‘Bangladesh sets example in reducing poverty’

KMA Hasnat: Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith said Bangladesh has set an instance in the world in terms of poverty reduction. The poverty rate in the country was 70 percent in the year of 1973-74 which has now reduced to half in 40 years.

The minister came up with the opinion while speaking at the 50th Annual Meeting of Board of Governors of Asian Development Bank (ADB) on Saturday.

Muhith said, “The motto of the incumbent government is now to reduce poverty from the country as one fifth of the total population is still poor. But it is possible to bring down the poverty at a tolerable level under the bold leadership of the government.”

88 percent people of Bangladesh were under poverty line after the Independence and the poverty rate reduced to 40 and 24.8 percent in 2005 and 2016 respectively. The rate for the current year has been estimated to be reduced to 23.2 percent, he added.

risingbd/DHAKA/May 6, 2017/Hasnat/Amirul