Govt aims to cut poverty by 1.8pc per year: Muhith

Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith on Wednesday said that government has set a target to reduce the rate of poverty by 1.6 to 1.8 per cent a year through inclusive economy.

"The government's policy of poverty elimination is to reduce poverty rate 1.6 to 1.8 per cent every year. We have to lift people living under poverty line" the minister said while addressing at a seminar titled 'Development of Bangladesh Economy: Achievements and Potentialities'.

Finance minister said that the number of poor people came down to 30.5 million now from 40 million in 2009, reports UNB. 

Muhith said currently less than 25 per cent of the total population live below poverty line, which he hoped would come down to one per cent by 2024.

Acknowledging the challenge of unemployment problem, the finance minister said that the government is creating 500,000 new job opportunities and adding 500,000 people in migrant workforce annually.

Notre Dame University Bangladesh (NDUB) organised the seminar at its campus.

Presided over by NDUB VC Professor Dr Father Patrick Daniel Gaffney, Bangladesh Bank Governor Fazle Kabir and NDUB Economics Department Chairman Dr Md Azizur Rahman also spoke in the seminar.