Rising life expectancy: But what about living standards ?

In the past life expectancy in the country was much lower. But higher life expectancy alone will not help much if the overall standard of living of the people is not improved proportionately

The average life expectancy in Bangladesh has gone up by three years, from 67.7 years in 2010 to 70.7 years in 2014, according to a study by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS). In the past life expectancy in the country was much lower. But higher life expectancy alone will not help much if the overall standard of living of the people is not improved proportionately.
There is no denying the fact that poverty eradication programmes in the country have left some positive impacts on the population of the country in recent years. The purchasing power of people has gone up. The remittances sent by expatriate workers have also contributed to poverty alleviation.
Some fatal diseases like cholera, small pox, malaria, kalaazar and tuberculosis would kill tens of thousands of people in the past. But people are taking antibiotics at cheaper and affordable prices that keep such diseases at bay. All these have contributed to longevity. But still a significant number of people are living below the poverty line. Existence for them remains precarious. What is the use of longer life if it is full of drudgery and sufferings?
All in the country will have to work for improving the quality of life of the people. Only then high life expectancy will be meaningful. There are still impoverished people living in towns and villages. Longer life for them makes hardly any difference. It is largely the responsibility of the state to improve the economic conditions of these people. The government has introduced old age allowance for too poor people. But the amount is so poor that it cannot sustain a person even for a week, let alone the whole month. It is just a mockery. The monthly old age allowance for a person should be raised to at least Tk 2,000. Then it will be meaningful.
In the latest development, the government has decided to introduce a health policy free of cost for those living below the poverty level in the country, while the entire population will get health facilities by 2032 under this project. This is a step in the right direction. If it is implemented, non affluent people are likely to get substantial benefits from it.                    

Rising life expectancy: But what about living standards ?

In the past life expectancy in the country was much lower. But higher life expectancy alone will not help much if the overall standard of living of the people is not improved proportionately

The average life expectancy in Bangladesh has gone up by three years, from 67.7 years in 2010 to 70.7 years in 2014, according to a study by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS). In the past life expectancy in the country was much lower. But higher life expectancy alone will not help much if the overall standard of living of the people is not improved proportionately. There is no denying the fact that poverty eradication programmes in the country have left some positive impacts on the population of the country in recent years. The purchasing power of people has gone up. The remittances sent by expatriate workers have also contributed to poverty alleviation. Some fatal diseases like cholera, small pox, malaria, kalaazar and tuberculosis would kill tens of thousands of people in the past. But people are taking antibiotics at cheaper and affordable prices that keep such diseases at bay. All these have contributed to longevity. But still a significant number of people are living below the poverty line. Existence for them remains precarious. What is the use of longer life if it is full of drudgery and sufferings? All in the country will have to work for improving the quality of life of the people. Only then high life expectancy will be meaningful. There are still impoverished people living in towns and villages. Longer life for them makes hardly any difference. It is largely the responsibility of the state to improve the economic conditions of these people. The government has introduced old age allowance for too poor people. But the amount is so poor that it cannot sustain a person even for a week, let alone the whole month. It is just a mockery. The monthly old age allowance for a person should be raised to at least Tk 2,000. Then it will be meaningful. In the latest development, the government has decided to introduce a health policy free of cost for those living below the poverty level in the country, while the entire population will get health facilities by 2032 under this project. This is a step in the right direction. If it is implemented, non affluent people are likely to get substantial benefits from it.