Finance Adviser Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed today spoke as chief guest at a high-level national workshop at a hotel in the capital today. Photo: PID

DHAKA, Dec 10, 2025 (BSS) – Finance Adviser Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed today stressed the need for overcoming the systemic weaknesses in poverty reduction programmes to ensure long-term sustainability and to prevent people from slipping back below the poverty line.

Speaking as chief guest at a high-level national workshop titled “Rural Livelihood Transformation and Inclusive Resilience Initiatives,” he said methodological flaws and implementation challenges continue to hinder effective poverty alleviation efforts. “We must address these issues with utmost priority,” he added.

The event was organised by the Social Development Foundation (SDF) under the Ministry of Finance’s Financial Institutions Division (FID) at a hotel in the capital today.

SDF Chairman and former Secretary Dr Muhammad Abdul Mazid presided over the workshop. Finance Secretary Dr Md Khairuzzaman Mozumder, Financial Institutions Division Secretary Nazma Mobarek, and ERD Secretary Md Shahriar Kader Siddiky attended as special guests. 

World Bank Senior Agriculture Specialist and Task Team Leader of the Resilience Entrepreneurship and Livelihood Improvement (RELI) project, Samina Yasmin, was also present. SDF Managing Director Md Nurul Amin delivered the welcome address.

Recalling his role as SDF’s founding director, Dr. Salehuddin praised the World Bank’s long-standing collaboration and highlighted the organisation’s contributions to rural poverty reduction, women’s empowerment, entrepreneurship development, and emergency assistance, including support to those affected during the July–August 2024 mass uprising.

Finance Secretary Dr Khairuzzaman Mozumder said the government will intensify efforts to reduce poverty through public projects, with particular emphasis on rural employment creation, entrepreneurship development, microfinance expansion and improved targeting of the poor. 

“This year, rather than increasing the number of beneficiaries, we prioritised raising the allowance amount,” he noted.

Financial Institutions Division Secretary Nazma Mobarek underscored the importance of expanding social safety nets and praised SDF’s participatory poor-identification method.

ERD Secretary Shahriar Kader Siddiky highlighted the progress of the World Bank-supported RELI project and called for strengthening components related to health, nutrition, savings and insurance.

Presenting the keynote paper, Dr Mohammad Abdur Razzaque analysed current poverty trends and assessed the effectiveness of SDF’s community-driven development (CDD) approach. He recommended expanding this model to urban areas for broader impact.

In his concluding remarks, SDF Chairman Dr Muhammad Abdul Mazid urged for the adoption of the recommendations made in the keynote paper. He also thanked beneficiary members for sharing their inspiring experiences during the session.