20% of people live below the poverty line: Taposh
After completing the Padma Bridge, growth will increase by 2%, says DSCC Mayor Taposh
Stating that Bangladesh has become a middle-income country following Vision 2021, Dhaka South City Corporation Mayor Barrister Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh has claimed that the number of people living below the poverty line has reduced to 20%, from 70% before.
The mayor also claimed that the number of poor people has decreased to less than 12%, while annual income has exceeded $2,000.
Taposh was speaking as the chief guest at a briefing meeting on the Livelihood Improvement of Urban Poor Communities Project at Nagar Bhaban in the capital on Monday.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
"We are now building the Padma Bridge with our own funds. With the completion of the Padma Bridge, our growth will increase by 2% and Dhaka-centric pressure will also decrease," said the mayor.
The mayor continued, "Despite the development of the country's marginalised populations, the city's poor have been deprived of many services. We want to take the backward citizens forward through the project of improving the living standards of our marginalised people. We want to bring the poverty rate in the city below 10% in the future."
The mayor also stressed the importance of the proper use of project funds. In this regard, the Dhaka South mayor said, "The prime minister expressed resentment saying that termites consume project funds. We do not want to misappropriate any project funds. It must be ensured that 100% project funds are spent on that specific project."
Taposh also sought the full cooperation of the councillors in this regard.
DSCC Secretary Akramuzzaman presided over the event and other officials linked with the project spoke as special guests.
