Case Study of Disadvantaged Families (Poorest of the Poor)

Towards Possible Linkage under the Coverage of SSNP

(A Group Report on study of few disadvantaged families, causes of their fall back and
possible way out to overcome their wretched status within Social Safety Net Programs)

Module Name
Module No.
Module Director

Village Study
10
Mohammad Mamun

Submitted to
Mohammad Mamun

Submitted By
Participants of P-61st Foundation Training Course

Bangladesh Public Administration Training Centre (BPATC)

Savar, Dhaka

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

All praise goes to the Almighty, the merciful and supreme authority of the universe for his
immense blessings on us so that we have been able to complete this research work of field
attachment program successfully.
Thanks and best regards to the honorable course adviser Md. Zaydul Hoque Molla, ndc and
respected course director Md. A. Razzaque Sarker along with total course management
team of P-61st FTC Mr. from the core of the heart.
Our sincere gratitude goes to the Module Director of Module-10, Mohammad Mamun for
his precious guidance with proper focus on the assigned task. Were also thankful to the
Module Director of Module-18, Md. Abul Basher for describing the formulation and facts
of conducting social research work in a true reasonable manner.
Our heartfelt thanks to the authorities of field attachment program namely the Deputy
Commissioner of Naogaon District, the Focal Point, Upazila Chairman, Upazila Nirbahi
Officer of Raninagar and Atrai Upazila, Upazila Officer about Women affairs of Raninagar
Upazila and Upazila Election Officer of Atrai Upazila, Naogaon. The district administration
and focal point selected the appropriate upazilas to conduct the study while the Upazila
Chairman and the UNO assisted us on the social safety net programs running locally and
supported with vehicle to assess the proper regions containing the target group. To reach the
places where govt. services are difficult to provide the Upazila Officer about women affairs
accompanied us and helped tremendously on the spot to assess and sort the ultra poor
families. Were also grateful to the local community leader for his generous sharing of facts
on causes of poverty, govt. grants, micro credit facility and economic status of the selected
locality.
Lastly, our thanks and gratitude to the local people for their kind support to maintain
constructive environment while collecting necessary information of the selected persons and
their families.

Abstract
Purpose of this study and report is to learn about the social safety net programs (SSNP) of
the govt., living status of ultra poor people, causes of their social fall back, sort out the way
out of the problem with possible linkage under SSNP. Marginal people living at remote
rural areas are often lacking in terms of food availability, standard living, health and
education facility, earning opportunity and social security. To mitigate the sufferings of
extreme poor people Bangladesh govt. runs social safety net programs in various aspects.
The target group of SSNPs is the people living with some sort of disabilities or be support
less. This SSNPs have already achieved reasonable success at field level and some
recognition at international level. This study report will help the authority to know and take
active steps on the poverty situation of four disadvantaged families of Dakkhin Rajapur,
Raninagar Upazila and Railway Colony of Atrai Upazila, Naogaon District and their
possible linkages to bring under SSNP for an effective and systematic withdrawal of the
ultra poor state for them.

ii

Table of Contents

Part One: Introduction and Methodology

Page

1.0 Introduction ......01

1.1 Objective ...01
1.2 Scope .01
1.3 Arrangement of Chapters ..02
2.0 Literature Review ..02
3.0 Methodology .04
3.1 Local Feature ,....03
3.2 Research Question .....04
3.3 Field Data Collection ....04
Part Two: Analysis, Findings & Recommendations
4.0 Research Outcome .05
4.1 Data Analysis and Findings ...05
5.0 Recommendations ......07
6.0 Conclusion ..07
Part Three: Appendices & References
Appendix-A .....08
Appendix-B .....09
Appendix-C .10-14
Bibliography/References .15

List of Tables

Table-1: The Broad Categories of SSNPs in Bangladesh .......Page-03

Table-2: Recommendations and Action Plan for individual disadvantaged Families ....Page-07
Table-3: Naogaon District Poverty level comparison among Upazilas ..Page-08

List of Figures

Figure-1: Mst. Aduri Khatun with child at her shack .......Page-05

Figure-2: Family of Jinnah Poramanik at his cottage ..............................................Page-06
Figure-3: Conversation with Mst. Razia during data collection ...Page-10
Figure-4: Survey Team with Asia Begum and other poor families ...Page-13
Figure-5: Data collection from ultra poor families at Raninagar Upazila .....Page-14
Figure-6: Data collection from ultra poor families at Atrai Upazila .....Page-14

1.0 Introduction:
There are a number of poor families at marginal level struggling with less than minimum
facilities to survive. This disadvantaged condition gradually separates away the victim
families from mainstream life standard leading to social problems like illiteracy, social
insecurity, unhealthy life finally burden to the society. All these features make poverty a
deep problem but a little support from the community may be the reinforcement all they
needed to pick the way of gradual improvement.

1.1 Objective:
The research aimed to dig out the depth of struggle of those ultra poor and its consequences
in terms of social indiscipline. In addition to that our target was to identify the pinpoints to
be hit leading to break the cycle of poverty and sort the possible aid to bring them from
inability to some sort of capability.

1.2 Scope:
The study was conducted based on the questions on; standard of living (in terms of
availability of basic needs), source of income, family history, causes of migration (if any),
points of incapability, availability of govt. grant, microcredit opportunity, access to health
and education. Under the curriculum of P-61st FTC, the administration of our concerned
attached district selected Raninagar and Atrai Upazila of Naogaon district for us (ten
participants) to conduct the research. With the help of Upazila administration weve picked
four disadvantaged families (poorest of the poor) of Dakkhin Rajapur village, Raninagar
Upazila and four disadvantaged families (poorest of the poor) of Railway Colony, Atrai
Upazila to carry the study. Total field work (study of local SSNP, poverty situation,
preparation of questionnaire, location selection, picking families, data collection and
processing, analysis and report submission in terms of suggestions for the local
administration) has been performed during 21-03-2016 to 24-03-2016.

1.3 Arrangement of Chapters:

This research paper has been fragmented in few chapters where,

Literature review contains the link of previous work relevant to this study,
Methodology contains the detail strategy to address research questions through
systematic approach of data collection and justifications behind recommended solutions,

Data Analysis contains the presentation of core findings of the field data in an
understandable way,

Recommendations contains the specific suggestion against each of the cases relating
to the SSNPs and

Conclusion contains the summary of the findings, its significance for poverty
alleviation and further scope of study on it.

2.0 Literature Review:

Bangladesh has emerging progress of eradicating 16 million people out of poverty during
past few years while poverty remains a major concern with about 26 million still live in
extreme poverty (World Bank, 2006). Weve concentrated on Raninagar Upazila that
contains 4.9% population living under poverty line while Atrai Upazila contains 5.0%
(Upazila level povmap estimate by BBS, 2010). Government of Bangladesh implements a
number of Social Safety Net Programs to support the poor and disadvantaged. These SSNPs
have a remarkable outcome in terms of poverty alleviation with strong effectiveness but still
70% of poorest of poor people could not be brought under any safety net support basically
due to shortcomings in identifying poor beneficiaries. Therere 98 different SSNPs are
being operated by GoB. Being a result based program SNSPs are set against specific
performance indicators particularly for poor women, disables, widows and olds (UNDPPPRC, 2012). The previous literatures give idea about the outcomes but local individual
root causes on the issue are yet to be explored. At this point we have the opportunity to dig
out individual background causes of the extreme poverty and issues that left them away
from being identified to take under rehabilitation programs. In addition to that we have
found ourselves with significant scope of supporting the administration with facts and
figures working with the SSNPs for ultra poor. Our core stand with the study is very much

specified that is to act as the missing link between those unaddressed underprivileged
community and appropriate safety net schemes.

Table -1: The Broad Categories of SSNPs in Bangladesh (Khan T H, 2013)

Cash Transfer

Food transfer

Price subsidy

Job generating

Others

Old Age
Allowances

Vulnerable
Group Feeding

Agricultural
inputs Subsidy

Vulnerable
Group
Development

Housing for the

Homeless

Maternity
Allowance for
Retard/Disable
Person

Test Relief,
Food for Works

Subsidy for
Marginal
Farmers to
cope with the
Fuel Price
Hike

Rural
Employment
Opportunities
for Public
Assets

Efficiency
Development
Fund for
Expatriate
Workers

Allowance to
the Widowed

Gratuitous
Relief

Food Subsidy

100 days
Employment
Generation
Program

Ekti Bari Ekti

Khamar

Honorarium for
the Insolvent
Freedom
Fighters

Primary
education
Stipend Project

Power Subsidy

Employment
Project for
Beggers

Microcredit

Female
Secondary
School
Assistance

Community
Nutrition
Program

health care

National
Service

Free schooling

3.0 Methodology:
3.1 Local Feature:
The main feature of the selected locality is all the families living here are landless and
displaced. They live on the riverside protecting dam by hand to mouth earning. They dont
have fixed source of income. Health and sanitation facility is very limited. Access to
education is difficult due to poverty and unavailability of Govt. grant. At this point four
families are selected from the community based on extreme level of poverty and physical
inability.
3.2 Research Questions:
What is the level of poverty in terms of living standard?
What is/are the specific problem(s) of the disadvantaged families?
What is/are root cause(s) acting behind the ultra poverty state?
What is the way out with linkage to the govt. SSNPs?
3.3 Field Data Collection:
To identify appropriate ultra poor families and to get answer to the research questions both
primary and secondary data sources are accessed and used. With consultation of UNO,
Raninagar Upazila riverbank dam of Dakkhin Rajapur village and Atrai Upazila Railway
Colony of Pachupur Union were selected to be surveyed for ultra poor families. Under the
guidance of local public representatives, upazila officer about women affairs of Raninagar
Upazila and upazila election officer of Atrai Upazila the spots were visited by the team and
a sample questionnaire form containing 20 questions was filled by question answer with 8
families. Among those two extremely struggling families were selected to bring under the
domain of local social safety net programs. As per the upazila administration and other
relevant govt. offices that dam region was the place where govt. facilities are not available
at all and the people residing there are extremely helpless. In addition to that the people
living at Railway Colony of Atrai Upazila are also being ignored from govt. services. That
is why we selected them for our study and found it appropriate while conducting discussion
session with the local people and those poor families in person. Most of the family members
were illiterate, thats why the questionnaire session was like an informal discussion and we
wrote down the collected information according to the set questions. From the set questions
(Appendix: B) our research questions were tried to be answered properly.
4

4.0 Research Outcome:

4.1 Data Analysis and Findings:

Data analysis is something to on collected data, dig deeper for understanding and
representation of the data for derivation of interpretation towards amplified meaning. The
theme of this study is to convert data into understandable forms with correlation to poverty
factors to facilitate easy interpretation and understanding for readers. The collected data
were articulated, analyzed manually and transcribed into texts. Results are presented
through narrative text, simple computations logical reasoning.

Family-1:
Name: Mst. Aduri Khatun
Address: Dakkhin Rajapur, Raninagar Upazila
Summary Findings:

Home condition very poor with no latrine facility.

Aduri is able to work but has no opportunity to get employed/entrepreneurship

so far.

No coverage of SSNP.

Figure-1: Mst. Aduri Khatun with child at her shack

Family-2:
Name: Jinnah Poramanik
Address: Railway Colony, Bihari Pur, Pachupur Union, Atrai Upazila
Summary Findings:

Home condition very poor beside rail line with unhygienic and open latrine
facility.

Jinnah is old and physically unable for any hard work but has to maintain a
large family.

No coverage of SSNP.

Figure-2: Family of Jinnah Poramanik at his cottage

5.0 Recommendations:
Table -2: Recommendations and Action Plan for individual disadvantaged Families
Serial
No.
Family-1

Family-2

Name
Mst.
Aduri
Khatun

Jinnah
Poramanik

Recommended Action
1. Sewing training for
Aduri with some
grant as capital for
small
entrepreneurship.
2. Grant for buying net
and fishing
instruments for poor
fishermen.
1. Provide VGD card.
2. Assist his daughters
by giving a technical
training and financial
support.

Time
Frame
3
months

6
months

3
months
6
months

Focal
Authority
Upazila
Officer
about
Women
Affairs
Upazila
Fisheries
Officer

Remarks
Women
empowerment

SSNP

UNO

SSNP

UNO &
Concerned
govt.
departments

SSNP

6.0 Conclusion:
In order to define the ultra-poor criteria included land ownership, begging activities,
domestic work and child labor, different wealth categories for households are judged by
themes of land ownership, occupation, shelter, vulnerability to seasonality, non-land assets,
food security, cash flow, schooling etc. There are some limitations regarding the research
work. Statistical data on the target group wasnt available; Upazila database on positive
impact assessment/success statistics regarding SSNPs wasnt in complete form. Due to
shortage of time we couldnt study more vulnerable communities of the locality and field
data based on personal interview couldnt be verified duly. As the task assigned we got the
opportunity to study the poverty condition and the limitations of underprivileged families in
reality to learn pragmatically about the Dakkhin Rajapur village of Raninagar Upazila and
Railway Colony of Atrai Upazila of Naogaon District. We felt our responsibilities to
support them for development of their socio-economic status. Among the factors of poverty
we can mitigate few with the help of proper SSNPs and as public servant we have a prime
responsibility of ensuring success of those social safety schemes through activities. Still
there is scope of incorporating vigorous study on this social issue in relation with SSNPs
achievements and our effort may be the little step of that bigger process.
7

Appendices:
Appendix-A
Table-3: Naogaon District Poverty level comparison among Upazilas
Upazila

% Extreme Poor
(Lower Poverty Line)

ATRAI
BADALGACHHI
DHAMOIRHAT
MANDA
MAHADEBPUR
NAOGAON SADAR
NIAMATPUR
PATNITALA
PORSHA
RANINAGAR
SAPAHAR
Data Source: www.bbs.gov.bd

5.0
5.7
7.7
5.4
6.1
8.3
8.4
8.1
9.4
4.9
9.0

% Poor
(Upper Poverty Line)
13.5
15.0
17.9
14.7
15.6
17.4
19.4
18.6
21.7
13.3
21.4

Appendix-B
Questionnaire Form
* This is for collection of field data for study on status of disadvantaged people and to
identify best suited SSNP coverage for them.
**These information will be used only for academic research purpose and proper care
will be taken to secure it from any sort of misuse.
Location: Dakkhin Rajapur, Raninagar Upazila, Naogaon District.
1. Name:
2. Age:
3. Gender:

Male

Female

4. Husband/Wifes Name:
5. Educational Qualification:
6. Family Members (describe shortly on number of earning members & dependents):

7. Source of Income:
8. Average Monthly Income:
9. Illness/Disabilities/Problems (if any):

10. Access to Health coverage:

11. Availability of Safe Drinking Water:
12. Sanitation Facility:

Yes

No

13. Land availability for small entrepreneurship:

Yes

14. Govt. Grant/Relief/Financial allocation during last year:

15. Any Micro Credit/Loan Facility?

Yes

16. If yes, Monthly Installment Size:

17. Any SSNP Coverage:
18. Availability of Information on SSNPs:
19. Face any Problem to Live in the Locality:
20. Special Ability/Training (if any):

No

No

Appendix-C
Case Studies
Family-1:
Name: Mst. Razia, Female, 55 years, not literate.
Husband: Late Hafizar Rahman
Summary Findings:

Among 4 children (2 sons, 2 daughters) 2 daughters are married, elder son lives
separately with his wife and younger son lives with his mother.

Razia is widow unable to work due to illness with no earning source, dependent
on younger son whose monthly income 2500 Tk.

Migrated from other place due to lose of land and properties for treatment of
husbands heart disease.

Poor household with threat of damage due to monsoon flood each year.

Under threat of leaving away by younger son like the elder one after marriage.

No treatment for senile illness.

No govt. grant except blanket, no micro credit, no coverage of widow

allowance, VGF card or any other SSNPs.

Figure-3: Conversation with Mst. Razia during data collection

10

Family-2:
Name: Mst. Abeda Bibi, Female, 50 years, not literate.
Husbands Name: Md. Abed Ali Pk.
Summary Findings:

Among 4 children (3 sons, 1 daughter) 1 daughter is married.

Abeda and her husband cant work due to disabilities and illness with no source
of income generation.

Theyre dependent on sons earning (van drivers) but theyre separated with
their own wives and children.

No treatment for senile illness (especially cataract).

No govt. grant except blanket, no micro credit, no coverage of VGF card or any
other SSNPs.

Family-3:
Name: Mst. Aduri Khatun, Female, 18 years, education up to class-V.
Husbands Name: Rafikul
Summary Findings:

1 male child (age under 2years)

Husband is fishermen but has no fishing boat or net with monthly income of
1500 Tk.

Home condition very poor with no latrine facility.

Lost all savings for treatment of leg disease of only child.

Aduri is able to work but has no opportunity to get employed/entrepreneurship

so far.

No govt. grant except blanket, no micro credit or any other SSNPs.

Family-4:

Name: Kusum, Female, 50 years, education up to class-V.

Husbands Name: Late Yakub Ali
Summary Findings:

6 Children (5 sons, 1 daughter).

Three youngest sons live with her while rest is separated.

11

Kusum is widow and doesnt do any income generating work.

Fourth son reads in class 10 while fifth one in madrasa.

Son reading in class-10 works as daily labor and earns livelihood for the four
member family (monthly income 1200 Tk).

Family-5:

Name: Jinnah Poramanik, Male, 60 years, No formal education.

Wifes Name: Marjina Begum
Summary Findings:

4 Children (1 son, 3 daughters) and 1 grand daughter.

Eldest daughter is widow.

2nd elder daughter lives with them with her husband.

The youngest son and daughter are school going children live.

Jinnah is old and physically unable for any hard work.

For 7 members family monthly income is 5000 Tk.

Family-6:

Name: Abdur Rahman, Male, 45 years, No formal education.

Wifes Name: Asia Begum
Summary Findings:

Handicapped, unable to work with one hand.

Lost house, hand and family in river erosion.

After the river erosion settled in Railway Colony and got married with a widow.

No Child.

No fixed income source and wife is housewife.

No asset and live in a slum.

Monthly income is 3000 Tk.

12

Figure-4: Survey Team with Asia Begum and other poor families

Family-7:

Name: Joyonti Sutradhar, Female, 30 years, No formal education.

Husbands Name: Uttam Sutradhar
Summary Findings:

Housewife and her husband is helper of tractor.

No asset, live in a slum. House is flooded during monsoon.

Do not have hygienic tube well and latrine facility.

Very little income to maintain.

Cant maintain cattle and poultry due risk of accident in rail line.

Family-8:

Name: Morsheda Khatun, Female, 27 years, No formal education.

Husbands Name: Md. Hannan
Summary Findings:

2 school going Children (1 son and 1 daughter)

Housewife and her husband is labor.

Her husband earns around 3000 tk. per month which is insufficient for their
livelihood and childrens education.
13

No asset, live in a slum.

Do not have hygienic tube well and latrine facility.

Figure-5: Data collection from ultra poor families at Raninagar Upazila

Figure-6: Data collection from ultra poor families at Atrai Upazila

14

Bibliography/References:
1.

BARKAT, E K, 2011, Social Safety Net Programmes in Bangladesh: A Review,

Bangladesh Development Studies, Vol. XXXIV, No. 2, Page 87-108.

2.

Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, 2010, Zila Level Povmaps Estimates 2010, viewed
03-04-2016.<http://www.bbs.gov.bd>

3.

Emran, M S, Robano, V & Smith, S C, 2009, Assessing the Frontiers of Ultra-Poverty

Reduction: Evidence from CFPR/TUP, an Innovative program in Bangladesh,
Department of Economics, George Washington University.

4.

Ahmed, S S, 2007, Social Safety Nets in Bangladesh, viewed 03-04-2016.

<http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.192.6184&rep=rep1&type
=pdf>

5.

Ahmed, I, Jahan, N & Zohora, F T, 2014, Social Safety Net Programme as a Mean to
Alleviate Poverty in Bangladesh, Developing Country Studies, Vol. 04, No.17, Page
46-54.

6.

Uddin, M A, 2013, Social Safety Nets in Bangladesh: An Analysis of Impact of old

Age Allowance Program, Unpublished MA Thesis, Institute of Governance Studies
(IGS) BRAC University, Dhaka.

7.

Dr. Ahmed, R U & Prof. Islam, S S, 2011, People's Perception on Safety Net
Programmes: A Qualitative Analysis of Social Protection in Bangladesh, Development
Consultant and Global Compliance Initiative (DCGCI) for Social Protection Group in
Bangladesh.

8.

Poverty Map Brochure 2010, The World Bank, viewed 02-04-2016.

<http://www.worldbank.org>

9.

Bangladesh Safety Nets to Protect the Poor, 2014, The World Bank, viewed 02-042016. http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2014/03/27/bangladesh-safety-netsto-protect-the-poor

10. Rahman, H Z, Choudhury, L A & Ali, K S, 2011, Social Safety Nets in Bangladesh,
Volume-1: Review of Issues and Analytical Inventory, PPRC-UNDP, viewed 04-042016.
<http://www.undp.org/content/dam/bangladesh/docs/Publications/Social%20Safety%2
0Nets%20in%20Bangladesh%20Vol%201.pdf>
11. Rahman, H Z & Choudhury, L A, 2012, Social Safety Nets in Bangladesh, Volume-2:
Ground Realities and Policy Challenges, PPRC-UNDP, viewed 04-04-2016.
<http://www.undp.org>
15