a response to expected effects of fertility and mortality and
secondary to internal and international migration, which also affects the size, age composition and
regional distribution of populations. Policies governing population growth can affect people's well-
being. Policies can have negative or positive consequences. Negative outcomes are sometimes
caused by lack of population policy, while others are caused by maintaining restrictive policies
that directly impact health outcomes. Initially, Bangladesh's population policy was stated after the
country's independence war, when the government's economic imperative to limit population
growth was crucial. Besides Bangladesh, there were several major demographic and development
issues. Bangladesh's first population policy was drafted in 1976, when the country's population
grew at about 3 percent per year. Population control and family planning activities were considered
fundamental parts of social reform and national development in the concept of population policy,
with the aim of reducing family size for better maternal and child health, family welfare and higher
living standards. In below, we'll discuss the two children's population policy, and further discuss
whether it can control population growth or problems. Why Bangladesh's government was forced
to pursue two child population policies, and for what reasons. Also, the advantage or disadvantage
of Bangladesh's two child population policies.

Two child population policy in Bangladesh and for what reason govt. of
Bangladesh take it as a population policy:

 History of population policy in Bangladesh:

Bangladesh, as a country with a high population density, faces a number of serious population and
development issues. Bangladesh's first population policy was drafted in 1976, when the country's
population was growing at a rate of about 3% per year. Bangladesh has achieved remarkable
success in reducing fertility to a medium level since then. Bangladesh's population policy has
evolved in two distinct phases from independence to the present. The first phase lasted from 1976
to 1997 and was guided by the objectives and strategies outlined in the Population Policy of 1976.
The second phase began in 1998 and is still ongoing today.

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 Two child population policy:

A government-imposed limit of two children per family, or the payment of government subsidies
solely to the first two children, is known as a two-child policy.

Several countries, including Iran, Singapore, and Vietnam, have previously used a two-child
policy. In British Hong Kong in the 1970s, citizens were also strongly encouraged (though not
legally required) to have two children as a limit, and it was used as part of the region's family
planning strategies. It was implemented in China from 2016 to 2021, replacing the country's
previous one-child policy until it was replaced by a three-child policy to mitigate the country's
falling birth rates.(BBC, 2018)

According to the most recent BBS figures, the country's total population is 175.5 million people.
This calculation excludes approximately 1 crore expatriates living outside the country. Aside from
the city-state, Bangladesh is the world's most populous country. The country has a population
density of 1,265 people per square kilometer (150 per sq km in China and 450 in India). Every
year, approximately 32 lakh new people are added to the total population. This population pressure
is putting a strain on land, food, education, and health. It was said that population is the country's
number one problem. That’s why government of Bangladesh wanted to take action about the
spreading of two child population policy and made the consciousness among the urban and rural
people of Bangladesh.

Actually, in Bangladesh, no one has ever been forced / pressured to accept a certain number of
children to take as a family member. Even in rural China, no one is forced. (Only a few large cities
had restrictions on the number of children). The number of children in Bangladesh was always a
family decision. The government has only motivated the people to have one child, further than two
children.

According to the Department of Family Planning, the slogan "No more than two children, better
if one" was used on Population Day in 2004, which is called for a strengthening in the national
population policy of 2012. The government considered enacting a one-child policy but did not do
so. Further than, The Department of Family Planning issued a circular in October of 2018 to change
the slogan. The circular encourages the use of the slogan "Whether it’s a boy or a girl, two children
is enough."

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Loneliness affects children in like as one child family, according to research from China, Japan,
and some European countries. In addition, some other social issues arise. Many countries are
experiencing a youth population crisis. Bangladesh's demographics have changed as a result of
these experiences. However, in 2014, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina differed with the slogan
saying: “Countries that followed the one-child policy presently do not have sufficient youth
population and workforce.” (The Business Standard, June 28, 2021)

Soon after, the DGFP started considering a change in its “one-child” campaign slogan.

The government is likely to change its stance on -- “No more than two children, better if one”
policy -- with a “two-child policy” for the sake of a balanced male to female population ratio.

According to Director of the Information, Education and Motivation (IEM) unit of the Directorate
General of Family Planning (DGFP), “One child policy has created an imbalance in social process
between men and women”. In the World Population Day, 2019. The government of Bangladesh
officially announce the slogan of two child population policy, that is “Whether it’s a boy or a girl,
two children are enough” (The Business Standard, June 28, 2021).

Two child policy’s impacts on population control:

Two children have different impacts on Bangladesh's population control. Below we'll discuss some
factors or area affected by two child population policies.

After two child policy, we can see a rapid decline in fertility in Bangladesh. Bangladesh's current
fertility rate in 2021 is 1,979 per woman. On the other hand, Bangladesh's fertility rate in 2012
was 2,266 births per woman, down 1.33 percent from 2017. So there's a huge fertility rate ductile
that affects population growth.

Because of two child policy, virtually all Bangladeshi women are aware of modern family planning
methods. Current contraceptive use among married women increased from 60% in 2004 to 62%
in 2014, and fertility fell from an average of over six children per woman in 1975 to just over two.
While social and economic improvements have played a major role in increasing demand for
contraception, it has been shown to have an independent effect on attitudes and behavior.

In Bangladesh, women's current preferred family size is 2.2 children, slightly declining from 2.4
children in the last decade. BDHS 2014 reports that 74% of pregnancies in the five years preceding

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the survey were unintended and 26% of pregnancies were unintended (15 percent were mistimed
and 11 percent were unwanted). In 2014, though the country's total desired fertility rate was 1.7
children, the actual fertility rate was found 2.3 (Huda, 2017).

A total 2.1 fertility rate (TFR) means women have 2.1 children on average in their lifetime. At this
TFR, and without migration, a country's population does not grow or shrink. Bangladesh has
reached that mark, and so is the trend in other South Asian countries (Rizvi, 2018).

The necessity of the two-child policy:

Bangladesh was experiencing various problems as a result of its overpopulation. These problems
had a direct and indirect impact on the entire country. A Bangladeshi mother in the 1970s had
more than six children. Early marriage, a lack of contraception knowledge, polygamy, and
illiteracy are all factors that contribute to the birth of many children. Around 30 years ago, one-
fifth of married women utilized contraception. Rapid population increase and high fertility were a
barrier to the country's social and economic prosperity. To address these issues and reduce
overcrowding, a two-child policy was implemented. This approach will take time to bear fruit, but
it will provide Bangladesh with long-term manpower. Bangladesh's two-child policy will
progressively reduce the fertility rate and overpopulation. Bangladesh's socioeconomic progress is
jeopardized by overpopulation. The two-child policy is a watershed moment in population
management. The younger generation is increasingly more informed and aware of the many ways
of family planning. They have a proclivity for taking two children. Overpopulation can be reduced
if this trend continues for a decade. This population will be converted into manpower as well as a
young generation that is eager to learn.

Now a question arises here that if the population of Bangladesh could be converted into human
resources, would it be necessary to adopt a two-child policy?

So if we look at a little bit of optimum theory to explain it. We can see that:

Optimum Population Theory:

The optimum theory of population was a reaction to Malthusian theory. The optimum theory of
population was propounded by Edwin Cannan in his book Wealth published in 1924 and

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popularized by Robbins, Dalton and Carr-Saunders. Car-Saunders defines optimum population as
"the population with maximum economic welfare." By optimum population, we mean the ideal
population that a country should consider its resources. The optimum population size is which,
along with existing natural resources and a given state of technology, yields a country's highest
per capita income. Optimum population means a country's best and most desirable population size.
Optimum population theory is based on two important assumptions. First, it is assumed that the
proportion of the working population remains constant as the country's population increases.
Second, as a country's population increases, natural resources, capital stock and state of technology
remain unchanged (Chand, 2014).

 Under population: If a country's population is below optimum, i.e. below what it should be,
the country is said to be underpopulated. People's numbers are not enough to use the country's
resources. Resources are vast, much can be produced, but men aren't enough. The community
cannot reap large-scale production economies. Under such conditions, population growth will
follow an increase in per capita income. When the shortage is made up, the per capita income
will reach the maximum, reaching the optimum.
 Over-population: If the population continues to increase and the optimum is exceeded, over-
population will occur. There'll be too many in the country. The resources of the country won't
be enough to provide all gainful employment to all. The average productivity will decrease;
per capita income will decrease; standard of living will fall. These are overpopulation
symptoms. Food shortages, diseases and death, over-training resources, higher dependents,
open and disguised unemployment are over-population economic effects.

According to Optimum theory and above discussion we can say that, Bangladesh is an
overpopulated country because there is a too many people to work efficiently and produce the
maximum goods and the highest per capita income. In addition, Food shortage, diseases and death,
lower standards of living, unemployment, poverty, starvation are shown in Bangladesh and also
there is a lack of employment sector for all, lack of education sector to provide education to all,
lack of food to provide the food to all, lack of land to provide the shelter to all that’s why it is
impossible for Bangladesh to make all over population to human resources. So now we can say
that since Bangladesh is not able to turn all its population into human resources, the government

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of Bangladesh has to take many policies to overcome the problems of overpopulation, one of which
is the two-child population policy.

The population of Bangladesh is a prospect; or a problem considering to the

Two child policy?

When certain conditions come together, a country's population can be turned into a prospect. The
overall land area of Bangladesh is 55,000 square miles. There were 7.5 crore people in 1973, but
there are currently 16 crores. The total land area remained the same. Bangladesh's population size
is not optimal, according to optimum theory. The population density is excessive. Natural
resources are in short supply due to the overcrowding. Natural gas is already in short supply in
Bangladesh. For this reason, productivity is insufficient to meet the needs of such a large
population. The average per capita income is extremely low. For such a large population, not
everyone has the same opportunities. When a country's people are productive and have the
necessary abilities, they become manpower. However, individuals do not receive enough training
or opportunities in Bangladesh since training sectors, resources, and facilities are insufficient to
meet the needs of all people. It is difficult to convert the entire population into manpower. Making
manpower relies heavily on the young generation. When the young are sufficiently educated and
skilled, population can be a source of hope. However, Bangladesh's unemployment rate among the
young generation is far too high due to overpopulation. A large number of Bangladeshi workers
have migrated to the United States. The majority of them are in countries in the Middle East. If a
sufficient number of individuals remain in Bangladesh with sufficient skills, they may be able to
change the economy's whale. In this regard, China is the best example. On the other hand, the
technical working sector is underrepresented in this area. In Bangladesh, skilled workers are unable
to find suitable employment. Every year, for example, a large number of BUET, Public University
graduate students travel to other nations.

After considering all of these factors, I believe that Bangladesh's population will become a prospect
once the country reaches its optimal population number. A two-child policy is required to reach
the optimal population size. Bangladesh's population will be managed in the future if the "two-
child policy" is fully implemented. The population can then be a positive factor for Bangladesh.

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Bangladesh's government implemented a two-child policy to reduce the population's size.
Overpopulation continues to put pressure on the environment, education, health, and society as a
whole. As a result, Bangladesh's government was forced to implement a "two-child policy”

Comparison among Vietnam, China and Bangladesh regarding two-child

policy:

Faced with a total fertility rate of almost four births per woman and the sharp population increase
of the largely poor and rural population. the Vietnamese government implemented a new policy
in 1988 that limited parents to two children. According to data from the 1989, 1999, and 2009
Vietnam Population and Housing Censuses, the program reduced the likelihood of a woman
having more than two children by 15 percentage points for younger women and 7 percentage points
for middle-aged women, according to our findings. The policy lowered the average number of live
births per woman by 0.2. The policy had a greater impact on women with low education and those
living in rural areas. The policy's drop in fertility was linked to a 1.2 percentage point decline in
the proportion of sons in each family. Maternal employment increased by 1.3 percentage points as
a result of the policy (Ngo, 2020).

On the other hand, China's typical woman had 6.2 children at the time of the Communist
revolution in 1949, and the country's population, which was already over half a billion, was fast
expanding. The government of the People's Republic of China recognized the enormity of the
population problem decades ago and undertook the world's largest, most ambitious, most
significant, and probably most divisive policy to curb population increase. The Chinese
government's goal at the time was to attain zero population growth (ZPG), with the population
stabilizing at 1.2 billion people, by the year 2000. The first step in accomplishing this was to
persuade women not to have a third child (third or higher-order births accounted for 30 percent of
all births in 1979). The one-child or two child household was promoted as the second phase
(Batson, 2007).

At the same way to reduce the fertility rate of six children per women to two children and with the
aim of reducing family size for better maternal and child health, family welfare and higher living

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standards and also to make young generation as a human resources. The government of
Bangladesh approached to take two children policy and also take various step making the
awareness among people of Bangladesh. The program reduced the total fertility rate to 2.1 children
on average in 2018. In addition, the program increased the likelihood of taking the contraception
method among women. This program is a milestone initiative to control the population of
Bangladesh. Now, the young generation is knowledgeable and more conscious about the family
planning methods. They have tendency to take two children that effects the population growth of
Bangladesh.

Reasons and causes of taking two-child policy in Bangladesh:

The world's population problem is currently one of the most widely discussed issues. It has been
declared the number one national problem in Bangladesh. As a result, Bangladesh is referred to as
overpopulated. Her current population has reached a tipping point.

Naturally, a country's population is a valuable resource. It becomes a problem when the country
cannot afford to provide people with the necessities of life. It is a small country of 1,47,570 square
kilometers. Bangladesh's current population is approximately 170 million, and it is expected to
exceed 200 million by 2021. Every year, over two million people are added to our population.
Bangladesh's population is growing at an alarming rate. Bangladesh's current population growth
rate is 22 percent (per thousand). Bangladesh's most pressing issue is its population (Progress
Bangladesh Stuff, 25 June 2021).

People's ignorance and prejudices are the primary causes of population growth. In Bangladesh,
many people are illiterate. They are unable to recognize the gravity of the overpopulation problem
and do nothing to prevent it from worsening. Furthermore, they know very little about family
planning and do not cure planned families. Other major causes of Bangladesh's population problem
include polygamy, early marriage, analphabetism, unprotected sex, and expecting male children.

The country's population is increasing on a daily basis. Bangladesh's land area is insufficient to
support its large population. As a result, it causes problems with food, communication, education,
unemployment, shelter, health, medical, and environmental problems, as well as poverty.
Bangladesh's unemployment rate is extremely high. There are thousands of applicants for a single

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position. Crowds can be found on buses, trains, markets, schools, and colleges. People will run out
of places to live if our population continues to grow at this rate.

For this reason, there are numerous approaches as well as two child population policy that can be
taken to address this fundamental issue. Bangladeshis are still superstitious. The rapid birth rate
can be effectively controlled through family planning. Strictly prohibited early marriage. Each
couple should have a maximum of two children that’s why government of Bangladesh have taken
the Two child population policy to prevent the population problem and also to control the
population growth.

In addition, socio-economic relations, not being able to create enough skilled workers to migrate
abroad and the inadequacy of Bangladesh laborer migration to good and developed countries are
also the important factor for Bangladesh government to take the two children population policy.

Conclusion:

Finally, we can say that two children policy is an important and very influential program in the
population policy of Bangladesh. It has various effect on various sector and also there are various
reason to take this policy for government of Bangladesh. Bangladesh's government must work
hard to solve the country's most pressing issue of population problem. The people of Bangladesh
must step forward, before it is too late and also need to implement the two child population policy
properly to prevent the population problems and growth.

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 References:

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from https://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/population/the-optimum-theory-of-population-

economics/10891

Huda, F. R. (2017). Contraceptive practices among married women of reproductive age in Bangladesh: a

review of the evidence. Reproductive Health. doi:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12978-017-0333-2

Media News. (2012). Population Increase of Bangladesh. Media News. Retrieved from http://media-

24bd.blogspot.com/2012/07/population-in-bangladesh.html

Mizanur Rahman, J. D. (2012). WHEN WILL BANGLADESH REACH REPLACEMENT-LEVEL

FERTILITY? THE ROLE OF EDUCATION AND FAMILY PLANNING SERVICES.

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bangladesh/

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mere-21

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from https://www.tbsnews.net/bangladesh/bangladesh-shifts-towards-two-child-policy-again

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https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-34665539

China announces three-child policy in a major policy shift. (2021, May 31). CNBC.

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shift.html

Wee, S.-L. (2021, May 31). China Says It Will Allow Couples to Have 3 Children, Up From 2.

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