They also said that lack of employment is the main factor behind poverty and suggested setting up agro-based industries to eradicate poverty from the society.

People's Forum on MDGs (PFM) in cooperation with Campaign for Popular Education (CAMPE) organised the roundtable on 'Independent Civil Society Report (draft) on the progress of MDGs in Bangladesh' at LGED auditorium in the city.

"Government should pay more attention to the education sector because poverty would not be eliminated without removing ignorance. At present the enrolment rate of girl students is higher than boy students because government has introduced different programmes encouraging female education while many boy students are getting involved in different odd jobs for helping the family," said Dr M Asaduzzaman, research director Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS).

"Poverty rate has decreased but rate of malnutrition is high because people of low-income group don't eat different food items while the rich do not have sufficient knowledge," he said while presenting the keynote paper at the roundtable.

Mohammad Qamar Munir, joint secretary of environment and forest ministry, said necessary scientific steps especially dairy development, poultry farming, meat production and livestock and food production should be highlighted for eradicating poverty and hunger from the society.

Ahsan Uddin Ahmed, executive director of Centre for Global Change (CGC), said country's wetlands, a source for many people to maintain their family, are in a precarious state and the situation is degrading rapidly.

CAMPE Director Rasheda K Choudhury presided over the roundtable while CAMPE Programme Manager Sayed-Ul-Alam Kajal also participated.