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4.17 million people in Bangladesh are living in extreme poverty. 6.5 percent of them are in serious condition. This picture emerged in a report published by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).

The report titled ‘Global Multidimensional Poverty Index-2024: Poverty in Conflict’ was released on Thursday (October 17). Here, 6.3 billion people in 112 countries of the world have been studied to understand the multidimensional poverty situation. In which the data of more than a decade up to 2022-23 has been analyzed. Here, it has been taken into consideration how people are lacking in getting essential services like adequate housing, sanitation, electricity, edible oil and nutrition. The rate at which children are attending school is also taken into consideration.

According to the index, 1.1 billion people in the world live in extreme poverty. Almost half of them are residents of conflict-affected countries. More than 83 percent of people living in extreme poverty live in countries in Africa and South Asia. In South Asia, 272 million poor people live in households where at least one person is malnourished.

According to the Global Multidimensional Poverty Index-2024, the standard of living of people plays the biggest role in poverty in Bangladesh (45.1 percent). It is followed by education (37.6 percent) and health (17.3 percent).

According to the latest data of Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics for 2022, 18.7 percent of people in Bangladesh are living below the poverty line. Among them 5.6 percent people are living below extreme poverty line. According to the latest census, the country currently has a population of 16 crore 98 lakh 28 thousand. According to that, the number of poor people in the country is 3 crore 17 lakh 57 thousand.

According to the indicators published by UNDP, children are the biggest victims of poverty. About 58.4 million people living in extreme poverty are under 18 years of age. This number is 27.9 percent of the total number of children in the world. In contrast, 13.5 percent of the world’s total adult population lives in extreme poverty.

According to UNDP indicators, 45.5 million people living in extreme poverty are living in conflict-violence. In conflict countries, the infant mortality rate is 8 percent. On the other hand, this rate is only 1.1 percent in peaceful countries. People in war-torn countries are severely deprived of nutrition, electricity, water and sanitation facilities.

KAS Murshid, the former Director General of Bangladesh Development Research Institute BIDS, said that it is not correct to compare the way Bangladesh’s poverty is measured in this study of UNDP with the study of Bangladesh BBS or other organizations. Through this study, a picture of the poverty situation of Bangladesh compared to the world was obtained. In the past few years, the poverty situation has worsened due to the dollar crisis and various financial problems in Bangladesh. It has been understood in this survey through various indicators. From here, an opportunity has been created to adopt an action plan according to the situation in Bangladesh.

Children suffer the most

According to the index, India has the highest number of poor people in the world. Of the country’s 1.4 billion population, 23.4 million live in extreme poverty. It is followed by Pakistan (9.3 million), Ethiopia (8.6 million), Nigeria (7.4 million) and Republic of Congo (6.6 million). Almost half of the world’s population living in extreme poverty live in these five countries.

According to the indicators published by UNDP, children are the biggest victims of poverty. About 58.4 million people living in extreme poverty are under 18 years of age. This number is 27.9 percent of the total number of children in the world. In contrast, 13.5 percent of the world’s total adult population lives in extreme poverty.

According to UNDP indicators, 45.5 million people living in extreme poverty are living in conflict-violence. In conflict countries, the infant mortality rate is 8 percent. On the other hand, this rate is only 1.1 percent in peaceful countries. People in war-torn countries are severely deprived of nutrition, electricity, water and sanitation facilities.