Spiralling food prices, hunger leave millions in Bangladesh struggling for nutrition

As essential food prices skyrocket, many families are forced to survive on bare essentials, fuelling a growing malnutrition crisis in Bangladesh

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As food prices keep soaring, families across Bangladesh are struggling to eat a balanced diet, sparking fears of worsening malnutrition.

“The food diversity that middle-class families once enjoyed is now out of reach,” a nutrition expert warned, highlighting the looming threat to public health.

In Kalshi Bihari Camp, Zubaida Begum, a woman in her forties, has survived on nothing but salt and rice for a week amid job losses.

“I don’t remember the last time I faced such hardship,” she told bdnews24.com.

Living with her brother’s family, Zubaida helps make paper bags to earn a living.

Together, they scrape together a monthly income of Tk 15,000 at best.

However, work has been halted for the past 10 days, leaving the family to struggle even for their next meal.

Monthly rent alone consumes Tk 4,000 of their income, leaving Tk 11,000 for all other expenses.

This translates to Tk 70 per person per day for food, far below the cost of a healthy diet.

A July report by five UN agencies revealed that the daily cost of a nutritious diet climbed to $3.64, or Tk 443.57, in 2022.

Nearly 48.2 percent of Bangladesh’s population—over 82.4 million people—cannot afford this.

“When my brother doesn’t find work, the stove remains cold. Some days, we go without food entirely,” Zubaida said. “Now, we fill our stomachs with salt and rice. We haven’t eaten beef since Qurbani. If work is available, we might have half an egg once a week, small fish two or three times, and chicken occasionally. Buying fruits is out of the question.”

The Global Hunger Index paints a bleak picture for Bangladesh, showing a drop of three spots this year to rank 84th among 127 countries.

The report by Concern Worldwide and Welthungerhilfe says that 11.9 percent of the population suffers from malnutrition, while 23.6 percent of children experience stunted growth due to nutritional deficiencies.

Alarmingly, 2.9 percent of children die before their fifth birthday.

Surma Begum, a domestic worker in Mirpur-12, and her son earn Tk 20,000 monthly.

With Tk 8,000 spent on rent and Tk 3,000 on her children’s education, the remaining Tk 9,000 feeds six family members, leaving just Tk 50 per person each day.

Surma said, “Vegetable prices are low now, so we buy those. Otherwise, we survive on leafy greens and lentils. Occasionally, we can afford fish, but meat is rare. I can’t even buy milk for my youngest child.”

According to Nazma Shaheen, a professor at Dhaka University’s Institute of Nutrition and Food Science, food inflation, job losses following the pandemic, and global price hikes have severely eroded people’s purchasing power, worsening malnutrition.

“People avoid expensive food items and buy whatever they can afford to scrape by. Those previously above the poverty line are now either near it or falling below it,” she said.

“Even the middle class can no longer ensure a varied diet, leading to a lack of essential daily nutrients. We will see this reflected in rising malnutrition rates.”

Shahid Uddin Akbar, chairman of the Bangladesh Institute of ICT in Development, or BIID, Foundation, which promotes adolescent nutritional awareness, said: “Post-pandemic inflation has reduced access to healthy food, and the situation has worsened now.

“Without a balanced intake of six food groups—carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, minerals, water, and fats—people develop various health issues,” he said.

“For adolescent girls, the effects are particularly dire, especially if they become pregnant before 18, often resulting in underweight babies,” he added.

Saika Siraj, Bangladesh representative for Nutrition International, warned: “Low-income groups are losing their ability to buy nutritious food due to food inflation. If this continues unchecked, malnutrition rates will rise further.”

MIDDLE CLASS STRUGGLING TO MAKE ENDS MEET

Ashraf Hossain, a private-sector employee living in Mirpur 12 with his wife and two children, finds that Tk 15,000 of his Tk 35,000 salary goes towards rent.

After covering rest of the family expenses and sending money back home, he struggles to afford anything extra.

"Earlier, I tried to have a variety of vegetables, an egg each day, lentils, and fish. Now, I rarely buy eggs, and I haven’t bought fruit for two months. Though vegetable prices have dropped, I occasionally buy fish, but this is how we manage. I have also accumulated debts," he said.

Aminur Rahman, a resident of Nakhalpara, and his wife together earn Tk 50,000 a month.

They spend Tk 25,000 on rent and school fees for their two children.

Aminur said their intake of nutritious food has decreased, with filling meals now being a priority.

"When prices are reasonable, we can afford fish, eggs, chicken, vegetables, and lentils. However, we mostly eat vegetables and lentils. There was a time when prices increased, and we had to make do with one or two types of curry. Fish and meat were eaten very rarely. The market is still unstable, and while prices go up, our income doesn’t increase," he said.

NUTRITIONAL SITUATION IN BANGLADESH

A UN report has revealed that between 2021-23, 11.9 percent of the population, or 20.3 million people, in Bangladesh suffered from malnutrition.

During this period, 11.4 percent of the population, or 19.5 million people, faced severe food insecurity, while 30.5 percent or 52.3 million people experienced moderate or severe food insecurity.

However, data from the World Food Programme, or WFP, indicates that currently, 20 percent or 16.5 million people in the country are facing acute food insecurity.

Moreover, 24 percent of the population is living below the poverty line.

Among them, 31 percent of children aged six to 59 months are affected by chronic malnutrition.

In a report published by the WFP on Oct 9, it was stated that approximately 36 percent of the low-income population in Bangladesh is struggling with food insecurity.

The August floods, which strained agriculture and the overall economy, led to a 37 percent reduction in household income.

As prices continue to rise, 30 percent of families are consuming less food than required, while 42 percent are forced to borrow money to purchase food.

Furthermore, 26 percent of families have reduced healthcare spending, and 17 percent have exhausted their savings.

The WFP's annual report for 2023 had previously indicated that 15 percent of the population was facing food insecurity.

It pointed out that the situation worsened compared to the previous year due to global food shortages, high inflation, shrinking foreign reserves, and extreme weather conditions.

The Bangladesh government's Food and Nutrition Policy 2020 said over 50 percent of the population is deficient in balanced nutrition.

The government aims to eradicate poverty under SDG-1, eliminate hunger, ensure food security, and improve nutrition by 2030, as part of SDG-2.

In 2022, the Safe Food Authority’s Safe Food Family Guidelines revealed that nearly one-third of children are stunted, about one-third receive minimal acceptable food, and about 56 percent of women are consuming insufficient food.

Approximately 50 percent of women of reproductive age suffer from nutrition-related malnutrition, and 50 percent of pregnant women experience anaemia, leading to low birthweight babies.

As a result, 9.2 percent of the population in Bangladesh suffers from diabetes mellitus, 18 percent have hypertension, and 17 percent are affected by heart disease.

The report also recommended that an adult should consume daily 270-420 grams of rice or wheat, 75-100gm of starchy roots, tubers, and bananas, 1-4 medium pieces of fish or meat, one to two cups of lentils, at least one cup of milk or dairy products, at least two seasonal fruits, at least 100gm or 200gm of vegetables, and one egg.

According to updated data from the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, or BBS, the overall inflation rate in December stood at 10.34 percent, up from 9.48 percent in 2023.

This means that goods or services that cost Tk 100 in December 2023 would cost Tk 110.89 in December 2024.

Inflation in the food sector was recorded at 12.92 percent.

The BBS data indicates that to maintain a healthy lifestyle, the cost of food energy, which is 2,100 kilocalories, should be Tk 1,800 per month.

This is officially defined as the food poverty line.

In a November report, the WFP noted that the minimum cost of food required for survival has now risen to Tk 3,051 per person per month, which is 69.5 percent higher than the food poverty line.

While the official poverty rate has been declining, a lack of wage increases coupled with rising prices has pushed 17.8 million people, or 10 percent of the population, into poverty or closer to the poverty line over the past two years, according to a professor from Dhaka University’s economics department.

On Dec 15, at a workshop organised by the private research institution Research and Policy Integration for Development, or RAPID, Associate Professor Md Din Islam presented these findings.

He said, "In the past two years, 7.86 million people have fallen below the acceptable poverty line, while 9.83 million have become extremely vulnerable to poverty. In this period, 3.8 million people have shifted from poor to extremely poor."

However, the research did not include field surveys. The estimates were based on average inflation rates and wage increases, using internationally recognised poverty and extreme poverty thresholds.

The researchers analysed the disparity between inflation and real wages based on BBS data and found that more than 6 percent of people lost their purchasing power in the 2023-24 fiscal year, resulting in a rise in poverty or vulnerability.

IMPACT OF MALNUTRITION ON HEALTH AND ECONOMY

According to the National Nutrition Council, malnourished children fail to grow in height according to their age, have lower weight, and in adults, symptoms include thinning hair, hair loss, rough skin, vision problems, low immunity, weakness, frequent illnesses, and increased infections.

The Global Hunger Index report indicates that 23.6 percent of children under five suffer from stunted growth, meaning their height is not increasing according to their age.

Moreover, 11 percent of children under five experience wasted physical development, meaning their weight is not increasing in proportion to their height.

According to the Demographic and Health Survey 2022, conducted by the National Institute of Population Research and Training, NIPORT, the Medical Education and Family Welfare Division, and the health ministry, 24 percent of children under five experience stunted growth, 22 percent are underweight, and 11 percent suffer from wasted physical development.

Prof Nazma said, "When children face nutritional deficiencies, their height and weight are below the expected levels for their age, and they remain physically and mentally underdeveloped. Women suffering from malnutrition cannot give birth to healthy children. Even after these children are born, if they are given excess nutrition, they will become overweight or obese."

Shahid from the BIID Foundation said: "Non-communicable diseases like heart attacks, high blood pressure, and cancer are rising, and malnutrition is a major cause. Malnutrition weakens the immune system, reduces physical strength, and when such children grow up, their skills do not improve. They become more prone to illnesses, quickly fall sick, and face problems with their kidneys, heart, and lungs."

Prof Syedur Rahman, special assistant to the Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus, said that nutritional deficiencies reduce people's productivity, which impacts the overall economy of the country.

"If investments are made to eliminate malnutrition, it will enhance a person's productivity. In other words, for every 10 units invested in addressing malnutrition, productivity will increase by 12 units."

KEY MEASURES FOR FOOD SECURITY

To address the nutritional deficit, BIID Foundation’s Shahid advocates for increased food accessibility along with nationwide awareness campaigns.

He said, "It’s crucial to make people understand the importance of nutrition. Those who cannot afford food must be assisted, and we need to ensure that nutritious food is being distributed through TCB trucks. School meal programmes could also be initiated."

"Safe food practices are also vital. For instance, over-frying chicken depletes its nutritional value. Vegetables should be washed before cutting, as washing them afterward results in nutrient loss. Salt should be added towards the end of cooking, and oil should not be reused."

The Nutrition Council suggests that to meet nutritional needs, alternatives to fish and meat, such as soybeans, guava, bananas, vegetables, lentils, and small fish, should be consumed. However, an egg per day is recommended for all.

Sayadur Rahman said that depending on the type of malnutrition, ideal meals are provided nationwide under the health ministry's nutrition programmes.

"As food prices rise, people are unable to access proper nutrition, which may lead to malnutrition. These issues still remain unaddressed. To curb malnutrition, people must be provided with better food, and ministries of food, finance, and trade must take action."

Farida Akhtar, advisor to the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, said: "We are unable to play an effective role in the main market due to the powerful syndicates and extortion. We are considering sourcing food directly from farmers to consumers and are working to remove middlemen to improve food security."

[Writing in English by Arshi Fatiha Quazi]