Author: Yusuf Munna

How is the informal sector coping with the pandemic?

The world is going through an unprecedented situation and so is Bangladesh. The entire country has bottomed out due to the Covid-19 crisis and the impact has intensified. 

The delayed declaration of the lockdown has proven to be nothing but a hollow step in preventing the consequences. Therefore, we can clearly see the outcome — an increase in the virus spreading countrywide. In addition, the economic growth has slowed down.

Think-tanks and local and international experts are meticulously trying to observe the situation, understand the movements, and then offer advice accordingly. 

It is a real challenge to dive deep enough to comprehend the impact on marginalized communities due to certain circumscriptions. 

What’s happening to the marginalized?

As a result, this issue has remained out of the sight. Now, the question is: What’s happening to these people? How are they tackling the situation?   

To feed my curious mind, I took the help of the Key Informant Interview or KII method to obtain the data. Keeping in mind the limitations, I interviewed 20 people of a coastal village named South Rajghat located in Matrabari, Moheshkhali, Cox’s Bazar. 

The sample included pop-and-mom shop owners, beverage shop owners, seasonal fruit sellers, and tobacco and betel nut sellers. They were selected based on two criteria: a) they own a small business in the local community market (their family being solely dependent on it) and b) they have at least one school-going child. 

Conclusions

After extensive analysis, I drew the following as the few key inferences representing the marginalized community during this crisis:  

(1) The analysis suggested that, in comparison with the last two-and-half months, the marginal SME’s income had a decline of 50% to 80%. Furthermore, the tobacco and betel nut sellers faced the worst of the circumstances, having a steep 80% decline of their income. 

This depicts that general people have had to reduce the part of their budget which was previously allocated in less necessary products from their daily expenses.       

(2) Income has fallen robustly; however, the demand remains almost the same. Chiefly to tackle the pandemic, they started to consume from their own investment. Alongside, there is still a stream of income available as the lockdown has not been strongly imposed as of yet. 

There is a chance of fear regarding what the situation will be after a few months given the lockdown becomes strict. Bankruptcy is a possibility for small businesses.   

(3) To lessen the spread of the virus, the government has shut down academic institutions such as schools for an uncertain period of time. Though it might seem that the students are sitting idle in their homes, practically 90% of the male students are engaging full-time in their parents’ businesses by helping in financial auditing, selling products, etc.       

(4) Recently, a report published by the World Bank apprehends that a large number of school-going children might drop out due to the massive fall of income. In my findings, the situation seems to be somewhat contrary. 

All the key informants as well as a father of the primary school-going child showed strong optimism by assuring that their child would be going back to school whenever the situation normalizes. 

Only about 20% of the parents said that their children wou not go to high school. 

It was even mentioned that they would rather expect their children to keep supporting the family businesses. Nonetheless, maybe the extension of providing stipends and the school feeding program for high school-goers might change the scenario in the future.       

Overall, it can be concluded that almost 85% of the working people, six crore in number, belong to the informal sector, making them the backbone of our economy. Lack of assured payrolls and ample security funds along with many other ambiguities have left them in a fragile state. 

Moreover, on account of strong unified bodies like BGMEA or TOAB, neither of these people’s problems are well represented or solicited. Hence, the demand to settle the challenges remains unmet. 

This report is to break the glass ceiling and uphold real problems of the field which may seem obscure by simply sitting in Dhaka. Finally, I urge the authorities to be considerate in order to mitigate the problems represented above by eventually taking the necessary steps.

Yusuf Munna is a student of development studies at Khulna University and a development economics enthusiast.

It is essential to ensure that all countries have access to the vaccine as soon as it becomes available

Starting from the Wuhan province of China, then spreading to the rest of the world, the coronavirus has left no corner of the world untouched. The entire world has bottomed out due to the Covid-19 crisis, and the impact has intensified. The wheel of the global economy has become stagnant.

The situation only exacerbates until a vaccine is created. It will help us grow immunity against the virus and cut down the possibility of it spreading. 

We are waiting eagerly for the vaccine, so the inevitable question remains — when is it arriving?

Experts say this might take 12 to 18 months. If you are thinking the time span is long, you would be surprised to know that it took seven months for the Zika vaccine to reach the clinical trial stage. On the other hand, China has a candidate for the clinical trial phase just 64 days after unveiling the genome sequence.

According to WHO’s latest list of tentative Covid-19 vaccines, 198 different candidates are in the development stage. 

Among them, 156 have been going through the preclinical stage. Only 10 of them are in the Phase III efficacy trial stage.

Many leading pharmaceuticals like Moderna, Novavax, and Sinovac are in the race; however, Johnson & Johnson is far ahead of them. Recently, an agreement between them and the US federal government was signed, worth $1bn. 

They are eyeing to produce at least a billion doses of vaccine using the J&J plant. 

As per their evaluation, the approximate cost for each dose would be around $10.

The global North has the capacity to ensure the Covid vaccine for each of its citizens. 

But what’s the prospect for the South? High lack of finance, management, and appropriate infrastructure are some of the major hindrances. These make the availability of the vaccine uncertain for its people.

Rather than focusing on fame, scientists are behaving more humanely by putting in tireless team effort to invent the vaccine. The rest is upon the world leaders.

In 2009, an Australian company started producing the influenza vaccine, but then something unfortunate happened. 

The government pushed the company to meet the local demand first, keeping the rest of the world aside. The Covid vaccine might face the same fortune. 

World leaders should come to a consensus on ensuring equal opportunity for all nations, otherwise billions of lives will be at risk.

Is it only through kindness that these nations should consider the South in an equitable way? Of course, not. The North will be in trouble if they fail to reach the South in a time. Research says that a 30-day delay of the vaccine may increase the infection rate to as high as 2.75% in developed countries.

What can the global North do to avoid such a situation? It is difficult for developing countries to buy enough vaccine doses for all; moreover, they do not have the proper infrastructure to reach the marginalized. 

Reaching the marginalized includes proper refrigeration facilities, electricity facilities, and skillful human resources.

Along with international financial institutions, the North can provide both long-term loans and short-term grants to the South. Some of the ways to do so would be by offering their expertise in harnessing local resources and enhancing skills.

World leaders also can empower global vaccine alliances like GAVI to expedite the process. 

Furthermore, the production of other essential vaccines like those for measles, rubella, polio, and influenza might be lowered due to the excessive focus on the Covid vaccine. Such issues should also be kept in consideration, or else efforts will go in vain.  

Bangladesh’s government has been actively leveraging its diplomatic relations to get early access to the Covid vaccine. Countries like Japan, China, and India are showing their positive responses to this. 

We have prior experience and infrastructure of running the polio vaccination program successfully, so if the financial barrier is annihilated, we can definitely come back to our normal lives as soon as the vaccine arrives.

Yusuf Munna is a student of development studies and a freelance contributor. Please address the correspondence to yusuf@reflectiveteens.com.

Could hybrid classrooms solve some of the problems in our education sector?

What really makes a good student different from an average one? A good student doesn’t limit themselves to preparing just for the examination.

They discuss and then critically analyze the question paper after the examination to explore their own limitations. Afterwards, they focus on working on their weaknesses so that they can move ahead in the race.  

The entire world is currently going through a large-scale trial in education, and many underlying problems have surfaced. Some countries have taken appropriate measures to get a grip on the situation while others are still struggling. 

Nothing but the vaccine can save them. However, the priority should be to analyze the situation and work through the flaws. This will perhaps eventually put them in a better position to tackle any upcoming issues.   

The pandemic has pushed the world many years ahead. Even a few months ago, working from home or online classes were considered elements of a far-fetched future. 

Then, suddenly, the pandemic pushed the entire world to adapt almost overnight. It is definitely tough to go out of one’s comfort zone in such short notice, but it was necessary to do so. 

In Bangladesh, inadequately qualified and disinterested teachers, lack of classrooms, apathetic researchers have afflicted universities. Teachers have to take care of oversized classes with  almost no time to prepare themselves, and consequently, deliver sub-par lectures in class. 

In a country where even taking a single breath of fresh air can be a luxury for some, how can one think of research?   

No one can deny the differences between physical and online classes. But it might be better to think of something in between, perhaps a hybrid classroom. 

Universities can introduce their own e-learning platforms. Courses, which are theory-focused and require less interaction, can be the first to start. 

Universities can even bring in teachers or professionals from other universities or institutions to teach a course. 

This might eliminate many of the shortcomings; for example, it can lessen the burden on teachers, allowing them to devote a portion of their time to research.    

However, this is easier said than done. Whether most teachers have genuine interest in research remains an unanswered question. Furthermore, the lack of an appropriate environment and ample budget for research becomes a major hindrance. 

At times, the online class, which may be recorded, can expose unsavoury situations, leading to consequences as dire as suspension or even death threats. 

The world is changing faster than ever before. Challenging situations like the pandemic are expediting the process. 

Only the fittest will survive and cope with the rapidly changing world; hybrid classrooms in education could be an answer worth considering if we wish to be fit for the future. 

 Yusuf Munna is an undergraduate student at Khulna University and a Development Economics enthusiast. Please address the correspondence to yusuf@reflectiveteens.com.

পাঁচমাস হতে চললো লকডাউনের। দোকানপাট, ব্যবসাবাণিজ্য, শিক্ষাপ্রতিষ্ঠান – সবকিছু বন্ধ। কিন্তু এভাবে তো বেশীদিন চলবে না। সরকার সিদ্ধান্ত নিলো দোকানপাট খুলে দেয়া হবে সীমিত পরিসরে। কিন্তু খুলবেনা শিক্ষাপ্রতিষ্ঠান। তবে ক্লাস হবে অনলাইনে। এটা সুচিন্তা। সরকারকে ধন্যবাদ। তবে দুর্ভাগ্যজনকভাবে সেখান থেকেই সূত্রপাত হয় এক নতুন বৈষম্যের। দ্যা ডিজিটাল ডিভাইড। আমি নিশ্চিত নই ঠিক কি চিন্তা করে এমন সিদ্ধান্ত আসলো। সরকার ভাবলো, ছাত্রদের তো আর বসিয়ে রাখা যায়না। দেশ ডিজিটাল। তাই সবার ঘরে ঘরে ইন্টারনেট আছে। ওদিকে পার ক্যাপিটা ইনকাম তরতর করে বাড়ছে। মানে লোকজনের হাতে টাকাও আছে। চাইলেই ভালো ডিভাইস কিনতে পারে। ব্যাস! সরকারের দৃষ্টিতে এটা একেবারে ঠিক, কিন্তু বাস্তবতা থেকে সেটা বেশ খানিকটা দূরে বলে মনে হয়।

বেশকিছু বাঁধা আছে আমাদের। অবকাঠামোর কথা যদি বলি, বিভাগীয় শহর আর জেলা সদর বাদে, সারা দেশের ইন্টারনেট পরিস্থিতি অত্যন্ত দুর্বল। ফলশ্রুতিতে নিরবিচ্ছিন্নভাবে যে মানের ইন্টারনেট সংযোগ থাকা প্রয়োজন সেটা পাওয়া যায়না। উপরন্তু নিয়মিত বিদ্যুৎ বিভ্রাট তো আছেই। অন্যদিকে অনেকেরই যথোপযুক্ত ডিভাইস নেই। তাছাড়াও অনলাইনে শিখন-পঠন প্রক্রিয়ায় শিক্ষক বা ছাত্র কেউই পূর্বে অভ্যস্ত বা প্রশিক্ষণপ্রাপ্ত নয়। এতো সব সমস্যাকে বহুগুণে প্রকট করেছে বর্তমান প্রেক্ষাপট। করোনাকালীন এই সময়ে এমনিতেই অর্থনীতির সূচক নিম্নমুখী। মরার উপর খড়ার ঘা হয়ে এসেছে বন্যা। বর্তমানে দেশের অর্ধেকের বেশী অঞ্চল পানির নীচে। পরিস্থিতি এতোটাই খারাপ যে, অল্পদিনে দেশে দরিদ্রের সংখ্যা দ্বিগুণ হওয়ার পথে। এমনিতেই কাজ নেই। তার উপর এবারের বন্যা অনেক সম্পদ ভাসিয়ে নিয়ে গেলো।

পাবলিক বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়ের অধিকাংশ ছাত্রছাত্রী নিম্ন মধ্যভিত্ত ও দরিদ্র পরিবার থেকে আসা। হোক সেটা বন্যা, অথবা মহামারী, তাদের উপর ঝাপটা লাগে সবচেয়ে বেশী। সত্যিই দেশের অর্থনৈতিক পরিস্থিতি অগ্রসরমান। কিন্তু এই সময়কে অন্য স্বাভাবিক সময়ের সাথে তুলনা করলে সেটা বড় ভূল হবে। যেখানে তিনবেলা ভাত নিশ্চিত করাই দায় হয়ে ঠেকেছে, সেখানে ভালো একটা ডিভাইসে নিয়মিত ডাটা প্যাক কিনে ক্লাস করাটা বোধহয় একটু কঠিনই। তার উপর ইন্টারনেটের মান এবং বিদ্যুতের স্থিতিশিলতা তো নিয়ন্ত্রনের বাইরেই থেকে যায়।   

তার মানে এই নয় যে অনলাইনে ক্লাস করা যাবেনা। অবশ্যই যাবে। সেজন্য ছাত্রদের আগ্রহ যেমন দরকার, তেমনই দরকার সরকারের প্রচেষ্টা। বেশকিছু বিষয় বিবেচনায় আনা যেতে পারে। মোবাইল অপারেটরদের সাথে আলোচনার মাধ্যমে ছাত্রছাত্রীদের জন্য সুলভ মূল্যে ইন্টারনেট প্যাকেজের ব্যবস্থা করতে পারে। একইভাবে ডিভাইস কেনার জন্য সরকার বিনাসূদে লোনের ব্যবস্থা করতে পারে। প্রক্রিয়ার গতি ত্বরান্বিত করার জন্য প্রয়োজনে সরকার ভর্তুকির ব্যবস্থাও করতে পারে। তার পাশাপাশি শিক্ষকেরা শুধু ক্লাস কেন্দ্রিক পাঠদান প্রক্রিয়া থেকে বেরিয়ে এসে এসাইনমেন্ট, দলগত কাজ এর মতো বিকল্প প্রক্রিয়া অবলম্বন করতে পারেন।

অনেকেরই ভালো ডিভাইস আছে, আছে নিয়মিত ইন্টারনেট কেনার সামর্থ্য। একইভাবে অনেকের নেইও। অনলাইন ক্লাস না হলে, সবসুবিধা থাকা সত্ত্বেও কিছু ছাত্রছাত্রী পিছিয়ে পড়বে। বিপরীতে, হলেও পিছিয়ে পড়বে অনেকেই। কি উপায় আমাদের? সিদ্ধান্ত যেটাই হোক, গতির সাথে তাল মেলাতে গিয়ে মানবিকতা যাতে হারিয়ে না যায়।