Dhaka: Planning Adviser Dr. Wahiduddin Mahmud has emphasized the necessity of establishing a universal social protection system for everyone in the country. "It's now time to move forward," he remarked during his address at the inaugural session of the "National Conference on Social Protection 2025" at the China-Bangladesh Friendship Conference Centre.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Dr. Mahmud highlighted that Bangladesh is transitioning towards becoming an upper middle-income nation and can no longer justify the absence of a minimum level of social protection for all. He stressed the importance of ensuring education, healthcare, and basic social security for the population.
Liberation War Affairs and Disaster Management and Relief Adviser Faruk E Azam (Bir Protik) was present as a special guest. The event also saw participation from Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Public Administration Dr Md Mokhles ur Rahman, Secretary of Coordination and Reforms of the Cabinet Division Zaheda Parveen, Member of the General Economics Division of the Planning Commission Dr. Monzur Hossain, UNDP Resident Representative Stefan Liller, EU Ambassador Michael Miller, and Australian Deputy High Commissioner Clinton Pobke. Cabinet Secretary Dr. Sheikh Abdur Rashid presided over the event, while Additional Secretary Md. Khaled Hasan presented the keynote paper.
Dr. Mahmud pointed out that a significant portion of Bangladesh's social protection programmes fail to reach genuine beneficiaries. He noted that political influence often results in the inclusion of undeserving individuals in beneficiary lists, thereby excluding those truly in need.
He emphasized the critical role of local government in preparing accurate beneficiary lists but acknowledged the challenges posed by the absence of an effective local government system. Although digitization efforts have begun at the upazila and union levels, they are not yet comprehensive. The interim government plans to establish a central register at the national level to address this issue.
Dr. Mahmud further explained that social protection in Bangladesh extends beyond financial assistance, serving as a pathway for human justice, equity, and inclusive development. He called for the exclusion of politically influenced beneficiaries to ensure that eligible individuals receive support.
He also highlighted the challenges posed by weak revenue policies, which result in government income falling short of expenditure, necessitating reliance on borrowings for development projects and social protection. Dr. Mahmud proposed projects addressing diverse causes of poverty, including households with many dependents, sole earners who are sick, and families with working-age members lacking employment opportunities.
The conference revealed that for the fiscal year 2025-26, a total of Taka 1,16,731 crore has been allocated for social safety nets, representing 14.78 percent of the total budget and 1.87 percent of GDP. This allocation covers social assistance, social insurance, labor-market-based programs, and other services operated through various ministries. These programmes aim to support the elderly, persons with disabilities, children, low-income families, and those affected by climate or economic shocks.