In the middle of 2015, the Cabinet of the Government of Bangladesh approved the National Social Security Strategy (NSSS). It is the very first strategy in the field of social protection in Bangladesh. The strategy streamlining the national social safety net programmes in line with the National Social Development Framework and the perspective and vision plans, five-year plans, with an expectation to play an effective supplementary role in reducing poverty and inequality, improve gender status, increase employment opportunities, and address the shock and vulnerability of the climate inducive disabled and marginalized population, including people living in urban and hard-to-reach areas under the human lifecycle approach.
The NSSS is a ten-year-long living social protection reform strategy for Bangladesh commencing from 2015 and will follow up to 2025. The successful implementation of NSSS is one of the priority agendas of the Government of Bangladesh, and the fiscal budget allocated close to 3% of the GDP and more than 16% of the total budget every year.
To date, Bangladesh has achieved tremendous progress in both macro and microeconomic areas. Simultaneously, NSSS guided reforms helped the Government of Bangladesh to initiate a number of notable policy initiatives, namely, addressed COVID-19 vaccination though Surokhkha Aps, universal private pension, social insurance, G2P through institutional e-payment system either through bank account or mobile account, single registry MIS or integrated MISs, data protection, engagement of 39 key ministries to address the social protection though an effective governing system lead by the Cabinet Secretary for policy and programme guidance thorough Central Management Committee (CMC) for Bangladesh Social Protection Programmes, and subsequent different committees constituted by the CMC. Pilot initiatives in progress, namely on old age, persons with disabilities, MISs integration using the National Household Data base and Population Register, social insurance, and constitute of private pension authority.
All these initiatives brough a discipline in the social protection governance and system. Many ghost beneficiaries are eroded from the system, and beneficiary automation in the process link to iBASS system. On the other hand, the Honorable Prime Minister of the Government of Bangladesh took her personal initiative ‘Ashrayon Project’ – the largest project in the world for providing land and house for the homeless people. This largest project addresses the multi-dimension poverty, and its impact will reduce the social and economic inequality of the population. Two subsequent NSSS Action Plans have been developed by the CRVS and Social Protection Section of the Coordination and Reforms Wing of the Cabinet Division though a rigorous process of coordination and participation of 39 ministry and division of the GoB. The Second NSSS Action Plan 2021-26 (Phase – II) approved by the CMC under the Chair of the Cabinet Secretary, and the Honorable Prime Minister of the GoB has given her kind consent on the approval. The NSSS Action Plan Phase II incorporated to develop the NSSS 2026+.
The implementation of both the SDGs and NSSS is spearheaded mainly by the Cabinet Division under its coordination structure through the effective guidance from the Central Management Committee (CMC) of the national social security programmes headed by the Cabinet Secretary, where Secretaries of 39 ministries and divisions are the members.
The Government is committed to attaining the Middle Income Country (MIC) status permanently by 2026, and excelling in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030, where social security is also one of the prioritized agendas, and closely linked with most of the goals of the SDGs. At present, the 8th five year plan developed and implementation on progress, and vision 2041, and centennial Delta Plan 2100 on progress and created huge interest among the international community for financing more in Bangladesh development. The blue economy and link to social protection, urban and climate inductive shock-responsive social protection addressing No One Leave Behind (NOLB) lifecycle approach now opened a new chapter for 2026+ social protection. A strategy always required a good number of evidence-based background papers, and lessons learnt, consensus-based dialogues.
