Bangladesh must urgently redirect resources within its fragmented social protection system and scale up a handful of proven programmes that directly benefit the poorest, according to a leading economist.

The government will increase the number of beneficiaries of various social safety net schemes by at least 10 lakh from fiscal year (FY) 2025-2026, but allowances will see a small increase, although poor groups have been facing stubbornly high inflation for years.

The universal pension would be out of reach of the extremely poor, such as day labourers, due to their inability to make contributions.

It fails to commit to reforms and address people’s sufferings

Under the FY24-25 social safety net programme of Bangladesh, the pension for retired government employees and savings scheme interest payments account for nearly the same allocation as social assistance for the poor, the old and the disaster-struck.

No matter how tight the budget is, the social safety net sector has to be given its due importance.

30 percent of total social safety allocations going to the non-poor

Data by the finance ministry showed that the allocation for the pensions and interest payments account for 30 percent of the total social security programme fund of Tk 126,090 crore for the current fiscal year of 2023-24.

Government must address issues with its effectiveness and distribution

A top official of the ministry said the government would increase the number of beneficiaries in two major schemes – the old age allowance and the allowance for widows, deserted, or destitute women.

Low allocations for sectors that ensure people’s well-being, such as health, education, agriculture and social safety protection, is unacceptable

How does the social protection budget for the 2023-24 fiscal year fare when analysed through the lenses of equity and efficiency?

Any effort at halting inequality and reversing the trend has to start from a political commitment, an understanding of the factors at work, and adoption of necessary measures to attain the goals.

Latest BIDS survey on poverty deserves appropriate policy attention

The ineligible beneficiaries of the social safety net programme meant for elderlies and widows eat up around Tk 1,500 crore every year because of poor targeting and administrative weakness, according to the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD).

Bangladesh authorities must expand services to help injured or ill returnee migrants

Why cut back on public food distribution programmes when they are needed the most?

Scaling up public food distribution programmes for the poor and the vulnerable is the need of the hour -- given the cost of living crisis. But the government seems to be shying away from stepping up to this task.

Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal today proposed increasing the allocation by 5.5 per cent year-on-year for social safety net programmes carried out by the government.

The government will broaden its social safety net programmes in the upcoming national budget to continue support to the country’s marginalised population, Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal said yesterday.