Poverty rate comes down to 20.5pc: BBS

The poverty rate declined to 20.5 per cent in the country at the end of 2018-19 fiscal year from 21.8 per cent in the previous financial year, according to the latest data of Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), reports UNB.

The extreme poverty rate also came down to 10.5 per cent from 11.3 per cent during the period (from 2017-18 FY to 2018-19 FY).

The BBS placed the statistics at a meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) held at the NEC conference room in the city with ECNEC chairperson and prime minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.

"The poverty rate came down to 20.5 per cent declining by 1.3 per cent (in one year), while the extreme poverty rate stood at 10.5 per cent marking a 0.8 per cent fall," said planning minister MA Mannan while briefing reporters after the ECNEC meeting.

He said the poverty rate has decreased due to multifaceted measures taken by the government.

According to the Household Income and Expenditure Survey (HIES) 2016, the poverty rate was 24.3 per cent in 2016, which had been 40 per cent in 2005.

The extreme poverty rate was 12.9 per cent in 2016 against 25.1 per cent in 2005, as per the findings of the HIES 2016.

In 2010, the poverty and extreme poverty rate was 31.5 per cent and 17.6 per cent respectively, according to the report of HIES 2010.