Millennium Development Goals achievement and failure

Bangladesh faces major challenges of creating jobs, preserving ecology and ensuring nutrition in terms of achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) set by the United Nations 15 years ago for its 193 member states.

The country, however, has made impressive progress in poverty reduction, health, education and gender equity.

According to the MDG declaration in 2000, the employment rate of a country's population, aged 15 years and older, should have been 100 percent by now, but it is only 57.1 percent in Bangladesh. The rate was 48.5 percent in 1990-91.

“Unemployment as well as underemployment is especially dominant among the young people between 15 and 24 years of age,” according to a report titled “MDGs: Bangladesh Progress Report 2015”.

There are also challenges with regard to reducing income inequality and addressing low economic participation of women, says the report.

The General Economics Division (GED) of the Planning Commission launched the report yesterday at the Sonargaon Hotel in the capital.

Later this month, the UN will announce Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for 2016-2030 as a follow-up of the MDGs.

In his presentation, Dr Shamsul Alam, member of the GED, said as per one of the MDG targets, Bangladesh should have 20 percent of land area covered by forest by this year. But the forest-covered area is now only 13.40 percent.

“The proportion of people using improved drinking water sources is 98.5. This is on track. However, people using improved sanitary facility is only 64.2 percent though the target is 100 percent,” he said.

The report says ensuring access to safe water for all remains a challenge. Arsenic and salinity intrusion as a consequence of climate change fallout exacerbate availability of safe water, especially for the poor.

“Also, attaining food security and nutritional wellbeing for a populous country like Bangladesh still remains as a challenge,” it says.

According to Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey 2014, 36 percent children under five suffer from stunting [low height for age].

Also, 16.4 percent people consume dietary energy below the minimum level (1,805 kilo calorie per day) whereas the target was 14 percent.

On the positive fronts, the proportion of people below the upper poverty line has declined to an estimated 24.8 percent this year against the target of 29.

Net enrolment rate in primary education is now 97.7 percent, which is likely to become 100 percent by this year.

About 81 percent of the students, who get enrolled in grade one, reach grade five. Literacy rate of 15-24 year olds is 78.63, while adult literacy rate of people aged 15 years and above is 61 percent.

It would be difficult to achieve 100 percent success in these areas within this year, said Shamsul Alam.

Bangladesh has reached the target in terms of ratio of girls to boys in primary and secondary education. But it is behind the target in tertiary education where the ratio of girls to boys is 0.67:1.00.

Share of women in wage employment (non-agriculture sector) is only 31.6 percent against the target of 50 percent.

On the other hand, only 20 percent seats in the Jatiya Sangsad are held by women while the target was 33 percent.

Under-five child mortality per 1,000 live births is 41 against the target of 48, and the proportion of one-year-old children immunised against measles is 79.9 percent against the target of 100 percent.

When it comes to maternal health, Bangladesh is on track to achieve most of the targets.

Maternal mortality per 100,000 live births is 170 against the target of 143, while 42.1 percent births are attended by skilled health personnel against the target of 50 percent.

The country has also achieved the goal in combating HIV/AIDS and malaria, says the report.

Speaking at the programme, Foreign Minister AH Mahmud Ali said Bangladesh's progress in achieving MDGs proves that Bangladesh could deliver on international commitments.

He, however, voiced concerns over the rise of terrorism and armed conflicts in different countries, threats of climate change, gender inequality and decline in official development assistance (ODA).

Finance Minister AMA Muhith said Bangladesh would focus on South-South cooperation and generating resources from domestic sources, as official development assistance from most of the developed countries was on the decline.

The theme of SDG was to use resources in such a manner that the next generation would not face crises for depletion of resources, he said. “We should act accordingly though it is very difficult.”

Bangladesh Bank Governor Dr Atiur Rahman said the government's inclusive policies, macroeconomic stability and over six percent GDP growth annually for the last several years led to Bangladesh's progress.

He stressed the need for checking corruption, broadening tax net and green financing for sustainable development.

UNDP Country Director Pauline Tamesis termed Bangladesh a role model in achieving MDGs.

She also put emphasis on improving the quality of education, retaining students in schools and ensuring nutrition for sustainable development.