BANGLADESH’S POVERTY REDUCTION STRATEGY: AN ANALYSIS FROM THE LABOUR MARKET PERSPECTIVE

Abstract: Bangladesh’s experience with the preparation of a Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) raises some questions both about its process, content and about the philosophy behind the initiative. Empirical findings and statistical evidences suggest that the neo-liberal approach of ‘growth maximisation ’ does not always trickle down on poor. Also, it is evident that in spite of its inevitable consequence of raising inequality, growth did not guarantee adequate payoff for the labour market in Bangladesh. In this milieu, employ-ment should be taken as a basic route out of poverty. Thus, poverty reduction strategy of Bangladesh would be irrational if it does not emphasis on equitable distribution of income and land reform as they have direct relation to the capacity building of labour and thus to reduction of inequality