In the span of only a few months, two studies on poverty and deprivation have revealed grim realities of the poverty situation prevailing in Bangladesh. Most recently, the Power and Participation Research Centre (PPRC) shared findings of the study titled "Economic Dynamics and Mood at Household Level in Mid-2025" which reflected the deteriorating poverty situation. The poverty rate in the country is now 27.93%, against 18.7% in 2022.
One of the gravest concerns is the rise of extreme poverty. According to PPRC's research, the extreme poverty rate has sharply increased. This PPRC study did refer to the official figure of the extreme poverty rate in 2022 which was 5.6% at that time. By May 2025, the extreme poverty rate had increased to 9.35%. This means that the country's poverty rate has significantly increased in the last three years. Still, 18% of families can become poor at any time.
Due to a sharp decline in donor funding, the duty of combatting extreme poverty now lies largely with the state. Due to sustained government interventions in the last decades backed by financial support of development partners and NGO efforts at the grassroots, it was possible to reduce extreme poverty significantly. The diverse and multidimensional nature of poverty, and the continuation of extreme poverty in particular, need to be recognized and made more visible in policy and programmatic responses.
Some examples of best practice of focusing on extreme poverty included Chars Livelihood Program (CLP), Brac’s Challenging the Frontiers of Poverty Reduction-Targeting the Ultra Poor program (CFPR-TUP) and the Urban Partnerships for Poverty Reduction (UPPR) program. However, grins are at stake and extreme poverty appears to be almost doubled in three years. If the condition of left behind communities slides further down, it will certainly have negative impacts on other development achievements including sustainable development goals (SDGs).
Leave no one behind (LNOB) is the central, transformative promise of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It represents the unequivocal commitment of all UN Member States to eradicate poverty in all its forms, end discrimination and exclusion, and reduce the inequalities and vulnerabilities that leave people behind and undermine the potential of individuals and of humanity as a whole. LNOB not only entails reaching the poorest of the poor, but requires combating discrimination and rising inequalities within and amongst countries, and their root causes. A major cause of people being left behind is persistent forms of discrimination, including gender discrimination, which leaves individuals, families and whole communities marginalized, and excluded.
As per the PPRC report, one in four people (27.93%) are currently living below the upper poverty threshold. Similar findings came out in the study conducted by the General Economics Division (GED) which adopted the multidimensional poverty index (MPI). The report -- prepared by the General Economics Division (GED) of the Planning Commission, with support from Unicef and the European Union (EU) -- reveals that 28.9% of children face overlapping deprivations in health, education, and living standards, compared to 21.44% of adults, underscoring the disproportionate burden of poverty on Bangladesh’s youngest citizens.
The multidimensional poverty index reveals the relegated status of Sylhet region. Findings of the first MPI disclosed that the Sylhet division is, in fact, the poorest in Bangladesh when measured by access to education, healthcare and living standards. Poverty rate varies substantially across the eight divisions in the country, with Khulna facing the smallest MPI at 0.064% while Sylhet, located in the northeast of the country, has the highest MPI at 0.177%. The value of MPI ranges between 0 and 1, where 1 indicates that the entire population is poor and deprived of all needs under the poverty index.
According to MPI; the three poorest districts are Bandarban, Cox’s Bazar, and Sunamganj. Bandarban and Cox’s Bazar are both located in the south-west region and also impacted by the Rohingya crisis. The Rohingya largely took refuge in the Cox’s Bazar District, which was already not faring well, with higher poverty and lower education rates than the rest of the country. The arrival of the Rohingya further strained limited services and resources.
Bandarban is geographically distinct from most parts of plain-land Bangladesh and is mostly characterised by very steep, rugged, and mountainous terrain. Development of the district was blighted by 25 years of insurgency, which formally ended in 1997 with the signing of a peace accord.
The case of Sunamganj is quite interesting considering the fact that the district teeming with water bodies, including wetlands and fishery estates, was previously considered a land of natural wealth.
Sylhet and Mymensingh are in the lowest poverty tiers and these two neighbouring regions are also vulnerable to climatic events. Notably, this haor wetland region of Bangladesh accounts for 25% of Bangladesh’s boro rice production and 15% of the country’s annual rice output. There were some interesting revelations made by a senior civic servant in the roundtable organized by Manusher Jonno Foundation (MJF) along with a Bangla daily with support from the Swedish government on August 11. According to a senior official who attended the event, the government of Bangladesh so far has only been calculating how much paddy is produced and how many fish are caught in the haor. This candid admission tells a lot about policy-making and implementation.
We must adopt a people-oriented lens in order to ensure inclusive development. Noted economist and chair of PPRC Hossain Zillur Rahman suggested increasing the discussion on equality, justice, non-discrimination, and welfare of citizens without limiting the discussion to just GDP while attending the poverty data sharing event.
It matters little whether the government proceeds with the country's LDC graduation or delays it, it is empirical to combat poverty, particularly extreme poverty in the northeast without further ado.
