Food security worsens as poverty rises in multiple districts: Study

Bangladesh is witnessing a concerning rise in poverty, leading to worsening food insecurity, according to a recent study conducted by the Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS).

Urban areas witnessed a sharper rise in extreme poverty, reaching 8.16% in 2024 compared to 7.98% in 2022, and in rural areas, it rose from 4.94% to 5.75%, said the study, "Small Area Estimates of Poverty 2022: Trends and Disparities in Selected Districts, 2024", unveiled at the BIDS conference room in Dhaka today (24 March).

The study, jointly conducted with the World Food Programme (WFP), examined five districts—Bandarban, Dhaka, Khulna, Rangpur, and Sylhet.

Between 2022 and 2024, the highest poverty rates were recorded in Bandarban, Rangpur, and Sylhet. In Dhaka, while the overall poverty rate is lower, there has been a significant deterioration in economic perception among residents, said the findings.

In Khulna and Rangpur, climate-induced factors such as riverbank erosion have exacerbated the situation, while in Sylhet, Zakiganj has emerged as a new poverty hotspot.

Presenting the keynote findings, Mohammad Yunus, research director of BIDS, said, "The proportion of poor households increased to 26.43% in 2024 from 24.73% in 2022, while the proportion of extreme poor also rose from 6.06% to 6.63% during the same period."

The study attributed the poverty rise to inflationary pressure, climate change-induced disasters, and economic slowdowns following global disruptions. 

The impact is more severe in rural areas, where the population lives below the upper poverty line at a higher rate than in urban areas.

Households experiencing moderate food insecurity are increasingly adopting negative coping strategies, such as reducing meal portions, skipping meals, and altering food consumption habits, it added.

Moderating the seminar, AK Enamul Haque, director general of BIDS, stressed the urgent need for targeted policy interventions.

Takahiro Utsumi, research head at the WFP Bangladesh, said government agencies must use these insights while planning for 2025 and beyond.