Social problems in bangladesh

1. 1. Social Problems in Bangladesh In examining the economy of Bangladesh, wherever one

turns the problems crowd in and threaten to overwhelm the analysis. Underlying problems
that have threatened the young nation remain unsolved. These problems include
overpopulation and inadequate nutrition, health, and education resources; a low standard of
living, land scarcity, and vulnerability to natural disaster; virtual absence of valuable metals;
and inadequate government and bureaucratic structures. Yet the brief history of independent
Bangladesh offers much that is encouraging and satisfying. The World Bank, leader of the
Bangladesh Aid Group, described the country in 1987 as a success story for economic
development and expressed optimism that the goals of the Third Five-Year Plan, and longer
term development goals as well, could be attained. Government policies had been effective
in stimulating the economy. The private sector had benefited from an environment of greater
economic freedom and had improved performance in banking and production of jute,
fertilizer, ready-made garments, and frozen seafood. The average growth rate of economy
had been a steady, if unspectacular, 4 percent since the beginning of the 1980s, close to the
world average for developing countries. The picture of day-to-day and even year-to-year
performance of the economy of Bangladesh is a mixture of accomplishment and failure, not
significantly different from that of the majority of poor Third World countries. The government
and people of Bangladesh are entitled to take some pride in the degree of success they have
achieved since independence, especially when one contrasts their success with the gloomy
forecasts of economists and international experts. The international donor community, led by
the World Bank, similarly can be proud of the role it has played in assisting this "largest
poorest" nation to become a respected member of the family of nations. Works that are
useful for gaining a basic understanding of the Bangladesh economy include Bangladesh:
Emergence of a Nation by A.M.A. Muhith and The Political Economy of Development by Just
Faaland and J.R. Parkinson. Rehman Sobhan's The Crisis of External Dependence provides
an insightful critique of the foreign aid sector. Kirsten Westergaard's State and Rural Society
in Bangladesh provides information on agricultural development in the context of the
relationship between the state and rural society. Articles by Abu Muhammad Shajaat Ali and
Akhter Hameed Khan provide agricultural case studies on the village of Shyampur and the
Comilla Model, respectively. The Far Eastern Economic Review and Economist both carry
timely reports on the state of the economy. Among the most important sources of information
on the economy, however, is the documentation provided by various agencies of the
governments of Bangladesh and the United States and the World Bank. Important among
these is the annual Statistical Yearbook of Bangladesh published by the Ministry of Planning.
The Bibliography of Asian Studies each year carries numerous reports on the
macroeconomy of Bangladesh and should be consulted for details. www.asadsaimon.com
2. 2. Shrunk by 50% between 1960 Cropland Cropland, Irrigation, and Crop Yield are all
Falling Falling since 1950 Grain Production A Definition of Overpopulation
Overpopulation is a term that refers to a condition in which the density enlarges to a limit that
 provokes the environmental deterioration, a drop in the quality of life, or a population
collapse. Impacts of Overpopulation & Biodiversity www.asadsaimon.com Regulation of
Rainfall Erosion Control Carbon Storage; Which Regulates Climate Habitat Loss of
Forests Lead to a Loss of: 75% of the Loss of Global Forests has Occurred in the 20th
century Forests Threatened to be Eliminated Due to Human Encroachment Natural
Recreation Areas Further Pressure on Grain Supply Total Meat Consumption will Rise
from 211 Million Tons to 513 Million Tons An Estimated 37% of World Grain Harvest is
Used to Feed Livestock Meat Production 2050: 9.9 Kilograms of Oceanic Catch/Person
1988: 17.2 Kilograms of Oceanic Catch/Person Oceanic Fish Catch Substantial Cutbacks
in Irrigation Water will be Needed 1 Billion People Will Be Living In Countries Facing Water
Scarcity in 2050 Fresh Water Further 70% loss by 2050 1998
3. 3. Even in Countries Where Population is Stable, the Flow of Waste Continues to Increase
Bangladesh www.asadsaimon.com Waste Asias Energy Consumption is Expected to
Grow 361%; Population will Only Grow 50% Demand for Energy Grew Twice as Fast as
Population Over the Last 50 Years Energy Emissions From industrial Countries will
Increase by 30% Emissions From Developing Countries will Quadruple Over the next
Century Mainly Due to Fossil Fuel Burning Climate Change Species Loss is 100 to
1,000 Times the Natural Rate
4. 4. It has the longest delta area in the world which promotes mass trade among foreign
markets. www.asadsaimon.com Location Bangladesh is located in South Asia with a
population of 200 million people. Thats 2/3 of the United States population living in a place
the size of Wisconsin
5. 5. Contraceptives have been introduced, but have been widely rejected by the men of
families due to their Islamic faith. Lack of Housing www.asadsaimon.com Bangladeshi
women have an average of 4.23 children during their lifetime. The average Bangladeshi
family consists of 1 father, 1-6 mothers, and 3-50 children Disease/Poor water quality
Family Size Unemployment/poverty/famine Bad transportation system Housing
Family size With the amount of trading that occurs here one would think many of its
inhabitants would live comfortably, but this is not the case. Main Causes of Overpopulation in
Bangladesh
6. 6. Crowded public transportation dangers: Buses Road crashes Medical/funeral
expenses, head of household unemployment Large families usually live in one room shacks
or with other families in a communal house. Up to 70 people may all live in the same house.
**Space equivalent: Its like 12 people living in a double room. Transportation &Trains:
falls,fire,violence www.asadsaimon.com
7. 7. A typical double bus in Bangladesh which carries up to 100 people, A bus fire which killed
20 people and injured 13 others. Trains You can see the risk in taking the train to work, but
people need to earn money to support their large families at home. www.asadsaimon.com
8. 8. Many children starve as a result every year. Disease and Healthcare Many diseases run
ramped throughout Bangladesh due to close living quarters and inevitable person to person
contact. The worse diseases currently affecting Bangladesh are Diarrheal disease and
Cholera. Diarrheal disease is caused by the consumption of unsanitary water. Seasonal
 flooding causes rivers to overflow and run through the streets of larger cities in Bangladesh.
During this time various bacteria, wastes, and microorganisms are accumulated. The water is
then carried to smaller villages where there is increased poverty. The majority of residents in
Bangladesh cannot afford bottled water, nor do small towns have ways in which to treat and
purify the water before it is drunk. Cholera is a direct result of the aforementioned water
contamination. These bacteria attach to plankton and are ingested. This causes diarrhea,
vomiting, fever, and sometimes death if not treated. A good thing about this is that it is self-
limiting because people develop immunity after being infected more than once.
www.asadsaimon.com Famine caused by a lack of rainfall and fertile land occurs often and
has a big impact Mass unemployment : not enough jobs for working people leads to a lack
of resources and food in the family unit. Poverty
9. 9. The case of Bangladesh may be considered as an example. More than 150 million people
live in a small country like Bangladesh. Still some 380 new children are born everyday in this
country. If this continues the population of the country will be doubled in 30 years. The wealth
of the country is limited. So with the growth of population the want of the country is
increasing. This causes shortage of food, houses, clothing, education and medical facilities.
Again the hungry and ailing children do not turn into manpower. They become menace to the
society. They die from starvation. The government is to spend a lot of foreign exchange every
year to import food for these hungry people. As a result, the economic plan of the country
suffers much. So the people of the country must have small family to bring happiness and
prosperity to them and to the state. If nothing positive is done to check the growth of
population, serious food problem will be the result. And the prosperity of the country will not
come if this problem is not satisfactorily solved. Bangladesh needs a rise in agricultural
productivity, increased personal incomes, and reduced poverty. Education of its citizens is
one way to that end. The government is encouraging this with a Food for Education initiative,
where poor families are given food when they send their children to school rather than to
work. Other suggestions include training courses for rural residents on various aspects of
farming, such as production of major crops, raising summer and winter vegetables, and
homestead management. The government is also attempting to address overpopulation
problems. The current birth rate is 3.7 children per woman. Their target birth rate is 2.2
children per woman; however, this goal will most likely not be reached for at least another
decade. A system of rural health clinics is also addressing a need in the country. Other
countries may need to assist Bangladesh by providing technology initiatives on crops,
vegetables, poultry, dairy, nutrition, health, sanitation, and environmental protection and
preservation. Workshops for rural men and women on sustainable agriculture topics, as well
as health topics, may help with both agricultural productivity and quality of life. Bangladesh is
going need major reforms in order to keep the current situation from developing into a
famine. Bangladesh has fertile soils and abundant water in its rivers. These rivers also pose
threats and problems of their own. Bangladeshs population puts major strain on its
agricultural system and on the land currently available. Child labor needs to be controlled- if
not stopped, and new sources of income need to be found. Current housing and living
situations need to be addressed. The population needs basic education and specific
education on new farming techniques, healthy lifestyles, raising livestock, and crop
 management. Crops need to be studied to come up with varieties that well help rejuvenate
Bangladeshs soils. The ultimate goal of Bangladesh, and of those countries offering aid, is to
reach a point where food production at equals the population- if not surpassing it. The
Bangladeshi government needs to look into biotechnology, even if it comes in the form of
help from other countries. Problems in health and nutrition also need to be addressed.
Conferences, seminars, and workshops offered to the general public on these topics may be
able to help boost production and reduce poverty. Bangladesh is going need a lot of help
from other countries and the citizens also need to be willing to accept and adopt new ideas to
change their dark future into a bright one. www.asadsaimon.com
10. 10. The case of Bangladesh may be considered as an example. More than 150 million
people live in a small country like Bangladesh. Still some 380 new children are born
everyday in this country. If this continues the population of the country will be doubled in 30
years. The wealth of the country is limited. So with the growth of population the want of the
country is increasing. This causes shortage of food, houses, clothing, education and medical
facilities. Again the hungry and ailing children do not turn into manpower. They become
menace to the society. They die from starvation. The government is to spend a lot of foreign
exchange every year to import food for these hungry people. As a result, the economic plan
of the country suffers much. So the people of the country must have small family to bring
happiness and prosperity to them and to the state. If nothing positive is done to check the
growth of population, serious food problem will be the result. And the prosperity of the
country will not come if this problem is not satisfactorily solved. Bangladesh needs a rise in
agricultural productivity, increased personal incomes, and reduced poverty. Education of its
citizens is one way to that end. The government is encouraging this with a Food for
Education initiative, where poor families are given food when they send their children to
school rather than to work. Other suggestions include training courses for rural residents on
various aspects of farming, such as production of major crops, raising summer and winter
vegetables, and homestead management. The government is also attempting to address
overpopulation problems. The current birth rate is 3.7 children per woman. Their target birth
rate is 2.2 children per woman; however, this goal will most likely not be reached for at least
another decade. A system of rural health clinics is also addressing a need in the country.
Other countries may need to assist Bangladesh by providing technology initiatives on crops,
vegetables, poultry, dairy, nutrition, health, sanitation, and environmental protection and
preservation. Workshops for rural men and women on sustainable agriculture topics, as well
as health topics, may help with both agricultural productivity and quality of life. Bangladesh is
going need major reforms in order to keep the current situation from developing into a
famine. Bangladesh has fertile soils and abundant water in its rivers. These rivers also pose
threats and problems of their own. Bangladeshs population puts major strain on its
agricultural system and on the land currently available. Child labor needs to be controlled- if
not stopped, and new sources of income need to be found. Current housing and living
situations need to be addressed. The population needs basic education and specific
education on new farming techniques, healthy lifestyles, raising livestock, and crop
management. Crops need to be studied to come up with varieties that well help rejuvenate
Bangladeshs soils. The ultimate goal of Bangladesh, and of those countries offering aid, is to
reach a point where food production at equals the population- if not surpassing it. The
Bangladeshi government needs to look into biotechnology, even if it comes in the form of
help from other countries. Problems in health and nutrition also need to be addressed.
Conferences, seminars, and workshops offered to the general public on these topics may be
able to help boost production and reduce poverty. Bangladesh is going need a lot of help
from other countries and the citizens also need to be willing to accept and adopt new ideas to
change their dark future into a bright one. www.asadsaimon.com