Poverty in my native village

 Poverty in my native village

Date: 15.08.2023

By Mohammed Tashfiqul Islam , ID-23101205

Poverty is extremely frequent in Bangladesh. It pervades everywhere. We are confronted with it on a daily basis. In reality, several of my family and close relatives are impoverished. I could go on and on about it for hours. Even my hometown is impoverished. It's startling to consider that my own relatives are experiencing this issue. However, poverty in Bangladesh is not a new phenomenon.

What is the image of poverty in Bangladesh ?

Poverty in Bangladesh has been prevailing since before our independence. Actually , it is a common thing in Bangladesh. Almost 20.5% of population still live below the poverty line and In Bangladesh, the proportion of employed population below $1.90 purchasing power parity/day in 2022 was 2.7% according to Bangladesh: Poverty | Asian Development Bank. The main reason for the poor condition is low urbanization , low income , weak institutions, inadequate infrastructures. We do not have enough resources to accommodate people let alone using resources. We do not have enough funding to provide food, shelter and healthcare to the poor people. As a result , the poor people suffer in the end.

My local village environment

To start , I know some of my cousins who do not even have access to basic internet. They do not even know how to use the internet properly. They have to go through a rigorous process just to get in touch with the internet or smartphone. Many of the people are not even well educated. I know a few of my uncles living in the village who have an honors degree. The utility services they get in the village are not good at all. I mean this is an actual fact to think about how still village people can not get proper internet and utility services. How ironic !

The curse of superstition and ill-mentality 

Besides the lack of internet and utility services my village has some old drawbacks. Still some of the girls of my village are not properly educated. My village relatives do not consider providing proper education and teachings for the girls. Women empowerment and education is still a taboo for my village. They tend to marry off their daughter as early as possible. Even when some of my female cousins want to get proper education and continue higher studies , some elders do not agree with the decision. They think women should do all the household stuff and raising children and all. Education is not mandatory for women. This type of ill-mentality contributes to a cycle of poverty and stagnation, as it discourages innovation, education, and the adoption of modern technologies. As a result , people lack education and critical thinking. They tend to follow the old rules of their forefathers. How can they get out of the shackles of poverty if their thinking is not updated ?

The condition of micro- finance 

Microfinance is a new concept in our country that has proven to be a viable alternative to investing large sums of money in a specific undeveloped area. It aids in the growth of businesses and the generation of consistent income for the disadvantaged. As a result, people will have a better source of income, better healthcare, and a better education. 

However, its performance is contingent on elements such as program design, local context, and the support services provided in exchange for financial goods. But the situation is different in my village. Microfinance is a restricted and underdeveloped system. The groups are not active and are underfunded. They also have a labor shortage. As a result, they are unable to function correctly in this situation. 

 Small banks do not have any importance in these cases. Micro- finance can easily stimulate economic growth of a poor neighborhood. People can easily get a living out of the loans they provide. But as my village organizations do not function properly, the situation is pretty opposite actually.

Is it possible for my village to advance in terms of development?

Economic development is essential for a country to prosper. To develop, we have to improve our living. To change the situation of my village , education has to be prioritized. If female education is properly insured with no hesitations, the conditions can improve a bit. Microfinance activities can hugely improve the living conditions of people. It has to be made sure that SME(small and medium sized enterprises) are properly valued. This can reduce This can have a good knock-on effect, promoting long-term development and lowering overall poverty rates. Plus , the access to clean water and sanitation facilities has to be improved. Proper infrastructure development has to be insured. Additionally , promoting entrepreneurship and facilitating proper vocational training can contribute to the improvement of my village. However, programs must be ensured to be sustainable by creating local capacity, transferring skills, and fostering self-reliance.

My expectations 

Despite the fact that I reside in town, I still adore my people. They are my forebears. I don't despise them or harbor ill will toward them. I only wish they had a wonderful life. In terms of improvement, my community might use some work. I do not want any of my relatives to be impoverished. If their situation improves, they may be able to contribute to the rising economy. If the poverty rate is reduced, people will have easier access to appropriate healthcare, education, and career prospects. 

Written by , 

Mohammed Tashfiqul Islam

Mohammed Tashfiqul Islam is a student at BRAC university studying CSE. He was born on September 16 ,2002. He is currently pursuing a CSE degree at BRAC university.