What citizens aspire most for?

Decent employment is the top aspiration for Bangladeshi people, a survey by the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) revealed today (5 May).

Unveiling a report titled "New Government, National Budget and Citizen's Aspirations" in collaboration with the Citizen's Platform for SDGs, Bangladesh, the CPD at a press briefing also urged for the government to allocate more funds for social protection, education and health in the next budget.

In terms of decent employment, 44.9% of citizens surveyed also called for reduction in unemployment, 36.44% wanted increased job opportunities, and 11.02% aspired for allowances for the unemployed.

The second major aspiration was education, with 49.72% of the respondents saying they wanted quality education. A total of 28.53% also asked that stipend/scholarship be provided.

Infographic: TBS

Another agenda was social protection, with 33.25% aspiring for food security.

The CPD report also highlights the significance of integrating the perspectives of left-behind communities (LNOBs) in the budget-making process to ensure equitable distribution of resources.

"The present document is prepared by assimilating budget proposals from various population groups. Regrettably, the traditional budget preparation process in the country can extend a limited scope for people belonging to disadvantaged groups to reflect their perspectives," the report said.

A mix of qualitative and quantitative methodologies were used for the survey.

First, secondary data from official sources were analysed while the Awami League's election manifesto for 2024 was reviewed.

Second, an online and social media survey was conducted through Google Forms and Facebook to gather insights from a diverse range of citizens of Bangladesh.

A total of 2,249 responses were collected through Google Forms and 8,048 through social media responses and comments.
Of the respondents, 75% were from LNOB communities.

What did CPD recommend

In view of the survey results, the CPD also chalked a number of recommendations.

The CPD's recommendations include allocating budgetary resources to create job opportunities based on merit for the unemployed and to formulate policies addressing job loss during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Furthermore, the report advocates for interest-free loans to support small entrepreneurs and incentives to bolster the micro-enterprise sector.

In terms of Social Security Programmes, it recommended increasing the coverage and modernising all allowance. It also asked to ensure fair distribution so the right persons are benefitted.

"Increase budget allocation under food security programmes and provide subsidies on other food items in the upcoming budget to tackle the burden of inflationary pressure," it called upon the government.

The report noted a decrease in education budget allocation from BFY23 to BFY24, with ADP allocation also declining. Despite improved dropout rates, 9.36% of students aged 5-24 remain out of school as per Sample Vital Statistics 2023, with a notable shift to madrasahs, especially at the primary level.

The CPD recommended increasing the allocation of the national budget to the education sector to retain all the achievements in the field of education and advance the quality of education, among other suggestions. 

Pointing out that health expenditure ranks among the top three largest spending sectors for households, with rural households spending more than urban ones, the report emphasised the need for subsidies to reduce out-of-pocket health expenditure, particularly for vulnerable and disadvantaged groups.

Community aspirations

The CPD report outlined specific recommendations tailored to diverse community groups, including acid survivors, children, climate vulnerable individuals, Dalits, farmers, hijra and transgender individuals, indigenous people, persons with disabilities, senior citizens, urban poor, workers, women, and youth.

For acid survivors, it proposed inclusion under the Vulnerable Group Development (VGD) card scheme. Regarding children, the report highlighted concerning trends in child-focused development and suggested revitalising the child module while advocating for a regular "Child Statement" in the national budget.

For the Dalit community, it advised special healthcare subsidies and ensured education for Dalit children. It also recommended ensuring expansion of accommodation programmes (Ekti Bari, Ekti Khamar) for the Hijra Community across the country.

In addressing the needs of indigenous minorities, the report proposed establishing a separate ministry with a dedicated budget and involving indigenous people in decision-making within the Special Affairs Division (SAD) under the Prime Minister's Office.
Budget allocation

The CPD also recommended increased budget allocations for education (beyond 3% of GDP), health (over 2% of GDP), and social protection programmes (exceeding 3% of GDP). They advocated for separating the pension fund from total social security allocations, redirecting it to benefit disadvantaged communities. 

CPD also stressed the importance of creating an accurate database of disadvantaged communities for better integration and mitigation of errors in social security programme delivery.

They also recommended formulating monitoring cells to supervise the progress of the implementation and bring transparency.