SUPPLEMENTARY IMCOME-GENERATION IN BANGLADESH : PROPOSAL FOR THE
WORK-HOUSE COMPLEX
(Part One)
ABSTRACT :
In the developing countries the price-hike and scarcity of commodities
in general result in the physical sufferings and psychological
dissatisfaction of the low and middle income people. It is further
exaggerated due to the absence of a system of "equitable distribution
of wealth among the citizens" as followed in the socialist countries.
The governments of the rich and developed countries maintain the
sufferings of the less-advantaged people at a low ebb by adopting the
system of "social security scheme" in which subside is extended to the
needy people. The governments of the poor and developing countries run
their distinctively different programs for eradication poverties. The
government of Bangladesh has taken up numerous such projects and
programs, in which donations in the form of cash and kind and loan are
given to the affected people. However, none of these programs have
been proved to have acted permanently and successfully. It is often
said that the organizations like the social welfare ministry of the
government and the NGO's (Non Government Organizations) working with
foreign fund in fact strive poverty to continue, such that they can
continue their business. A careful study of the activities of the
NGO's might reveal that there is no provision for permanent
eradication of poverty in their programs. The authors of this proposal
have formulated a proposal for the establishment of "WORK-HOUSE
COMPLEX" at suitable locations with the help of fund and contributions
from the government and benevolent people. This work house is expected
to create scope for temporary or permanent job opportunities for the
needy people. The profit generated due to such works will be utilized
in maintaining the complex and only a part will be given to the needy
working people. The complexes are to accommodate facilities for
ancillary jobs now being done by the small and medium-size
manufacturers by automatic machines. The complex would also
accommodate jobs like repairing of domestic appliances, production of
some labor-intensive items, handicrafts etc. It is believed that such
complexes would be able to help the extremely poor people like beggars
to survive, shelter less persons to have some sort of better living
facilities and low-income people to earn supplementary income. The
authors of this proposal believe, once established such a work-house
complex would be able to run by itself from its profit. At present the
people contribute considerable sum of money to the beggars. Such
contributions in no way can stop begging. However, the problem of the
beggars can be solved permanently by donating that sum to such
complexes. The authors believe that if such complexes are established
at suitable locations, designed intelligently and run prudently under
certain regulations, then there is no reason why those would not be
able to become self-reliant in points of maintenance and expansion.
01.00 INTRODUCTION
In the developing countries the price-hike and scarcity of commodities
in general result in the physical sufferings and psychological
dissatisfaction of the low and middle income people. It is further
exaggerated due to the absence of a system of "equitable distribution
of wealth among the citizens", which is followed in the socialist
countries. In the absence of such a system of "equitable distribution
of wealth", poverty in general may be caused in a country due to thee
major reasons : (01) Scarcity of commodities resulting in their high
price, (02) Absence of constitutional provision to help the needy
people and (03) Low purchasing power of the citizens. Capitalism,
which by now is the most dominant economic production system, acts on
extreme competition and results in the survival of the fittest. As a
consequence, poverty may now take place in the rich countries also,
specially where competitions are not fair, scope of work is limited
and considerations for the weaker class is absent. Special
considerations for the weaker class and less privileged people
however, may be considered as state interference, which goes against
the principle of capitalism. In capitalism the capital-users need to
be allowed to increase income by utilizing the workers. Naturally the
higher income of the capital-users is directly related with lower
wages of their employees. In case the government forces the
capitalists for higher wage then capital-holders might be deprived of
due profit.
The above problem has been camouflaged in the rich and developed
countries through a number of government measures, the most important
of which is the scheme of helping the jobless people and fired
laborers through 'social security scheme'. Capitalism is now on rapid
expansion in the developing countries also and Bangladesh is one such
country with scarce resources and extremely high population. The
positive affect of capitalism may be seen in Bangladesh in the
enlarged figures in the factors of economy of the country and physical
development. Following the principle of 'trickle down economy',
extreme poverty i.e. situation in which 'people die from starvation'
has almost vanished from the scene. However, other forms of poverty
like, huge number of citizens cannot find jobs, fired workers face
unemployment, low-paid workers cannot meet the bare minimum needs with
their earning etc. are on increase. The way in which the rich
developed countries have addressed these problems in their countries
will not be possible for the government of Bangladesh to follow
because of scarcity of wealth. In such a situation, with further
expansion of capitalism more and more people would step in the arena
of the 'less-privileged two third of the population' in terms of their
earnings.
In the past the governments of the developing countries initiated
their own programs for eradication of poverties. Ever since her
independence, the government of Bangladesh also has taken up numerous
projects and programs to this end. After having a look at the results
of those endeavors it may easily be opined that none of those could
bring ultimate success. In such a context the authors of this proposal
have formulated a proposal that stresses on establishment of
"WORK-HOUSE COMPLEX" with such provisions that the poor people may go
there and work and can thus survive and/or earn supplementary income.
02.00 CAUSES OF POVERTY IN BANGLADESH
In Bangladesh the principle causes of poverty are those mentioned
earlier in connection with the global causes of poverty. Those are :
(01) Scarcity of commodities resulting in their high price, (02)
Absence of constitutional provision to help the needy people, (03) Low
purchasing power of the people, (04) Low salary of the wage earners,
(05) Old age and (06) Unprecedented reasons like business or capital
loss of the businessmen.
(01) SCARCITY OF COMMODITIES : Even though Bangladesh gained
self-sufficiency in food production during 1996-2000 period, the same
no more exist now and the country has to import wheat and rice to meet
the country's demand. In addition, food items are imported from the
neighboring country, India. Even though certain types of superior
vegetables are exported to mid-eastern countries, those have limited
demand inside the country. In such a situation, if the quantity of
food available in the country is divided by the number of people
(about 140 million) it would show a deficit in per capita consumption.
However, in this age non-availability of food item or
non-self-sufficiency in food production or other consumable items in
any country is not considered as the general cause of poverty. On the
other hand, it has been observed that a country may be more benefited
by exporting valuable non-food items and then importing food and
consumable ones.
(02) ABSENCE OF CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISION TO HELP THE NEEDY PEOPLE :
Unlike communism, the country's constitution does not take the
responsibility of providing the bare minimum items to the less
privileged section of the society. However, the government of
Bangladesh has some provisions or schemes to help the people in
extreme crisis. Some of these are : (a) Helping extremely poor people
by the local authorities, (b) State relief, (c) Relief in emergency
etc.
(03) LOW PURCHASING POWER OF THE CITIZENS : In Bangladesh this one is
the most important cause of poverty. It is obvious that the government
guided by the principles of capitalism would not take the
responsibility to feed and raise all the citizens. On the other hand
they would have to leave them in the hands of the capitalists, such
that they can make profit by utilizing them. In such a context people
may become poor due to the following major reasons : (a) Minimal
inherited wealth, (b) Physical disorder, (c) Lack of education and
(d) Lack of capital, (e) Low salary of the wage earners, (f) Old age
and (g) Unprecedented reasons.
(a) Minimal inherited wealth : The son a poor man inherits minimal or
no parental properties. This situation worsens further in case the
parents have more children. Lack of wealth results in disadvantages in
the fields of education and training, health-care and treatment of
diseases. Also the same allows little scope for self-sponsored
activities like business.
(b) Physical disorders : People with congenital physical disorder,
crippling due to disease or sudden accidents etc. have the natural
tendency to become poor. In general such people live on other's mercy
and contribution.
(c) Lack of education : In a overpopulated country like Bangladesh
men capable of doing physical labor (unskilled) are available more in
number than their demand. As such they are among the most poorly paid
people in the county. Their wages increase as soon they get education
and training.
(d) Scarcity of capital : When there is scarcity of job offered by
the entrepreneur, self-sponsored activity might be excellent
alternative. However, in the country there is no constitutional
provision to provide persons with necessary capital.
(04) LOW SALARY OF THE WAGE EARNERS : The still to be finalized lowest
monthly salary of the garments' workers is being bargained around BDT
1,700.00 (Approximately US$ 25). Those of the government employees and
autonomous bodies are slightly higher. The private organizations fix
their salary according to their policy and the government has no
control over them. Thus their lowest salary is at times higher and at
times lower than the others. But usually they do not have any pension
scheme after retirement. Even though the number of low-waged employees
in the Government, Private and autonomous organizations in Bangladesh
is not available, it is known to all that most of these employees
cannot maintain satisfactory level of life and living with the low
pay, not to say anything about what would happen after retirement or
sudden loss of job earlier. While some of them maintain families in
the situation of constant crisis of nutrition, healthcare, education
and recreation, others indulge in immoral activities in order to
supplement their income.
(05) OLD AGE AND CHILDREN-LESS SITUATION : At present there is
provisions for old age pension only in the public sector. The amount
given to them per month constitutes a part of their last salary. The
hardship of the low-waged employees in the public sector beggars
description. Worst still is the condition of those who work in the
private sector, where there is absolutely no such provision. In this
age of family planning a considerable number of persons including
widows suffer in the old age because either they have no children or
their children disagree to support them.
(06) UNPRECEDENTED REASONS : In Bangladesh an employee may turn
jobless earlier to the fulfillment of tenure due to the following
reasons, breach of contract and immoral activities, crippling due to
disease or accident and closure (including lock-out) of the
enterprise. Also the petty businessmen and traders may loss their
capital due to his fault, man-made reason or natural hazards.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PROF. BIJON B. SARMA, HEAD ARCHITECTURE DISCIPLINE, KHULNA UNIVERSITY,
KHULNA, BANGLADESH
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