NN Online:
Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) – the private think-tank – on Sunday said Universal Basic Income (UBI) could be a promising tool for reducing poverty, empowering citizens, and improving social protection, even within the limits of the current fiscal framework.
This observation was made at a dialogue on “Assessing the Viability of Universal Basic Income (UBI) in Bangladesh” in a city’s hotel. CPD with support from the European Union organized the event.
member of National Standing Committee of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, Chair of the Taskforce on “Re-strategising the Economy and Mobilising Resources for Equitable and Sustainable Development” and former director general of Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS) Dr KAS Murshidand and Kendrio Shomonnyok of the Gono Shonghoti Andolon Zonayed Saki were present as the guest of honour at the event.
Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury said universal health care and education side by side UBI can be introduced. “It is a good programme, we can go forward with it,” he added.
Distinguished Fellow of CPD and Convener of the Citizen’s Platform for SDGs Dr Debapriya Bhattacharya chaired the programme while Professor of the Department of Economics of the Jahangirnagar University and Member of the White Paper Committee Sharmind Neelormi, Member of the White Paper Committee and Executive Director of BRAC Institute for Governance and Development Dr Imran Matin, former president of the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) and Managing Director of ETBL Holdings Limited Rizwan Rahman, Senior Social Protection Economist of the World Bank and Iole Valentina LUCCHESE, Attaché – Programme Manager of Social Protection of Delegation of the European Union to Bangladesh Aneeka Rahman made remarks as distinguished discussants.
Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Social Welfare Nargis Khanam also made special remarks. Distinguished Fellow of CPD and Core Group Member of Citizen’s Platform Professor Mustafizur Rahman delivered concluding remarks while Senior Research Fellow of CPD Towfiqul Islam Khan made the keynote presentation.
Debapriya Bhattacharya said UBI has been a topic of extensive discussion globally, providing a transformative approach to social security.
In this regard, he said CPD presented findings from a frontier study that explores the viability of implementing UBI in Bangladesh, tailored specifically to the country’s unique socio-economic context at the dialogue.
In his presentation, Towfiqul Islam Khan said globally, the voices advocating for fundamental rights—such as the right to food and universal entitlements are growing louder.
As part of its development aspiration, Bangladesh aims to achieve universal health coverage, universal social protection, and a universal pension scheme, he added.
He mentioned that commiserating with Universal Human Rights, advancing towards more comprehensive social protection in Bangladesh can be achieved by introducing UBI.
Towfiqul Islam Khan said the National Constitution of Bangladesh pledges the provision of basic necessities of life for all its citizens and the right to social security.
National Social Security Strategy (NSSS) 2015 envisioned to provide a guaranteed minimum income (GMI) to all in Bangladesh who need the support, he added.
He said the guarantee of a minimum quality of life, based on both employment incomes for those who work and social protection benefits for those vulnerable populations who cannot, is embedded in Vision 2041.
