The New Nation - Internet Edition

THE population of Bangladesh is about 15 crore with a 1.43 percent growth rate. The figure is likely to be 17.20 crore in 2020 and 21 crore in 2060. Such a huge population on only 155000 square kilometres would aggravate the socio-economic crises in the country. Unemployment and poverty situation might worsen. Tightening of population control activities has thus become unavoidable to put the nation on the path to prosperity.

Some factors stand in the way of bringing down the population growth rate. Motivational activities and methods of birth control are not reaching all fertile couples at present. Large numbers of people who become adults every year need to be equipped with knowledge about the necessity of family planning. But due to lack of proper motivational programme this section of the population either remains ignorant of the problem or without access to necessary methods. Social stigma is still an obstacle to dissemination of reproductive health education among the target people. Lessons on reproductive health should be made a part of public instruction from secondary level onwards. Couples should be encouraged to have a maximum of two children each.

Education and economic development have a direct bearing on population growth. Those bring about changes in people's approach to life. People having education and financial security prefer to live decent life with smaller families. They need not have the urge for many children to depend on in old age. Women's empowerment is considered one of the factors that once contributed to the success of the family planning drive in this country. Women family workers who had access to households played the key role in not only motivating couples but also reaching safe methods to them. Women, now more in jobs and business, definitely have a greater say in family decisions. Strengthening of motivational work on them would help strengthen the population control programme.