ZCZC
BSS-32
BBS-MICS-REPORT
Bangladesh makes headway in women, child development: MICS report
DHAKA, Feb 24, 2020 (BSS) – The country has seen remarkable progress in
women and child development alongside making headway in areas of health,
nutrition, water, sanitation, hygiene and education.
The latest Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) 2019 showed this, which
was unveiled today by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS). BBS and
UNICEF, Bangladesh jointly conducted it.
A major improvement was made in stunting among children aged under five
that came down to 28 percent in 2019 which was as high as 42 percent in 2013.
Prevalence of underweight among these children also dropped to 22.6
percent from 31.9 percent while wasting slightly rose to 9.8 percent from 9.6
percent.
Under-five child mortality rate also witnessed a major fall to 40 percent
from 58 percent with infant mortality rate falling to 34 percent from 46
percent six years ago, the MICS 2019 suggests.
Literacy rate among women, aged between 15 to 24 years and who attended
secondary or higher education, rose to 88.7 percent in 2019 which was 82
percent in 2013.
First marriage before 18 years of age of women aged 20-24 years dropped to
51.4 percent from 52.3 percent.
Primary school completion rate among children improved from 79.5 percent to
82.6 percent.
New indicators lower secondary school and upper secondary school
completion rates were found to be 64.7 percent and 29.4 percent respectively.
Households’ access to electricity rose to as high as 92.2 percent which was
61.5 percent six years ago. Use of improved sources of drinking water
increased to 98.5 percent from 97.9 percent while availability of drinking
water rose to 96.9 percent from 74.2 percent.
Use of basic drinking water services — an SDGs indicator — was found to
be 98 percent in Bangladesh. Population using basic sanitation services was
found to be 64.4 percent at the national level with nearly similar level in
urban and rural areas.
Use of improved sanitation facilities increased to 84.6 percent which was
76.9 percent and in handwashing facility with water and soap jumped to 74.8
percent from 59.1 percent in six years.
Use of basic hygiene services was found to be 75 percent at the national
level, including 87 percent in urban areas and 71 percent in rural areas. The
number of households consuming iodized salt expanded from 72.6 percent to 76
percent in the said period.
The number of households posessing at least one telephone, either fixed or
mobile, increased to 95.9 percent which was 87.2 percent in the previous
MICS. Computer posessing households also rose to 5.6 percent from 3.4
percent.
Internet access was found to be among 37.6 percent households in 2019
while ownership and use of of mobile phones among women aged 14-49 years were
found at 71.4 percent and 97.8 percent.
MICS2019 also showed that women safety also improved in the country.
Percentage of women age 15-49 years feeling safe walking alone in their
neighbourhood after dark was found to be 74.8 percent.
In reproductive and maternal health, Bangladesh made a lot of progress as
institutional delivery rate jumped to 53.4 percent from 31 percent six year
ago. But tendency of caesarean section among women increased from 19.1
percent to 36 percent.
The number of children ever breastfed increased from 97.1 percent to 98.5
percent, but breastfeeding within one hour of birth of a baby dropped to 46.6
percent from 57.4 percent.
Child birth registration rate increased from 37 percent six years ago to
56 percent.
The survey was conducted between January 19 and June 01 2019 with random
sampling among 61,242 households in 64 districts.
Statistics and Informatics Division (SID) Secretary Saurendra Nath
Chakrabhartty, BBS Director General Mohammad Tajul Islam and UNICEF,
Bangladesh Officer In-Charge Alain Balandi Domsam, among others, were present
at the report launch.
BSS/ASG/GM/BR/1920