Household expenditure rises to Tk 31,500 in six years: BBS

Despite the fall in poverty rate in the country, the monthly average household expenditure has become doubled in six years.

The poverty rate in Bangladesh has declined to 18.7 per cent and the extreme poverty rate stood at 5.6 per cent, according to the data of the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS).

According to 2016 statistics of the BBS, the poor population in the country was 24.3 per cent while the ultra-poor population was 12.9 per cent.

Owing to various programmes taken by the government, the poverty rate has declined to 18.7 per cent, while the number of poor people has declined to 5.6 per cent in six years.

At the same time, the ultra-poor population decreased by 7.3 per cent.

The poverty rate is 20.5 per cent in rural towns and 14.7 per cent in urban areas.

On the other hand, the BBS has said the monthly average household expenditure increased to Tk 31,500 in 2022 from Tk 15,715 in 2016 and Tk 11,200 in 2010.

The average monthly income was Tk 15,988 in 2016 and Tk 11,479 in 2010.

Food and non-food expenditures were 47.7 per cent and 52.3 per cent, respectively, in 2016.

The state-run statistical agency published the ‘Household Income and Expenditure Survey -2022’ on Wednesday (April 12, 2023).

Mohiuddin Ahmed, project director of the ‘Household Income and Expenditure Survey 2020-21,’ presented the survey data at an event at BBS Auditorium in Dhaka on Wednesday afternoon.

The BBS conducted the survey among 14,400 households from January 1 to December 31 last year.

Planning Minister MA Mannan, State Minister Dr. Shamsul Alam and other officials were present.