Poverty Alleviation and COVID-19 Response by NGOs in Bangladesh

This report examines the multifaceted role of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in Bangladesh, specifically focusing on their contributions to poverty alleviation and mitigation of the COVID-19 pandemic. It begins with an overview of the poverty challenges faced by Bangladesh, including economic, political, and environmental factors. The report then delves into the definition and significance of microfinance, highlighting its role in empowering the poor and promoting self-employment. Furthermore, it explores the various initiatives undertaken by NGOs to mitigate the impact of COVID-19, such as providing relief supplies, addressing mental health concerns, raising social awareness, creating opportunities, and setting up isolation centers. The report concludes by acknowledging the limitations of NGOs while emphasizing their crucial role as a vital support system for the government and vulnerable populations in Bangladesh. This assignment is available on Desklib, a platform offering study tools.

Role Of NGOs In Poverty Alleviation And Mitigation Of COVID-19 In Bangladesh
Bangladesh is beset with multifold problems due to poverty. Albeit the Government and Non –
Government Organizations are playing important role for effective change in the socio-economic
development of the country. Poverty is a constant companion of most of the people of
Bangladesh due to some specific reasons for which the rich are becoming more rich and the
poor are becoming poorer . Bangladesh formerly known and East Pakistan won its independence
on December 16, 1971 after a long blood-shed and bitter struggle against Pakistan. Bangladesh
is considered as one of the poorest countries in the world, faces three major crises namely
economically, politically and environmentally. The economy of Bangladesh is predominantly
agrarian. But scientific method of cultivation is not yet introduced. On the other hand, the
cultivable lands are decreasing due to river erosion and new building construction. So our
agricultural sector is in the face of threat which is a negative effect in our economy. Political
instability is another cause of Poverty.
Since the independence of Bangladesh in 1971, political instability and corruption were
increasing monotonically which are the major causes of poverty. But it is a matter of great
pleasure that the present government is trying best to remove corruption. Environmentally there
is a widespread forest destruction and environmental degradation, which causes natural disaster.
So the government itself can’t remove poverty from the society. Because maximum people’s
support is necessary. Therefore the role of NGO’s is inevitable for the planned development of
any country. Accordingly, a lot of NGO’s are working simultaneously in the country. NGO is an
association of persons formed through the personal initiatives of a few committed persons
dedicated to the design, study and implementation of development projects at the grass-root
level . They work outside government structure but operate within the legal framework of the
country and their target population are the rural poor. In Bangladesh different kinds of NGO’s
are working positively for poverty reduction and socio-economic development. At present,
about 56 million of people are living below the poverty line and 30 million are hard core poor
and in extreme poverty. Poverty reduction and implementation of livelihood of the poorest of the
poor has always been one of the major goals of all development
Definition Of Micro Finance:
Micro finance mostly refers micro credit system. The term micro finance encompasses various
aspects like micro microloans, micro-savings, and micro insurance. This thing comes under the
micro finance umbrella. The poor and disadvantaged cannot maintain their livelihood without
credit or money. Micro finance provide credit, small loans with small rate of interest and
referred provision to return the loan with valued activity along with the definite amount of
interest. Micro finance regenerates the self-employment activity by this small credit. The rural
lower economic background people cannot match pace with traditional banking process and

loan with big interest as well. the banking institutions extended their various financial service in
micro formation . The Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) defines
microfinance as, “the provision of a broad range of financial services to poor, low income
households and micro-enterprises usually lacking access to formal financial institutions.It
renders small kind financial service which can assist the poor people and their situation
immediately. The services conducted by these institutions without any collateral. Micro finance
is to contribute micro credit to people living in absolute poverty and has no reach to the
conservative and formal financial banking system. It acts as an aid to engage them in productive
employment service and grow their own businesses. Micro finance targeted on availing the
credit in a standard manner. Micro financial schemes and capital plays high spirited role in
increasing employment and entrepreneurship in economic activities and decision making.
Prevailing Micro credit :
Money begets money, Adam smith in his famous book ‘Wealth of Nations’ said “When you have
got little, it is often easy to get more”. The great difficult thing is to get that little. Micro-credit is
a small loan that is given to the poor for self-employment. Micro-credit through institutional
arrangement is a recent innovation for poverty reduction among the poor. Now a day,
Bangladesh is called the land of Micro-credit revolution. Really Porf. Dr. Akter Hamid Khan is
the first innovator of Micro-credit in Bangladesh. Afterwards Noble Laureate Prof. Dr. Yunus
developed it elaborately.
In the micro-credit system, service holders/providers go to the doorsteps of the poor based on the
principle that the people should not go to the bank rather than bank should go to the people.
Micro-credit and Poverty alleviation:
The main objective of micro-credit is to create income of poor households and thereby alleviate
poverty. Micro-credit leads to the improvement of income. The Ex-Secretary General of UN
Kofi Anan opined that eradicating poverty is perhaps the greatest Global Challenge. Out of 6
billion population in the world, 2.8 billion live or less than two dollars income a day. Out of
which 1.2 billion people live in Asia and 30 million in Africa. Micro-credit programs in these
region show that it’s a strong weapon. More than 64 million of the world poorest people have
taken part in the past ten years in micro-finance projects with the purpose of coming out of the
vicious circle of poverty and of the hard core people of Bangladesh too. Micro-credit plays a
significant positive role in improving rural women of Bangladesh. Through their involvement in
micro-credit, many women have become leaders, instigating change in social practices and
relationships and mobilizing social action. Women status, both in their homes and communities
is improved when they are responsible for loans and for managing savings. When they generate
and control their own income women gain a level of power that means they can make decision
independently.

3.Role of NGO in mitigating COVID-19 situation;
NGOs have significant role in mitigating COVID-19 situation.They assisted in a large proportion
to create national emergency funds, partnered with one another to channel donations, provided
assistance in nursing homes, and other facilities through technical support and medical teams..
The NGOs take some significant initiatives ,as like:
1.Relief supplies by NGOs:At firstNGOs provide food and relief to erase the food crisis.Many
Non government organizations help the people by supplying basic amenities. BRAC
distributed food to the slum dwellers in Dhaka. They also partnered with Pepsico to give
the meal supply to the underserved at the remote area. In this pandemic situation, relief
supply is one of the most important initiatives of NGOs .
2.Mental health concern: It was a matter of great concern that, the mental health of public was
largely deteriorating. At first there was no specific number of sample collection, no data
about COVID -19 patient or affected number. People are so frustrated and feared . NGOs
plays vital role in this context. They assist government to collect the information. They
fight to spread courage among public. Create different type of motivational documentary
to create awareness as well.
3.Raise social awareness: Urban areas are swiftly knowing about the pandemic situation. NGOs
try to reach concern of people. They encourage to keep social distancing, keep hand sanitized,
wear masks in public. They have been serving the public to combat the stigma. They provide
sanitizer. They also help government to set up quarantine hospital, sampling collection, direct

research process about novel corona virus. Provided assistance in nursing homes, and other
facilities through technical support and medical teams.
4.Creating opportunities to realize potential:since in lockdown people are being jobless, many
people move to rural areas. There was a probability to have a bad impact on the national
economy. The NGOs in Bangladesh create some opportunities to do some, being in home. They
help the small entrepreneurs to continue their work. Various NGOS also partnered with one
another to build the strength of system.
5.Setting up isolation centers: 1.1 million refugees in cox’s bazar need a proper take care. The
Relief International NGO set up isolation and treatment centers as well as dispensing hygiene
kits for Rohingya refugees at cox’s bazar .( The Daily Star,2020).
4. Conclusion :Every coin has two sides. NGOs in Bangladesh have some limitations too.
They sub divide the work framing, taking part in commercial activities. Sometimes they also
influenced by political activities. Having this limitations, NGOs are still active in upgrading the
living status of people. They keep continue being a savior of vulnerable groups of people. NGOs
have boon workingrelentlessly on the ground and serving the critical services. They are the
instrumental support of Bangladesh government.