Bangladesh must ensure minimum protection for all citizens: planning adviser

Bangladesh, now a lower-middle-income country and on track to graduate from least developed country (LDC) status, can no longer delay securing minimum protections for all citizens, said Planning Adviser Wahiduddin Mahmud today.

As Bangladesh moves toward becoming an upper-middle-income country, the urgency of establishing a universal social protection system has never been greater, he said.

He made the comments at the National Conference on Social Protection 2025 at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre in Dhaka.

The Cabinet Division and General Economics Division, in association with Australian Aid and the UNDP, organised the event.

"There is no country so poor that it cannot provide the basic means of livelihood for its people," said the adviser.

Bangladesh has long implemented various social safety net programmes, from cash transfers to food aid and stipends, he added.

"However, these remain fragmented, narrowly targeted, and often inefficiently administered. Many are ghost beneficiaries." The adviser called for a comprehensive, universal system.

"We must recognise the shifting nature of vulnerability. A family that is secure today may face devastation tomorrow, from river erosion, illness, job loss, or legal disputes. We need a system that protects all, especially those who fall into sudden misfortune."

One of the key gaps in the current system is what experts call the "missing middle", families who are just above the poverty line income but remain highly vulnerable, he added.

Echoing principles of social justice, the adviser said that universal social protection is not a luxury but a moral and constitutional obligation.

"Just offering primary education or healthcare is not enough," he said.

"What use is a school or health centre for someone who can't even feed their family or afford to travel there? Without ensuring a minimum livelihood, these services cannot reach the truly vulnerable."