Twelve-year-old Uttam has taken tests of class five in 2007. He passed all with flying colors. But he started work in his father's blacksmith shop before getting his results. His father Kartik could not afford to pay for his co-worker for the reason that high price of food items. So he asked Uttam to quit school and work for him. After that his income has fallen down due to economic crisis of maximum family. He have no way to pay 3,000 taka for appoint an assistant. As a result Uttam closed his study permanently.

“I want to send my child to school. But I have no capacity to bear his Expenditure. If I send him to school, with his Expenditure I should have to pay for a Mechanic for my shop. It is not viable at this situation” says Uttam’s father.

During last one and half years Uttam is working as an assistant blacksmith in lieu of going to school. Every morning Uttam comes to his father's shop in the Mirjapur Bazaar of Gazipur district near to Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh. While his friends cross the front of his shop every morning to walk to school, Uttam focuses on his iron tools, making an ax or sickle or a crowbar. Uttam no longer aims to be a doctor or engineer, but a great blacksmith.

Uttam is not the only child in Bangladesh but also a large number of children forced out of school during last 3 years. Poor and lower middle class faced serious difficulties due to higher cost of living. They have no way to bare education expenses of their children. Stopping children from going to schools is a major symptom of the poor people’s adjustment to the price-hike as the parents find it worthier to engage their children in income generating activities.

Although prices of food item have fallen down compare to 2008, right now it is higher than 2005. Poor families have no way to return their children to school. Government also has no plan to set a program to come back the students, who were dropped out during 2006-2008. However the probable impact of global economic crisis conveying a new threat. If Bangladesh faces serious effect of global crisis, it will hit poorer segment of the society at first. As a result the trend of drop-out will arise, if the government would not take any special action.

Shamunnay, a private research organization, in a survey on 1,250 poor households finds that the rate of school dropout among the children of poor families is 54 per cent in rural areas and 49 per cent in urban areas. It shows that about 87 per cent of rural households and 75 per cent of the urban households have failed to provide their children with nutritious or quality foods. And almost 84 per cent of the female-headed families had to bring their children back from schools whereas such dropout rate is 57 per cent for male-headed households.

Soaring prices compelled around 25 per cent poorer households to reduce consumption of rice, the staple food, while others had to make adjustment by consuming lesser cooking oil and pulses, shows survey report of Shamunnay, which was published in July-September, 2008.

According to another report of Shamunnay, the food inflation for August, 2008 at 17.51 per cent for the marginal rural families and 20.32 per cent for the poor living in urban slums much higher than the figures released by the official statistical agency showing general inflation for July at 10.82 per cent.

All these findings are exposing ugly faces of poverty implying that Bangladesh’s efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals are facing serious challenges, observed existing governor of Bangladesh Bank Dr. Atiur Rahman, who was the chairman of Shamunnay that time.

Global economic crisis threatening stability of the export oriented sector of the country. Ready made garments (RMG), the main exporting sector of Bangladesh, already facing some difficulties. 25 per cent export order of this sector has reduced, according to a report of Bangladesh Garments Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA). On the other hand, Leather sector lost 30 per cent of export earning, official statistics shows. Others exporting sector like Jute, textile and frozen food are also suffering. Overall situation has created an uncertainty for about 3 millions workers of those sectors. They will face big trouble if the owners decide to lay-off the factory or cut-off their employment. Being without a job of parents will force their children to leave school.

Bangladesh Bank Governor Dr. Atiur Rahman says, “If the impact of global crisis touch Bangladesh, poor people will be the main victim. In that situation we need to work together to avoid increase of drop-out from school.”

According to statistics, during the last decade Bangladesh has achieved great success in enrollment in primary education. But a large number of them drop out before their fifth year of school. More than half of enrolled students leave school before reaching a secondary level in their education.

Basic primary education is free as far as direct costs and school books are concerned. But many indirect costs are involved as well, such as transport, uniforms, pens, pencils, and paper/notebooks. Not only are the hardcore poor, families under poverty-line and lower middle-class not able to pay for those. In addition it is need to keep a privet tutor for the child, because of recent culture.

Dr. Qazi Khalikujjaman Ahmed, President of Bangladesh Economic association (BEA) told that To go to school a child net sound food. He or she need beautiful dress. In school hours he also needs some Tiffin. Regularly he need to by paper and pen. Most of poor family has no way to bare this type of expenditure.

He said, It is says that primary education is free for all. But Government bare only 35 to 40 percent of total cost of education, what is need for a primary student. Another 60 to 65 percent pressurize to parents of the student. After admission in class one the cost of education for a child grows every year. When a student has promoted in class four or five, his family should have no way to bare his educational expenses. Then they stop child’s education and send him to earn money. They fill that, Income some money is more helpful then go to school.

Household survey of Bangladesh Bureau of statistics shows 40 percent family of Bangladesh leave under poverty line. Those families have no income to consume food to ensure 2200 calories. 25 parent of total family can not consume 1800 calories. They have no way to bare education expenses of their children. If they take admission into school, but after two or three year they leave and employed for earn money to ensure his food.

The join progress report 2005 by the government of Bangladesh and United Nations shows the primary education enrolment rate of Bangladesh is 82.7. In case of girls it is higher than boys. A recent statistics of the ministry of primary and mass education shows during last five years 97 percent children who are 6-10 years age group has admitted to primary school.

But According to a join Survey report of Government of Bangladesh and UNDP, only 67 percent student has completed primary level. MDGs progress report shows only 56 percent of children has completed the programme of education for all. A survey of peoples forum on MDGs (PFM), A NGOs network of Bangladesh, shows after admission 20 percent of student leave their education before end of primary level. By school this rate is 10 to 35. In terms of MDGs Bangladesh government’s target is to ensure primary education for all by 2015.

According to the national child Labour survey of Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), 14.2 per cent of the total 35.06 million children in the age group of 5-14 years. The total working child population between 5 and 17 years old is estimated at 7.9 million (17 percent of total 42.37 million). 70 per cent of them are joining for work only for poverty. 5 million of child labaur already close-down their education. 4.067 millions go to school with work.