Social Safety Net

Two-thirds of social protection allocations not genuine

Nearly two-thirds of the allocations under this fiscal year’s social security budget do not qualify as genuine social protection spending, according to a study by the Citizens Platform for SDGs, Bangladesh.

Fix social protection flaws instead of expanding outlay

Bangladesh must urgently redirect resources within its fragmented social protection system and scale up a handful of proven programmes that directly benefit the poorest, according to a leading economist.

Wider safety net to cover 10 lakh more next year

The government will increase the number of beneficiaries of various social safety net schemes by at least 10 lakh from fiscal year (FY) 2025-2026, but allowances will see a small increase, although poor groups have been facing stubbornly high inflation for years.

We need to move from universal pension to universal social protection system

The universal pension would be out of reach of the extremely poor, such as day labourers, due to their inability to make contributions.

An uninspiring budget proposal

It fails to commit to reforms and address people’s sufferings

Social Safety Net: Share of the poor dwarfed by others

Under the FY24-25 social safety net programme of Bangladesh, the pension for retired government employees and savings scheme interest payments account for nearly the same allocation as social assistance for the poor, the old and the disaster-struck.

Don’t shrink social safety net even during austerity

No matter how tight the budget is, the social safety net sector has to be given its due importance.

Don't mislead the public with inflated social safety funds

30 percent of total social safety allocations going to the non-poor

Social safety net allocations inflated

Data by the finance ministry showed that the allocation for the pensions and interest payments account for 30 percent of the total social security programme fund of Tk 126,090 crore for the current fiscal year of 2023-24.

May 20, 2025
May 20, 2025

Two-thirds of social protection allocations not genuine

Nearly two-thirds of the allocations under this fiscal year’s social security budget do not qualify as genuine social protection spending, according to a study by the Citizens Platform for SDGs, Bangladesh.

May 11, 2025
May 11, 2025

Fix social protection flaws instead of expanding outlay

Bangladesh must urgently redirect resources within its fragmented social protection system and scale up a handful of proven programmes that directly benefit the poorest, according to a leading economist.

March 25, 2025
March 25, 2025

Wider safety net to cover 10 lakh more next year

The government will increase the number of beneficiaries of various social safety net schemes by at least 10 lakh from fiscal year (FY) 2025-2026, but allowances will see a small increase, although poor groups have been facing stubbornly high inflation for years.

July 16, 2024
July 16, 2024

We need to move from universal pension to universal social protection system

The universal pension would be out of reach of the extremely poor, such as day labourers, due to their inability to make contributions.

June 8, 2024
June 8, 2024

An uninspiring budget proposal

It fails to commit to reforms and address people’s sufferings

June 7, 2024
June 7, 2024

Social Safety Net: Share of the poor dwarfed by others

Under the FY24-25 social safety net programme of Bangladesh, the pension for retired government employees and savings scheme interest payments account for nearly the same allocation as social assistance for the poor, the old and the disaster-struck.

June 6, 2024
June 6, 2024

Don’t shrink social safety net even during austerity

No matter how tight the budget is, the social safety net sector has to be given its due importance.

May 28, 2024
May 28, 2024

Don't mislead the public with inflated social safety funds

30 percent of total social safety allocations going to the non-poor

May 26, 2024
May 26, 2024

Social safety net allocations inflated

Data by the finance ministry showed that the allocation for the pensions and interest payments account for 30 percent of the total social security programme fund of Tk 126,090 crore for the current fiscal year of 2023-24.

April 19, 2024
April 19, 2024

Social safety schemes must serve the vulnerable

Government must address issues with its effectiveness and distribution