The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

A World Bank-supported project under preparation is designed to reach around one million poor people in urban areas using cash transfers and early childhood development services. The proposed National Social Development Project is being piloted in Narayanganj and Munshiganj and will be managed jointly by the Local Government Engineering Department, municipal governments, and organised communities in selected pourashavas.

World Bank Country Director Zhu Xian visited Narayanganj yesterday where he met with municipality officials including Dr Selina Hayat Ivy, Chairperson of Narayanganj Municipality, community representatives, households in poor communities, and other stakeholders who will be involved in the proposed project.

'This project is being prepared at a critical time for Bangladesh," he said. "The country has a good record of reaching out to the rural poor but the growing numbers of urban poor need urgent support. At a time of rising food prices, this work is all the more important.'

The Bangladesh government is committed to supporting poor people in urban areas by increasing engagement where existing safety net, school stipend, and nutrition programs do not currently reach. The proposed National Social Protection Project, which is expected to scale up to 15 municipalities around the country over the course of five years, will support about one million people through cash transfers. In addition, sixty thousand urban poor children will receive the childcare they need for early development.

According to the World Bank, Bangladesh has seen rapid urbanisation over the past decade, and Dhaka City's projected 20 million residents will make it the third-largest city in the world by 2020. With continually increasing metropolitan living costs causing impoverishment in areas like Narayanganj, a large number of households face substantial difficulties in making a living. School dropout rates in urban areas have been on the rise, despite overall gains in school enrolment nationally. Malnutrition rates among the poor urban population are also higher.

The project's cash transfers to extremely poor households will increase their incomes and encourage them to ensure regular school attendance for their children. The project will also encourage community organizations to establish day care and early learning facilities for poor children.

Discussions with community groups in Narayanganj yesterday revealed the extent of impoverishment in the area. Community members told Zhu that they had little access to basic services such as water, sanitation and waste collection. They were vocal about challenges in managing both work and child-care responsibilities. The combination of continually increasing living costs and low incomes meant a large number of poor urban households faced difficulties in making ends meet. Zhu said the World Bank had designed this new project because it understood that many of the lowest-income households were unable to meet the basic educational and nutritional needs of their children.

In a meeting with municipal chairperson and residents, Zhu noted that the Narayanganj Pourashava had forged strong links with its poorest communities. Their community organizations are expected to cooperate closely with the pourashava in the implementation of the project.