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Poverty Trend Among the Lower Class Households in a Rural Area of Bangladesh

Dr. Md. Shajahan Kabir
Professor
Department of Rural Sociology, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202, Bangladesh,

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

The study undertakes to determine poverty trend among the lower class households during the last five years in a rural area of Bangladesh. A sample of size 80 lower class households was selected from two villages of Sherpur District in Bangladesh. The finding shows that the yearly average income and expenditure of the households were Tk 30912.50 and Tk. 25925, respectively. The change of the socioeconomic status of the lower class households has played an important role on changing pattern of poverty. Occupation of the respondent was significantly associated with change in poverty situation. A shift from lower level to higher level of a characteristic indicates, as a whole, the community has experienced a positive change in their livelihood. In statistical analysis, binary logistic regression model was fitted best. Among the occupation categories handicrafts seemed to help overcome the poverty situation more than business. Respondents involved in handicrafts were 3.673 times more likely to have a positive change in poverty situation compared to those involved in business. The result further suggests that respondents involved in agriculture were 96% significantly less likely to gain positive change than respondents involved in business and other activities. Findings of the study suggest that government should provide different types of facilities to rural lower class people and increase employment opportunities emphasizing more in handicrafts including handicrafts training.

Keywords: Poverty, Rural area, Household

Location: Sherpur

Start Date: 00-01-2012

End Date: 00-06-2012

Program Area: Socio-economic and Policy

Non-commodity: Subsidy

Objectives:

Though several researchers attempted to study rural poverty, the researchers attempted to undertake the study with the following objectives:

(i) To show the changing pattern of poverty of the households during last five years.

(ii) To identify the determinants of change in poverty situation among the households.

Methodology:

Two villages namely Gazirkhamar and Pakuria of Sherpur sadar upazila were purposively selected. The survey method was applied in the present study because it was thought to have some advantages over other methods. Interviewing respondent’s method was followed to achieve the objectives of this study. Considering the objectives, time and availability of fund and man- power, a sample size of 80 households was chosen randomly for the present study. The period of the present study was confined from January to June 2012. However, the data were collected from February to March 2012 through several visits. The interview schedule was used to collect necessary information. The selection of variables required a very careful consideration and comprehensive search. Therefore, as many as 15 characteristics of the lower class households were selected as the independent variables which were age, occupation, level of education, family size, children education, farm size, annual family income, information of saving, family planning awareness, housing, asset, sanitation, drinking water, access to health care facilities, membership of NGO and Government facilities. A sample of size 80 was collected from sample population of the villages. Then primary data were collected from the sample respondents through direct interview by using semi-structured interview schedule. The collected data were then analyzed by using statistical tool as Microsoft Excel and SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Science). Univariate analysis was used to find the frequency distribution of several variables. Some descriptive measures such as mean, standard deviation are calculated for height and weight. Chi-square test of independence is performed to test the existence of interrelationship among the categories of two qualitative variables. To compare the significant difference between two means and proportions, the relevant statistical tests are also utilized (Cogill, 2003). This study was used Cox's (1970) linear logistic regression model for multivariate analysis to determine the relative effects of each independent variable on poverty status.

Source of Information: J. Bangladesh Agril. Univ. 12(2): 337–344, 2014, ISSN 1810-3030

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

.The present study was conducted in only two villages and investigated the relationship between the selected socioeconomic characteristics and the poverty situation changed during last five years. Therefore it is recommended that similar research effort be carried out in different rural areas of Bangladesh covering more characteristics of the rural lower class households. In view of the above considerations, the following strategies are recommended: i) The status of rural lower class households could be improved via a number of approaches, with access to formal education being a foremost concern. The provision of community-based education to rural lower class households is something which, if supported by government organizations, NGOs and local community leaders would be effective in beginning to uproot illiteracy and related social deficiencies from rural communities. Likewise, addressing social and cultural education should be ensured. ii) Encouraging lower class in rural areas would be a step toward increasing their empowerment since this would facilitate greater mobility outside the home and their access to media. Local community leaders, extension personnel, NGO workers would provide a vital contribution to such group by motivating them toward engaging in various development activities. Effort should be made to promote rural women’s participation in decision-making, including through affirmative action, and to provide support for women’s organizations, labour unions or other associations and civil society groups that promote rural women’s rights

Knowledge Management: Journal