Bangladesh : Updating Poverty Maps of Bangladesh

In Bangladesh the official poverty rates are produced at the national and division levels only using household income and expenditure survey (HIES) data. While the division map illustrates a clear east-west division, the Upazila map unveils large variations in poverty incidence within the east and the west. Mapping the data at lower levels allows for easier recognition of important patterns at local and community scale levels. Poverty mapping is a statistical exercise to estimate the incidence of poverty at sub-national levels, which enables government, civil society organizations and development partners to identify locations of poor areas with great accuracy. Recognizing the spatial inequality in growth and poverty allows for more effective targeting of policy interventions, programs and projects based on local conditions.