'3 cr people live in absolute poverty'

Nineteen percent of people cannot afford three meals a day while 10 percent of families virtually starve for two or three months in a year, they added.

Although the GDP and per capita income are on the rise, poverty is getting worse nowadays, they said.

Campaign for Good Governance organised the press conference at the National Press Club in the city on the eve of the Poverty Alleviation Day.

It highlighted the status of Bangladesh regarding its progress and challenges in meeting the Millennium Development Goals.

Reading out a written statement, Ahmed Swapan Mahmud called on all to stand by the ultra-poor people to alleviate hunger.

As the development policy of Bangladesh has been formulated as per the prescription of the World Bank and IMF, it is helping the multinational companies, depriving a large section of the population, including the landless, slum dwellers, victims of river erosion, agricultural and floating labour, of its benefit, he said.

He called on the government to formulate and pursue its own development policy so that the multinational companies cannot keep a grip on the country.

Golam Rasul, chief secretary, Campaign for Good Governance, also spoke on the occasion. A CD on 'MDG and PRSP' was also launched on the occasion.