24% urban poor left villages for lack of works: Study

Around 24.50% of the urban poor people migrated to the cities as they could not find any work in their native villages, according to a recent research.

Around 94% of the city's slum dwellers are landless, according to the study report "Urban Poverty in Bangladesh", unveiled in a seminar on "Urban Poverty: Land Rights and Access to Civic Services for Slum Dwellers and Deprived Communities" in the National Press Club Monday (28 August).

According to the government estimation the urban poverty rate is 18.9%, but according to the latest survey it is not less than 40%, said Professor Abul Barkat who led the research conducted by the Association for Land Reform and Development, and the Human Development Research Centre.

The researchers surveyed 480 households in eight city corporations and eight municipalities across the country in May and July last year.

The average annual income of the families living in slums is around Tk1.5 lakh per year. Around 68% of the people surveyed said they send money to their relatives staying in villages, said the report.

Besides, 82% of slum dwellers suffer due to a lack of food security. 

According to the study, people live in inhumane conditions in the slums. All the family members have to stay together in a small room there. Only 16% of them have access to safe sanitation and clean water. Besides, the price they pay for water, electricity, and gas is higher compared to that paid by rich people in the cities.

Many urban poor are deprived of basic human rights. Around 41% of slum dwellers have never attended school. Besides, 64% of them buy over-the-counter medicines for ailments, according to the research.

Only 12% of slum dwellers received benefits from the government's social security programme, and 28% received old-age allowances last year, said the report.

Around 95% of slum dwellers carry out mobile banking, while only 5% have conventional bank accounts.

Abul Barkat said most of the social security arrangements are village-centric, but that does not mean that the villagers are doing well. All the authorities concerned should work together to improve their condition. Migration to cities cannot be stopped without improving the rural people's fortunes and quality of life.

At the programme, human rights activist Sultana Kamal said the state plays an important role in improving the slum dwellers' quality of life. Political goodwill is needed for their development. The Liberation War was not just for mere survival. It was fought so that all people can live with equal dignity.

Shamsul Huda, executive director of the Association for Land Reform and Development, said to allow the urban poor to acquire more wealth, they should be freed from the discrimination they currently suffer from. 

He also said higher education has spread like wildfire. There are universities in many districts. The authorities have to supervise the activities of these institutions.