NGOs demand long-term plan to reduce poverty

Antipoverty Platform, an alliance of 16 non- governmental
organisations (NGO) and local development campaigners, urged the
government to take effective measures to reduce poverty and promptly
implement the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). They also sought
that the government include the extremely poor population in the
social safety net and extend food and work for them. "The government
should undertake long term planning and effective measures to
eliminate poverty from the country by initially including the
extremely poor in the social safety net programme," said Mohsin Ali,
executive director of Wave Foundation. He was speaking at a press
conference to announce weeklong programmes to mark the International
Poverty Alleviation Day on October 17 , organised by the Antipoverty
Platform at the National Press Club in Dhaka. This platform is going
to organise several programmes in 43 districts to create social
awareness. In his keynote paper, Ali sought necessary government
steps to reduce poverty up to 50 percent before 2015 , as part of
achieving MDGs. He stressed ensuring primary education for all,
gender equity and women empowerment, reduced numbers of child death,
maternity health improvements, a sustainable environment and enhanced
international cooperation for development. According to MDGs,
Bangladesh will have to reduce its poverty rate to 29 percent by
2015. At present, around 40 percent of the population is poor, of
which around 20 percent is extremely poor. Abdul Awal, chairperson
of SUPRO, a local campaigner for good governance, emphasised
creating awareness and organising social movement to alleviate
poverty, as rich countries often fail to keep their promises to help
attain MDGs in the least developed countries. "Global leaders have
not fulfilled their commitment to provide official development
assistance (ODA) to countries like Bangladesh. Furthermore, the
assistance we have been receiving is insufficient to achieve MDGs,"
he said. "Developed countries should fulfill their pledges to help
us attain MDGs within the stipulated time," he added. The rich are
supposed to provide 0.7 percent of their GDP as ODA in the global
bid for development. But as per government data, net ODA inflow into
Bangladesh has been on the decline since the 90 s. In fiscal 1990-91
, Bangladesh received net ODA of $1 ,240 million, while it declined
to $110 million in 2006. In fiscal 2007-08 , net ODA stood at
$96.1 million. Ranjan Karmakar, executive director of Steps Towards
Development (STD), and Asgor Ali Sabri, sector head of Action Aid,
were also present.