Poverty and income inequality are rising in Bangladesh, with an estimated 60–70% of the population either living below the poverty line or vulnerable to falling into poverty, economist Dr Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad has said.

He made the remarks at the launch of the Bangladesh Poverty Watch Report 2025: Demystifying Poverty Dynamics of Slum Dwellers in Dhaka City at BRAC Centre in Dhaka on Tuesday.

Citing estimates from different research organisations, Ahmad said the poverty rate in 2025 stood at 21.4% according to the World Bank, 23.1% according to the Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS) and 27.9% according to the Power and Participation Research Centre (PPRC).

He clarified that the broader estimate of 60–70% also included people living slightly above the poverty line but remaining vulnerable to economic shocks.

Ahmad added that income inequality had widened, with the Gini coefficient rising from 0.499 in 2022 to around 0.53 in more recent estimates.

Prof Dr Mahbubul Mokaddem said income inequality had continued to rise since independence despite improvements in absolute poverty. He called for productive economic growth alongside redistribution, warning that relying solely on trickle-down effects would not address the widening gap.

Finance expert Zakir Ahmed Khan stressed the need for stronger rural development, improved housing and better livelihood opportunities for slum dwellers to tackle poverty.

Sociologist Prof Salma Akhter highlighted the disproportionate impact of poverty on women and children, particularly in access to healthcare, sanitation and other essential services.

The report, jointly prepared by the Institute for Inclusive Finance and Development (InM) and the Centre for Inclusive Development Dialogue (CIDD), examines the multidimensional poverty experienced by slum dwellers in Dhaka.