1.

Population and poverty problem in Bangladesh

People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the eighth-most populous
country in the world, with a population exceeding 163 million people, in an area of 147,570
square kilometres (56,980 sq mi), making it one of the most densely populated countries in the
world. Population problem in Bangladesh is a burning question. Our population is growing at
such an alarming rate that our economic hardship is aggravating due to over growing of
population. So it is the number one problem of our country.
Bangladesh 2020 population is estimated at 164,689,383 people at mid year according to UN
data. It population is equivalent to 2.11% of the total world population. It ranks number 8 in the
list of countries (and dependencies) by population. The population density in Bangladesh is 1265
per Km2 (3,277 people per mi2). It present growth rate of population in Bangladesh is 2.36%. If
this alarming growth rate continues. the population of Bangladesh will he simply double within
next thirty years and it will be nearly 30 crore by that time. The high growth rate of population is
creating multifarious problems in every sphere of our life. It is creating crisis for food, clothing,
accommodation, health, education etc. If the population is allowed to grow at the present rate,
people shall find no place to live in. no scope for clothing, medical care and they shall have to
face starvation. The station as a whole shall have to experience a miserable and pitiable
condition. The people will fall in ever increasing poverty. The hope for better future and happy
life of the People will be shattered.
The high growth rate of population should be controlled at any rate. The whole nation should be
motivated. The campaign for family planning and birth control should be geared up. In addition
to this, every man and woman should be properly educated. Then education will help to realise
the consequence of high growth rate of population. On the other hand, education will make them
aware of social and religious prejudices. Thus they will get rid of superstitions. As a result, they
will be able to develop a rational view and liberal outlook. Early marriage should be
discouraged. Every family should consist of not more than two children. Both the print and
electronic media should popularise birth control so that people can realise the had impact of
population explosion. A small country like ours cannot afford such a huge population and allow
such a high growth rate of population. So, high birth rate should be stopped at any cost.
Population growth can effectively be brought under control by govt. initiative, if necessary by
imposing govt order. In this respect China's one child policy can be followed.
As well as, poverty remains a serious problem that hinders Bangladesh’s ambition of becoming a
middle-income country. Although there are many causes of poverty in Bangladesh, some of the
main culprits are calamitous weather, weak infrastructure and gender inequality that prevents
women from contributing to the economy.
One of the factors that generate poverty is the prevalence of natural disasters. As a low-lying
country situated on the Bay of Bengal, Bangladesh is one of the most vulnerable countries to
violent weather patterns that regularly destroy crops, homes and lives. Since agriculture supports
47 percent of the population, the losses can be especially devastating: a massive blow from a
flood or a cyclone can cut off villages’ access to food, electricity and water.
Additionally, Bangladesh has the disadvantage of being situated on active tectonic boundaries,
making it susceptible to earthquakes and tsunamis. A natural disaster can crush gradual progress
in a community in an instant.
Another of the main causes of poverty in Bangladesh is the lack of infrastructure. As the densely
populated country continues to grow, reliable means to get to work becomes a necessity for
people to earn their day’s wages. Bangladesh only spends two percent of its GDP on
infrastructure, while other states such as China, Thailand and Vietnam invest more than seven
percent. Although spending on infrastructure can be expensive, not investing in it proves to be
costly in the long term.
For instance, poor city planning in the capital, Dhaka, creates severe traffic that chokes 3.2
million hours of productivity in a day, which costs the country millions of dollars lost in GDP
per year. This is not to mention the daily waste of fuel that is caused by congestion.
Lastly, compared to international standards, women have a low labor force participation rate
of only 34 percent in 2013. In contrast, 82 percent of Bangladeshi men are in the workforce. If
the percentage of women working matched to that of men, Bangladesh’s GDP would see a 27
percent increase.
Women taking part in the economy is crucial: according to research published in The Atlantic,
“gender inequality and poverty are closely intertwined; tackling the former means mitigating the
latter.”
Some factors that hinder women from working include the lack of reliable and affordable
transportation, the absence of child care and cultural biases against women from working in the
same spaces as men.
Although dealing with the causes of poverty in Bangladesh are complex, the country has made
extraordinary developments since the time of its independence in 1971. Once dismissively called
a “basket case” due to rampant poverty, it is described now as “the land of impossible
attainment:” it moves up regardless of hurdles.