Bangladesh's military-backed government on Thursday approved a second poverty reduction strategy for the impoverished South Asian country, reports dpa.
The document puts a high priority on the agricultural sector, an official said. A key economic committee gave the strategy a go-ahead, with plans for it to be implemented in phases through 2011.
The three-year strategy assumes 7 per cent gross domestic product growth over the next three fiscal years
It focuses on the emerging threats of climate change, rising food price, turmoil in global market and the impact of a changed political scenario, said Ismail Hossain, the chief of the committee that prepared the strategy document.
Bangladesh, one of the poorest countries of the world, had earlier agreed upon an anti-poverty strategy that ran until the end of June.
The government says that the programme helped reduce the country's poverty level.
But researchers from non-governmental organizations say the strategy barely reduced poverty.
They said about half of Bangladesh's 153 million people still live under the poverty line.
Representatives of the unelected government said they were doubtful as to whether the strategy will be implemented after a new government is elected in December.
Mirza Azizul Islam, an advisor with the Finance Ministry, called the strategy "a blueprint."
"I think no one has problems with its main objectives. If anyone does have any minor difference, then it could be included easily," he added.