'Self-reliance',
A radio programme presented by Prokirti Foundation

Third episode
In-depth reporting on 'Poverty Alleviation'

Presenter: 
Main occupation of most of the rural people in Bangladesh is agriculture. With continuous innovation, the farmers and researchers made tremendous changes in the sector. The amount of land reduced significantly due to increase in population, but productivity increased. The arable land is no more barren now. The self-educated farmers introduced advanced technologies, better seeds and brought about massive change in crops diversification. The common people usually do not tend to migrate to Dhaka or other cities. They sometimes do so when they have no other livelihood options.

(Music: flutes)

Presenter:
The fight against poverty varies from region to region in Bangladesh. The reasons of poverty are also different in various regions. The people in the low-lying single-crop producing areas remain unemployed almost for six months a year. There are also areas where they work ten months a year. They become unemployed for the rest two months. Let's now listen to Subodh Chandra of Panchgarh, a northern district of Bangladesh.

Subodh Chandra:
People from this area go to Dhaka or other towns where they drive rickashaws or work as day labourers. They would not migrate for the two-month period if alternative employments could be created for them in their own localities.

Presenter:
Chan Mia is a former Union Parishad chairman of Barashashi union of Panchgarh district. He thinks there should be a special attention in the budgetary allocation for North Bengal.

Chan Mia:
People of a few North Bengal districts are poverty-ridden. Many of them are also victims of river erosion, extreme drought and other natural disasters. The government therefore should have a very special look at these people for bringing about a change in their life.

(Music:)

Presenter:
Kamrangichar is an area on the bank of the river Buriganga flowing by Dhaka. There are a number of families who live on sale of ashes. Nasima and Halima are two such women who leave their houses with full pots of ashes in the morning and come back home in the evening. At the end of the day they earn Tk 50 to Tk 100, which is too small an amount to survive. Nasima:

Nasima:
The money that my husband earns a day is not enough for running my family. So, I started selling ashes for some more earning. With the joint earnings, now we can manage running our day-to-day expenses. We also try to save some money for use at any emergency.

Presenter:
The story of Halima, a woman above forty, however is a bit different.

Halima:
We have four daughters and two sons. My husband has been suffering from complicated illness for the last fifteen years forcing me to go for earning. With no other options, I started selling ashes.

Presenter:
Nasima, the mother of three children, dreams that they will be educated and will establish themselves as good human beings. 

Nasima:
But education is very costly. Yet, I want my children to continue their education. That's the reason I still sell ashes to earn.

(Music:)

Presenter:
Khulna is a Southeastern district of the country. Kanan Mallick is member of Batiaghata Union Parishad of the district. She gave an account of how people in his area are struggling for improving their lives by producing vegetables.

Kanan Mallick:
Kumro, a local vegetable and oil seed sesame are produced well in this area. Jute can also grow well here, but the farmers are not encouraged to produce jute due to lack of water bodies that are a must for softening the jute to separate fibre from the jute plank. Kumro and sesame also bring good amount money for the farmers.

Presenter:
As a member of the union parishad, Kanan Mallick has always encouraged the women of the area to get training programmes for initiating income generating schemes.

Kanan Mallick:
I have always advised the women here to have trainings that for income generating projects. Many have listened to my advice and now they are doing well. Others are also now getting inspired. They are getting involved in cottage industries like sewing and making handicrafts. They think beside the men, women also should come forward for earning.

Presenter:
Bagerhat is a neighbouring district of Khulna where most people are involved in prawn cultivation. Mostaq Ali, member of Buridanga union parishad, gave an account of how prawn cultivation is playing a vital role in socio-economic development.

Mostaq Ali:
Yes, one can earn a lot of money working in the prawn firms if he has good training on it. There are more poultry firms in the northern areas of the country, but here in the southern part, we have more prawn firms.

Presenter:
The local government representatives have already got to know about their roles in reducing poverty defined in the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper or PRSP in short. Mostaq shared his views on it.

Mostaq Ali:
Union Parishad has a vital role to play in it. The local government institutions play as the mediators in despatching loans to people so that they can go through various training programmes on fish firming, poultry firming, and so on.

Presenter:
Being a conscious citizen of the country, Kanan Mallick did not stay back at home. She contested the polls in the reserved union parishad of Batiaghata of Khulna. In the traditional patriarchal society, she struggled to make a place for her in the political arena. But finally she succeeded for her inner strength, love for the poor section of the people.

Kanan Mallick:
Advancement of socio-economic condition of the people is a must for reducing poverty. More employment opportunities should be created in line with the growth of the employees. Education therefore should be the first priority for skill building. The government should take steps so that the poor have more access to education and the talented ones are valued in due degree.

Music: Amra Korbo Joy…

Presenter:
Dear audience, Bangladesh is a country where people have sorrows and pains, but they wake up every time and face the challenges in their ahead. They are determined to overcome poverty. We find such efforts everywhere – both in the villages and cities. The rural folks who migrate to the cities and take shelters in the slums for their helplessness in the villages always cherish in deep of their hearts to go back to the land where they were born and brought up. Once they make a position, they go back to their land of birth.

(Music: Amra Korbo Joy…)

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Presenter (male):
Good-bye to all of you, for today. And, wishing you all the best every time, wherever you are.  

End…