WB report proves poverty rise info is fictitious: Hasan

Referring to a World Bank (RB) report revealing further poverty reduction in Bangladesh, Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud Saturday said this report has proved that some so-called research and social organizations have published fictitious and motivated reports of increasing poverty in the country during the COVID-19 to create confusion among the people.

"The report of the World Bank has proved that the country's some so-called research and social organizations have published fictitious and motivated reports of increasing poverty during the COVID-19 situation to create confusion among the people. I hope that the propagandas will be stopped now," he said. 

The minister said this while exchanging views with journalists on the report 'Bangladesh Development Update- Recovery and Resilience amid Global Uncertainty' of the WB at his official residence at Mintu Road in the capital. 

Hasan said the report has stated that the poverty in Bangladesh has reduced 0.6 percent in 2021 than 2020 and the poverty now stands at 11.9 percent which was 12.5 percent. The WB report has proved that poverty has reduced in the country under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina amid the COVID-19 pandemic, he added. 

He said the premier has run the country maintaining the economic advancement and combating Cornoavirus. And the country has been benefited, said Hasan, also Awami League joint general secretary. 

The minister said the WB report has said that poverty has reduced in the country while some newspapers have published that the poverty rate has increased. "So, I hope that the newspapers, which published fictitious and motivated reports of increasing poverty during the COVID-19, will be more cautious. And the ill efforts of creating confusion among the people will be stopped," he added. 

In fact, he said, the position of Bangladesh is third among the twenty countries which kept positive GDP growth during the COVID-19 pandemic. The World Bank report has also said that the GDP growth is 6.4 in the current fiscal year while it will increase to 6.9 percent in the next year, he added. 

Replying to a query over a comment of BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, the minister said they (BNP) are giving such usual statements regularly and their politics is centering round conventional statements. Their politics is centered on three issues including Khaleda Zia's health, Tarique Rahman's punishment and caretaker government, Hasan added. 

He said the BNP has failed to discharge its responsibility as an opposition party.