NGOs underscore budget for the extreme poor

Non-profit research and advocacy organization Unnayan Shamannay organized a pre-budget seminar titled “Eradicating Extreme Poverty by 2021: The Budget We Really Want” at the Sagar-Runi Auditorium of Dhaka Reporters Unity, Dhaka in Bangladesh.

Chairperson of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Finance, Dr. Md. Abdur Razzak, MP was present at the event as the Chief Guest, while Begum Akhter Jahan, MP, honorable member of the same Parliamentary Standing Committee was there as the Special Guest. Former Chairman of Bangladesh Krishi Bank and Emeritus Fellow of Unnayan Shamannay Khondker Ibrahim Khaled Chaired the seminar. Dr. Taiabur Rahman, Professor of Department of Development Studies, University of Dhaka presented the keynote paper on behalf of Unnayan Shamannay.

The keynote paper emphasized the importance of replicating successful targeted livelihood programs (TLPs) for eradicating extreme poverty from Bangladesh by 2021. It pointed out that the National Budget should allocate further resources to finance TLPs that have successful track record in extreme poverty eradication. The background paper of the 7^th Five Year Plan states that we only need to allocate 1% of the GDP additionally for five fiscal years to rid the country of the scourge of extreme poverty.

Akhter Jahan, MP in her remarks as the Special Guest praised the commitment of the Government of Bangladesh to eradicate extreme poverty and pointed out key initiatives taken by the Government regarding women empowerment, developing infrastructure to reach the extreme poor living in the remote areas of Bangladesh.

In the remarks of the Chief Guest, Dr. Abdur Razzak inferred that while the Government has achieved significant success in poverty eradication through numerous social safety nets, these safety nets alone will not be enough to eradicate extreme poverty from the country. He added that access to market for the rural producers need to be improved to ensure benefits of economic growth reach the extreme poor living in the rural areas.

In the closing remarks, Chair of the seminar, Ibrahim Khaled said that the authorities need to move quickly to establish innovative and effective institutional mechanisms to coordinate efforts, devise appropriate policies, rationalize resources and oversee performance. This according to him will minimize leakage in safety net service delivery and ensure the extreme poor are reached.

The press conference was supported by EEP/Shiree project run under RDCD, LGRD Ministry in Bangladesh with the funding of UK aid and Swiss Cooperation for Development Organization.