They said the civil society members could play a vital role in raising awareness about the rights of the ultra-poor people.

Brac Advocacy and Human Rights Unit organised the workshop titled 'ultra-poor programme and participation of the civil society' at Brac Centre Inn auditorium in the city.

Programme coordinator of Brac Rabeya Yasmin said different government and non-government organisations are implementing various programmes that are mainly micro credit programme to reduce poverty. But 31 per cent people in the country are ultra poor people who are always out of the micro credit coverage.

To make the ultra poor self-reliant, Brac took a programme titled 'challenging the frontiers of poverty reduction: targeting the ultra poor', she said.

Abdul Muid Chowdhury, executive director of Brac, said apart from creating awareness among the people, cooperation from all walks of life is needed to reduce poverty from the country.

He urged the local government and wealthy people of the society to extend their helping hands for the ultra poor who are leading a miserable life.

M Hafizuddin Khan, former advisor of caretaker government, said poverty can be completely eliminated if the government initiate proper project for the ultra poor and there has to be a strong commitment among the government and the NGO's.

Famous TV personality and lawmaker Asaduzzaman Noor said monga, a famine like situation, occurs in the northern districts as most of the people in that part of the country are landless and do not have any work for two months. Moreover there is no income generating industry in that area so that they get an opportunity for work.

Praising Brac's programme he suggested that mere loan is not enough to reduce poverty, there should be a close monitoring system, as the poor people do not know where to use the money.

Afsan Chowdhury, director of Brac AHR Unit, Tajul Islam Chowdhury, a lawmaker of Kurigram and Dr Mezbah Uddin, member of Planing Commision also spoke.