Bangladesh Poverty
24.5 million new poor in Bangladesh, finds survey
The number of new poor people in Bangladesh is estimated at around 24.5 million, roughly 14.7 percent of the total population, find a survey reported in Dhaka Tribune. The situation, however, improved in comparison to June last year when they were reported to be around 21 percent of the total population.
The Power and Participation Research Centre (PPRC) and BRAC Institute of Governance and Development (BIGD) in Bangladesh jointly conducted the survey, titled "PPRC-BIGD Rapid Response Research Phase III: Poverty Dynamics and Household Realities Part 1,". The finds were released on Tuesday in Dhaka.
Around 59 percent of “new poor” are in urban slums while the rest are in rural areas. The survey covered around 6000 people across the country both in urban and rural areas. The findings indicated urban slum dwellers are the worst affected.
Poor people across the country, the report finds, are still struggling with their livelihoods and facing emerging vulnerabilities, and their savings have shrunk significantly.
Savings have depleted around 24 percent in urban areas while 11 percent in rural areas, the survey suggested. The “new poor” are struggling to return to pre-Covid-19 income level and they are stuck in the poverty trap.
Indian fishermen who enter our waters will be arrested: Sri Lankan minister
Days after he landed in a controversy for allegedly claiming that Indian fishermen would be granted permission to fish in Sri Lankan waters, the island nation’s Fisheries Minister, Douglas Devananda, has said that Indian fishermen illegally entering his country’s waters should be arrested.
Devananda told Daily Mirror he was even willing to go to the extent of going out to sea himself to stop the Indian fishermen from entering Sri Lankan waters and especially engaging in bottom trawling which he said was destroying the sea beds.
"The claim that I will grant permits to Indian fishermen to fish in our seas is false. This was only an idea that came to me and not a decision. Presently I have informed the Navy to continue arresting all Indian fishermen who enter our waters and I will not tolerate any form of bottom trawling," Devananda said.
"Whatever ideas are implemented will first be discussed with the local fishermen and fishermen organisations. No decision will be taken without consulting them. Even the fishermen are confident that I will not take any decision without consulting them. Many people are misusing my words and making me look like a killer and murderer. But I am not like that," the Minister added, the Daily Mirror report said.
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