Social welfare activities during COVID-19 in Bangladesh Presented By: Tulshi Kumar Das, PhD Department of Social Work Shahjalal University of Science and Technology Sylhet, Bangladesh Email: tulshikumardas@gmail.com Mobile Phone: +8801716120886 Abstract Bangladesh is one of the over populated countries in the world. Despite its over population, it has been making significant socioeconomic development over the last one decade or so. COVID-19 first stroke the country in March 2020 which caused enormous damage in socioeconomic development programs. Different segments of population have been affected, especially those who work in the informal sector are badly hit by COVID-19. Workers in manufacturing industries also find it difficult to survive as many of such industries are shut down, and a few are functioning only on a limited scale. Urban poor, migrant laborers, transport workers, small traders, refugees, children, older adults and many others have become more susceptible to further vulnerabilities due to frequent lockdown, forcing them to remain confined within the home. With such a context, this paper tries to find out kinds of welfare activities undertaken by government, non-government and international organizations in order to address multifarious problems being faced by these marginalized populations. It also explores the gaps and limitations of the services offered by these organizations, and suggests some fresh steps for the concerned authorities to deal with the situation. This is a review study based on the data collected from numerous secondary sources like published articles, research reports, newspapers, and web-based materials. The findings show that considerable numbers of welfare activities like distributing food free of cost, providing rice and wheat at a subsidized price, transferring cash money etc. for the most vulnerable population have so far been undertaken. Moreover, some of the organizations have initiated welfare activities like counseling, motivation, guidance and training, awareness campaigning online as well as offline for those who are considered as most affected. The services hitherto provided to the marginalized are insufficient, and a large number of vulnerable population still remain excluded from the services already offered. The paper recommends different fresh welfare policies to benefit those who have been incredibly suffering because of COVID-19 pandemic.
Keywords: Welfare activities, COVID-19, Urban poor, Lockdown, Marginalized population, Organizations, Bangladesh |