Bangladesh successful in 5 MDGs, behind in 3

Bangladesh has made considerable progress in achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), particularly in poverty alleviation. The goal was to reduce poverty to 29 percent by the year 2015. Two years ahead of time, in 2013, it has been possible to bring this down to 26.2 percent.

Among the eight goals of MDG, it will be possible to fully meet the targets set for reducing infant mortality and improving maternal health. The goals which will not be fully met are eradicating extreme poverty and hunger, achieving universal primary education, achieving gender equality and empowerment of women. However, Bangladesh is considering the achievements made in these sectors to be successful.

This was revealed in the latest report of the Planning Commission’s General Economic Division. A meeting was held in the Planning Commission’s NEC conference room yesterday in this regard.

The eight millennium development goals set by the United Nations in 2000, to be achieved by 2015, include eradication of extreme poverty and hunger; achieving universal primary education; gender equality and women’s empowerment; reduction of infant mortality; improvement of maternal health; combating HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases; ensuring environmental sustainability; and, developing global partnership for development.

Sixty indicators have been set to monitor the progress of achieving the goals. Many of these indicators have not been reviewed in the report. Bangladesh has published reports of its progress in MDG from time to time. Yesterday was the seventh report in this regard.

Indicators of progress: One-third of the 60 indicators to measure progress in MDG achievement have been achieved so far, or are on the way to being achieved. The goals of 12 indicators have been fully achieved so far. These include poverty alleviation, eradication of child malnutrition, boy and girl ratio in primary education, reduction of mortality of infants under five years of age, combating HIV, malaria, tuberculosis, and more.

Bangladesh is going in the right direction where nine other indicators are concerned. These are registration in primary education, reduction of infant mortality, immunisation, maternal mortality reduction, prevalence of HIV, treatment of children under five years of age for malaria, reduction of death rates due to tuberculosis and access to drinking water.

If the pace of progress continues as it is, there are 15 indicators which will not be met. This includes employment for hundred percent of the population, literacy for 15-24 year olds, reducing the number of people living below one dollar per day, bringing the proportion of women’s seats in parliament up till one third, equalising the number of men and women employed in the non-agricultural sector, reducing the number of persons afflicted with tuberculosis, increasing land area covered by forests to 20 percent and ensuring sanitation facilities for hundred percent of the population.

Success in poverty alleviation: Of the four indicators for this most important MDG, the indicator for reduction of poverty rate has been met. Reducing the gap between poverty and extreme poverty has also been achieved. The goal was to reduce this gap to 8 percent by 2015. By 2013 it has been reduced to 6.5 percent.

Discussion: At the meeting on the MDG progress report, Finance Minister AMA Muhith said that within two or three years time Bangladesh will leave the Least Developed Country (LDC) category and preparations must be made for this.

UNDP Country Director Pauline Tamesis said that in the next MDG plan Bangladesh would have to give much importance to the Chittagong Hill Tracts. Inclusive development would not be possible while leaving out a large section of the population.

Source: Prothom-Alo