The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Though the number of people living under the poverty line has reduced in the country, in Barisal Division the number has increased considerably in the last few years.

The increase has been attributed to natural disasters like sidr, river erosion, political vendetta and deceptive development plan and financial allocation for the poor, said speakers at a discussion meeting yesterday.

According to Government statistics, the number of people under poverty line reduced 10 per cent in the country between 2000-2005, but in the meantime, the number increased by about 1 per cent in Barisal Division, the southern part of the country.

Barisal Division Unnayan Forum organised the discussion on "Disparity and Deception in Development: Barisal Division Perspective" at the National Press Club.

Awami League Presidium Member Amir Hossain Amu, BNP leader and former state minister Selima Rahman, former state minister AKM Jahangir, Bangladesh Workers Party President Rashed Khan Menon, among others, addressed the discussion presided over by noted poet Asad Chowdhury.

Prof Abul Barkat, General Secretary of Bangladesh Economic Association presented keynote paper.

Amu said many development projects were being hindered due to political vendetta in the region.

Terming the Mongla Port as a viable seaport, he said if it was developed, the industrialisation and financial activities in the region would expand and be more dynamic.

The Government could reduce the number of poor in the region by distributing properly the foreign aid that came after cyclone Sidr.

Selima Rahman said reduction in navigability, river erosion and week infrastructure are the major obstacles on the way to development of the region. The river erosion and natural calamities were responsible for the increase in the number of extreme poor.

AKM Jahangir said it was essential to make many fishing zones in the area to help poor people earn a living by exporting fish.

He said if the potentialities of the southern part of the country could be utilised properly, problems of the region could be removed.

Prof Barkat said the people of Barisal division lost Tk 77,000 crore worth of wealth due to cyclone Sidr, which is 70 per cent of the total loss to the country.