The 2009 Global Microfinance Investment Congress is fast approaching. The annual PlaNet Finance and American Conference Institute event will be held in New York between May 19-20, at the Millennium Broadway Hotel.

People of this country are struggling relentlessly against their main problem poverty. The government and the non-government organizations are implementing a number of projects to reduce poverty. The government has recently prepared Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) as a major strategic tool of the country to bring about advancement in peoples’ socio-economic life.

‘Self-reliance’,a radio programme ( 3 episodes ) presented by Prokirti Foundation boardcasted in Bangladesh Radio on PRS and Local reality as well as life style.

This commentary is based on interviews conducted in June-September 2006, with a number of civil society representatives and members of the main drafting team for the PRSP. Interviews were recorded with their prior consent. Only a couple of them requested that responses on specific issues should not be used or kept anonymous. Commentary

The victim, old man speaks “I came to Dhaka after river erosion. It happened in 1972. Now I am struggling to live. Now I just sit for all day as I can not work now. Sometimes I go to people for whom I worked once. They ask ‘why are you here?’ I tell them, I am hungry, do something. Then they help me somehow.”