Location: Banchanagar, Laxmipur Sadar Upazilla, Lakshmipur District, Bangladesh,
Date: September 20th, 2025
Organization: ALO (Animation Liberate for Organize)
Report By: Kazi Altaf Mahmood
Video Link: https://youtu.be/zUw4cAeJ-FE
Executive Summary
This report highlights the precarious living conditions of Lubna Begum, a widowed mother residing in Banchanagar, Ward No. 2 of Laxmipur Sadar Upazila. She is the head of a household consisting of herself and her three daughters, all of whom face critical challenges linked to housing insecurity, lack of clean water and sanitation, limited access to healthcare, and disrupted education. Lubna supports her family through irregular work as a maid, but her earnings are insufficient to meet even the most basic needs.
Her case reflects the wider struggles of female-headed households in rural Bangladesh, who often lack access to formal safety nets and are disproportionately affected by poverty and infrastructural deficits. The most urgent interventions identified are the construction of a durable home, the provision of a deep-tube well, and the installation of sanitation facilities. The estimated cost of these interventions ranges between USD 2,076 and USD 2,923. Addressing her needs would not only improve the immediate survival and dignity of her family but would also create pathways for her daughters to pursue education, health, and eventual socio-economic mobility.
1. Individual and Family Needs
1.1 Key Findings at the Family Level
Lubna Begum lives in a fragile and unsafe home with her three daughters, without the support of a husband. Her role as the sole provider places an immense strain on her health and well-being. The daughters are of marriageable age, yet the family’s financial instability and the poor state of their household prevent her from arranging their marriages, a culturally significant milestone that requires not only financial resources but also dignified living conditions20250920002548125.
Her income, derived from housework in the homes of others, is irregular and low. This situation leaves the family unable to cover essential costs such as school fees, medical treatment, or food security. The daughters’ education has already been compromised, with Lubna struggling to pay for materials and fees, leading to irregular attendance. Compounding these difficulties, Lubna suffers from severe back pain and other health problems for which she has no access to treatment. As a result, her capacity to sustain work is declining, increasing the vulnerability of her household.
1.2 Methodology for Family-Level Data
The data presented here were collected through a direct household interview conducted in September 2025 as part of The People’s Voice field documentation. The interview was structured around the themes of household composition, income and livelihoods, health, education, and access to basic services. Observations of living conditions were supported by the testimonies of local community members, who confirmed the family’s vulnerabilities and lack of access to essential infrastructure.
2. Regional and National History of the Issue and Need
2.1 Regional Context
Laxmipur District, located in the coastal belt of southeastern Bangladesh, faces widespread socio-economic challenges linked to poverty, gender inequality, and the absence of resilient infrastructure. In rural areas such as Banchanagar, the absence of durable housing and basic WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) facilities is common. Female-headed households are particularly disadvantaged, as women’s access to income-generating opportunities remains restricted to low-paid, insecure work such as domestic labor. This vulnerability is further exacerbated by the limited reach of social protection mechanisms in rural districts (World Bank, 2023).
2.2 National Context
At the national level, Bangladesh has made remarkable progress in reducing poverty and improving access to essential services. However, significant gaps remain. Approximately 20.5% of the population lives below the national poverty line, with rural poverty concentrated among households headed by women (World Bank, 2022). Although the country has achieved near-universal access to improved drinking water, safe sanitation remains a pressing issue: 28% of rural households still lack safely managed sanitation facilities (UNICEF, 2023). Housing insecurity also persists, as many rural families live in makeshift structures that cannot withstand seasonal flooding or cyclones. Female-headed households, such as that of Lubna Begum, are among the most excluded from formal housing and WASH development programs.
2.3 Alignment of Needs
Lubna’s circumstances align closely with national policy frameworks such as the Eighth Five-Year Plan (2021–2025), which emphasizes rural poverty reduction, women’s empowerment, and the expansion of housing and sanitation programs. Her situation also highlights the urgent need to advance Bangladesh’s commitments under the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 1 (No Poverty), SDG 5 (Gender Equality), and SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation). By investing in interventions such as housing and WASH for vulnerable female-headed households, national and international actors can simultaneously meet immediate humanitarian needs and advance long-term development objectives.
3. Methodology
This needs assessment combines qualitative data from direct interviews with secondary data from national and international development sources. The purpose is to contextualize household-level findings within broader regional and national development frameworks, ensuring that individual needs are aligned with systemic interventions.
4. Needs Assessment Findings
4.1 Family Needs
Lubna and her daughters require immediate interventions to secure their basic human rights to shelter, water, sanitation, education, and healthcare. A durable home would provide them with safety and dignity, reducing their social exclusion and creating a stable foundation for the daughters’ future. Access to a deep-tube well would guarantee safe drinking water, reducing exposure to waterborne diseases and the daily burden of fetching water from unreliable sources. Sanitation facilities are equally critical, not only for health but also for the dignity and security of Lubna and her daughters. Alongside these, access to medical treatment is essential to address Lubna’s chronic pain, which directly undermines her ability to work and support her family.
4.2 Existing Resources and Gaps
The family currently relies solely on Lubna’s income from domestic work, which is inadequate to meet even subsistence needs. While the community provides limited informal support, such as awareness of her condition, no formal resources are available to her through government housing schemes, healthcare subsidies, or WASH projects. This absence of formal safety nets highlights a systemic gap in social protection coverage for female-headed households in rural areas.
5. Resource Requirements
The cost of addressing these needs has been calculated based on local market estimates in September 2025.
- The construction of a durable house is estimated between 200,000 and 300,000 Bangladeshi Taka, equivalent to USD 1,695–2,542 at the prevailing exchange rate (118 BDT/USD).
- The installation of a deep-tube well would require approximately 15,000 BDT, or USD 127.
- A toilet or sanitation facility is estimated at 30,000 BDT, or USD 254.
The total investment needed for a comprehensive intervention for Lubna’s household therefore ranges from USD 2,076 to USD 2,923. This figure covers building materials, labor from local masons, and the installation of basic sanitation and water systems.mp).
6. Conclusion
The case of Lubna Begum exemplifies the urgent human needs still present in rural Bangladesh. Intervening with safe housing, clean water, and sanitation will not only improve immediate living conditions but also enhance long-term health, dignity, and future prospects for her daughters. Addressing these needs also aligns with Bangladesh’s commitments under SDG 1 (No Poverty), SDG 5 (Gender Equality), and SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation).
7. Appendices
- Interview Transcript (ALO, September 2025)
- Field notes, Banchanagar, Ward No. 2]
8. References
- World Bank. Bangladesh Overview. 2023. https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/bangladesh/overview
- UNICEF – Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) – Bangladesh https://www.unicef.org/bangladesh/en/water-sanitation-and-hygiene UNICEF
- UNDP – National Human Development Reports of Bangladesh / Gender & Poverty related publications https://www.undp.org/bangladesh/publications/national-human-development-reports-bangladesh UNDP
