Editorial
Dealing with population matters
Prioritising the issue is an absolute imperative
THE observance of World Population Day yesterday ought to have been a good occasion for serious reflection on how Bangladesh has been dealing with the issue. In an important way, that was indeed what was done across the country. Aside from the usual rituals and mouthing of platitudes, certain factors related to the population issue were brought to light. And it is these factors, or realities as we know them, that we must now handle. Fundamental to any discussion of population matters, however, is the question of whether or not the overall national approach to it has lately taken a back seat to other, perhaps more 'pressing' issues.
The good news on the population front is that longevity of life has gone up in the country, with increasingly more people expecting to live longer than their parents and grandparents. Maternal and infant mortality rates have declined, which means that on balance health conditions in these two areas have shown improvement. There is little question that it is all a positive picture before the country. At the other end, though, the matter of whether population control has been following a proper track remains a huge question. With Bangladesh's population now standing at a staggering 160 million (and the projections for the future speak of a doubling of this figure in the next half century), it makes sense to argue that drastic measures must be taken to keep the population at the present level. The facts alone speak for such a step. There is, first, the matter of land space. Bangladesh being a geographically small state can simply not handle a further increase in population if its social structure is to remain stable. And, second, comes the question of education and employment for an increasing population.
The risks of over-population are therefore present as a clear danger. Increasing our worries is the decline in the use of such birth control measures as contraceptives. Figures show that the percentage of couples wishing to use contraceptives but cannot is now 17.6. Annually 2,000,000 children are born in the country, which again is a reflection on improved infant mortality rates. There are other problems. In the 1970s, a field level family planning worker was responsible for educating 600 couples on birth control. Today his or her successor must do the same job for 2,000 couples, which in most instances is impossible. Besides, an increasingly bigger number of couples are becoming dropouts where the use of contraceptives is concerned, the figure now being 40 per cent.
A reworking of population control measures is therefore a necessity. In the many discussions on the issues confronting the country, the population question must not be subsumed to the bottom. In the end, it is what we do with population that will determine how we deal with the future.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. 
Related News
Why build roads through a reserved forest?
4 hour(s) ago
Editorial
An alarming report on children’s exposure to climate risks
19 June 2026, 19:07 PM
Editorial
Why is safe water inaccessible for millions despite rising spending?
19 June 2026, 08:00 AM
Editorial
BB must confront bad loans’ true scale
18 June 2026, 18:38 PM
Editorial
Dolphin deaths must be investigated
18 June 2026, 08:00 AM
Editorial
Comments