Deprivations and disparities: SDG tales from Bangladesh

Ten years have passed, with five more remaining. In other words, two-thirds of the journey has been completed, with one-third remaining. The world seems to have woken up afresh with regard to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a set of global targets, to which the world committed itself in 2015 for sustainable development. 

This year, nearly 40 countries of the world will prepare voluntary national reviews of the SDGs to assess the progress they have made and also to identify the gaps, so that appropriate measures can be taken. 

Since 2015, these will represent third reviews by most of the countries, with some countries (e.g Guatemala, Indonesia, Qatar) presenting their fourth report. Regional reviews (e.g Asia and the Pacific) have also been prepared, and a global review will be done for the developing countries as a whole. 

Thus, the whole world is gearing up to assess the progress on the commitments it has made about a decade ago. Bangladesh is no exception. The country has been working on preparing the necessary review of the SDGs in the country context, and it is imperative to look at where we stand in terms of the SDGs. 

On a personal note, I was involved in both the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the SDGs at the global level, where at the United Nations, I took part in the formulation of the goals and targets. In fact, I led the analytical and policy work of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on both the goals, and during my work, I became aware of three issues.

Wide disparities persist both in terms of the SDG progress as well as gaps. Disparities persist between men and women, urban and rural areas, advanced and backward regions of the country. Disparities become more visible when the averages of the dominant groups are compared with most vulnerable groups such as Dalit and Adibashi communities.

First, the MDGs, as their foundation, did have the Millennium Declaration, signed by 189 Heads of States and the Heads of Governments. Thus, MDGs were a testimony of a global commitment at the highest level. 

But the SDGs did not have that kind of backing. It was more of a technical exercise by a panel of experts. Therefore, I always felt that SDGs did not have the political weight which the MDGs enjoyed. 

Second, with fewer goals (eight, to be exact), and 18 targets, the MDGs represented a solid focused approach to reduce basic human poverty. In contrast, the SDGs have 17 goals and 169 targets. With so many goals and targets on so many diverse varying issues, the SDGs represent a diffused approach, lacking focus and concreteness. And they contained a number of ambiguities. 

As a result, reaching the SDGs seemed, from the outset, to be more of a mirage than a reality. Third, the policy framework for formulating strategies for MDG achievement at the country level, was clearer as well as well-specified, because they were fewer in numbers and were prioritised. 

Thus, at the UN, with the leadership of UNDP, we developed a MDG Acceleration Framework (MAF) for a series of developing countries. The idea was to help countries to prioritise their MDGs in their own contexts and to help them develop strategies to achieve their own prioritised goals. 

In the context of the SDGs, such an approach has been missing. Yes, some of the medium-term plans of certain countries aligned their development goals with the SDGs, but when it came to formulate specific strategies for those goals, in most cases, there was a delink between the goals and the strategies. 

In 2025, we find that in general, the scenario for SDG achievement is very mixed in nature at global, regional and country levels. And the unfortunate thing is that at every level, the balance is tilted more to setbacks, rather than to successes. This is quite different from the MDGs, where the MDG scorecards were more pronounced with achievements, rather than setbacks. 

This may be due to the fact that the MDGs contained fewer focused goals, which were easier to fulfil. Or, the momentum to drive for achieving the MDGs was intense, which might have lost its steam by 2015, when we reached the stage of SDG kick-off. 

Alternatively, the world with its conflicts, violence, shocks and vulnerabilities and political turmoil, have lost its interest in time-bound development goals. Maybe the days for collective commitments, concerted effort and extended self-interest are over. Whatever be the reasons, the scorecard of the SDGs is not that impressive. And Bangladesh is no exception to this global or regional trend. 

The 2025 national report on SDG progress in Bangladesh is a picture of deprivation on one hand, and on the other, it is also a reflection of disparities. The report reveals that about 15 crore people of Bangladesh, about 88 percent of the country's population, are deprived of eight basic social services - basic education, safe drinking water, sanitation facilities, hygiene facilities, clean fuel and technology, basic information services, basic mobility in rural-urban contexts, and basic waste collection services. 

In Bangladesh, one in four persons remain food insecure. On one hand, this situation reflects a denial of basic human rights, but on the other, it also indicates the extent of multidimensional poverty that people face. Needless to say, in a way, it points to the risks and vulnerabilities that people encounter in their daily lives. But above all, it shows how widespread the extent of deprivations are in our country.

The deprivations of children in Bangladesh are widespread in different areas as well. For example, less than 40 percent of the child-related SDG indicators are on track and have met targets, with 60 percent remaining off-track or unmet.  

Neonatal, under-five and maternal mortality rates in Bangladesh have risen in recent times, indicating a troubling trend in health outcomes. Between 2021 and 2023, neonatal mortality has gone up from 16 per 1,000 live births to 20 in 2023. 

Similarly, the under-five mortality has risen from 28 per 1,000 live births to 33 during the same period.  Birth registration, a universal human right and a key indicator under SDG 17, also remains far below the target. Nationwide, 2 out of 5 children under-five are registered. In urban areas, only 1 in 3 children is registered.  

However, the country's informal settlements show a registration rate of 75 percent, highlighting stark disparities in access to this essential service. In Bangladesh, child fatalities due to drowning, suicidal tendencies, traffic accidents involving children, are on the rise. 

Children, particularly those engaged as child labour and also in domestic work are disproportionately affected. Nearly nine percent of children in the country are engaged in economic work, with a third of them performing hazardous tasks. 

There is an absence of an integrated plan for children, which prevents effective resource allocation for children's welfare. Policy limitations and weak implementation of policies impact the children's well-being in Bangladesh. 

With regard to women, the scenario is not promising either. Ranking at 99 in the Global Gender Gap Index, Bangladesh has fallen 40 places, raising concerns that without changes, the decline may continue.  

Yes, in Bangladesh, women's labour force participation has increased to 44 per cent, but wage inequalities persist. Women represent only 12 percent of senior positions and the 'glass ceiling' in our society still remains. Political parties have not been able to fulfil their 2020 pledge of having one-third female representation in party committees. 

Lack of robust time-series data remains a critical impediment to an objective and credible review of the SDG progress in Bangladesh. For example, unavailability of updated data on anaemia and children's mental health creates crucial gaps in understanding these issues. 

While there has been some progress in some areas, the dearth of data makes it difficult to make a good assessment. In the past, data have also been tampered extensively to present a rosy picture of the achievements of the government, which have misled people. 

The absence of robust and credible office data makes it difficult to assess the true extent of the SDG gaps in Bangladesh. The unavailability of data from non-governmental sources makes the data situation more precarious. 

Wide disparities persist both in terms of the SDG progress as well as gaps. Disparities persist between men and women, urban and rural areas, advanced and backward regions of the country. Disparities become more visible when the averages of the dominant groups are compared with most vulnerable groups such as Dalit and Adibashi communities. They remain in poverty and vulnerability cycles, as they are often trapped in caste-determined jobs due to stigma and skill limitations.

There has been some progress on some SDG fronts, such as poverty reduction; but the reported gains have remained fragile. And some of those gains were overshadowed by widening inequalities, persistent gender gaps, increasing environmental degradation, disparities in the access to as well as the quality of basic social services. 

With five years remaining for the SD time-table, it may pay off if Bangladesh focuses on five issues: 

First, align the SDGs with the development priorities of the country, and formulate strategies to accelerate progress towards the goals. In that respect, it may be useful to prepare an SDG Acceleration Framework (SAF). 

Second, get the macroeconomic framework right and focus on tackling disparities in opportunities. 

Third, make data robust, reliable and inter-temporal. Identify the base-line and get it right. 

Fourth, get the institutions right with necessary reforms on such issues as transparency and accountability. 

Finally, develop a solid monitoring and evaluation framework to assess the results. 

Dr Selim Jahan is the Former Director of the Human Development Report Office and Poverty Division at the United Nations Development Programme, New York, US.