The Government of Bangladesh is advancing social security reforms in alignment with the National Social Security Strategy (NSSS) of 2015. As an integral part of the NSSS, two Action Plans have been formulated—the first covering the period from 2016 to 2021 (Phase I) and the second extending from 2021 to 2026 (Phase II). The NSSS goes beyond traditional safety nets, incorporating employment policies and social insurance to address the country’s complex realities. Bangladesh, as a rapidly industrialising middle-income country, faces the challenge of providing adequate social security for its expanding urban population. This often formally employed workforce lacks essential social insurance programmes, providing safeguards against multiple risks along the life-cycle such as sickness and unemployment insurance as well as old-age pensions. Therefore, the NSSS signals a departure from the prevailing discretionary approach towards a targeted universal methodology for selected interventions, mitigating leakages and addressing issues of low coverage.
Authors: Khondaker Golam Moazzem, Jebunnesa and ASM Shamim Alam Shibly
Publication Period: May 2024