Authors :
M. M. Islam; M. M. Rahman; M. E. K. Eusufzee; M. S. Khan; M. J. Monowar
Volume/Issue :
Volume 11 - 2026, Issue 7 - July
Google Scholar :
https://tinyurl.com/y6r3bk25
Scribd :
https://tinyurl.com/3h2dxnmx
DOI :
https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/26jul1609
Note : A published paper may take 4-5
working days from the publication date to appear in PlumX Metrics, Semantic Scholar, and
ResearchGate.
Abstract :
Social Safety Net (SSN) programmes are central to poverty reduction, income security, human capital
development, and social inclusion in Bangladesh. However, targeting errors, administrative fragmentation, delayed benefit
delivery, weak accountability, and limited inter-agency coordination continue to constrain programme effectiveness. This
study assessed the influence of local administrative coordination on SSN benefit delivery in Bangladesh. A mixed-method
research design was adopted. Data were collected through a questionnaire-based survey conducted from January to
March 2026 among 240 respondents from eight Upazilas in eight districts, covering all eight administrative divisions and
representing coastal, haor, Barind, and plain-land contexts. The survey was complemented by key informant interviews,
focus group discussions, and field observations. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, correlation, regression, and
paired-sample t-tests. The findings indicated that the enhancement of coordination between Upazila administration, Union
Parishad and line departments had a significant impact on the delivery of the SSN. There were statistically significant
differences between mean scores of overall effectiveness before and after the coordination improvements (p < 0.05) (from
13.39 to 16.08 respectively). There was also an improvement observed in the timeliness of benefits delivery (13.25-15.10),
the efficiency of the procedures (13.07-15.13), the accessibility of the services (12.19-14.29) and the satisfaction of the
beneficiaries (13.33-15.49). Other improvements included better transparency, more equitable benefits distribution, better
resource use and grievance redress mechanisms.
Keywords :
Social Safety Net; Local Administrative & Coordination.
References :
- General Economics Division, Planning Commission, Government of Bangladesh, National Social Security Strategy of Bangladesh, Dhaka, 2015.
- Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, Household Income and Expenditure Survey 2022: Final Report, Statistics and Informatics Division, Dhaka, 2023.
- Finance Division, Ministry of Finance, Government of Bangladesh, Social Security Budget Report 2025–26: Journey towards an Equitable Society, Dhaka, 2025.
- World Bank, “Social Safety Nets in Bangladesh Help Reduce Poverty and Improve Human Capital,” Washington, DC, 2019.
- World Bank, “Improving the Transparency and Efficiency of Safety Nets for the Most Vulnerable in Bangladesh,” Washington, DC, 2020.
- International Labour Organization, World Social Protection Report 2024–26: Universal Social Protection for Climate Action and a Just Transition, Geneva, 2024.
- K. G. Moazzem and A. S. M. S. A. Shibly, Estimating Gap of the Social Safety Net Programmes in Bangladesh, CPD Report No. 39, Centre for Policy Dialogue, Dhaka, 2023.
- M. A. Razzaque, J. Rahman, E. Hasan, A. I. Salim, M. M. Hassan, and K. S. Ali, Dynamics of Targeting Errors in Bangladesh’s Social Protection Programmes, RAPID Working Paper, Dhaka, 2025.
- Z. R. M. A. Kaiser, N. Uddin, and M. Yaqub, “Governance of the Social Safety Net in Bangladesh: A Study on the Employment Generation Programme for the Poorest,” Indian Journal of Public Administration, vol. 69, no. 2, pp. 330–344, 2023.
- S. Devereux and R. Sabates-Wheeler, Transformative Social Protection, IDS Working Paper No. 232, Institute of Development Studies, Brighton, 2004.
- World Bank, “World Bank Helps Bangladesh Modernize Cash Transfer Programs for the Poor,” Washington, DC, 2018.
- Government of Bangladesh and UNDP, Social Security Digital Cash Transfers: Strengthening Government-to-Person Payments in Bangladesh, Social Security Policy Support Programme, Dhaka, 2019.
- J. W. Creswell and V. L. Plano Clark, Designing and Conducting Mixed Methods Research, 3rd ed. Thousand Oaks, CA, USA: SAGE Publications, 2018.
- J. Schoonenboom and R. B. Johnson, “How to construct a mixed methods research design,” Kölner Zeitschrift für Soziologie und Sozialpsychologie, vol. 69, suppl. 2, pp. 107–131, 2017.
- M. D. Fetters, L. A. Curry, and J. W. Creswell, “Achieving integration in mixed methods designs—Principles and practices,” Health Services Research, vol. 48, no. 6, pp. 2134–2156, 2013.
- L. A. Palinkas, S. M. Horwitz, C. A. Green, J. P. Wisdom, N. Duan, and K. Hoagwood, “Purposeful sampling for qualitative data collection and analysis in mixed method implementation research,” Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research, vol. 42, no. 5, pp. 533–544, 2015.
- R. Likert, “A technique for the measurement of attitudes,” Archives of Psychology, vol. 22, no. 140, pp. 1–55, 1932.
- Student, “The probable error of a mean,” Biometrika, vol. 6, no. 1, pp. 1–25, 1908.
- N. Carter, D. Bryant-Lukosius, A. DiCenso, J. Blythe, and A. J. Neville, “The use of triangulation in qualitative research,” Oncology Nursing Forum, vol. 41, no. 5, pp. 545–547, 2014.
- V. A. Thurmond, “The point of triangulation,” Journal of Nursing Scholarship, vol. 33, no. 3, pp. 253–258, 2001.
- L. J. Cronbach, “Coefficient alpha and the internal structure of tests,” Psychometrika, vol. 16, no. 3, pp. 297–334, 1951.
Social Safety Net (SSN) programmes are central to poverty reduction, income security, human capital
development, and social inclusion in Bangladesh. However, targeting errors, administrative fragmentation, delayed benefit
delivery, weak accountability, and limited inter-agency coordination continue to constrain programme effectiveness. This
study assessed the influence of local administrative coordination on SSN benefit delivery in Bangladesh. A mixed-method
research design was adopted. Data were collected through a questionnaire-based survey conducted from January to
March 2026 among 240 respondents from eight Upazilas in eight districts, covering all eight administrative divisions and
representing coastal, haor, Barind, and plain-land contexts. The survey was complemented by key informant interviews,
focus group discussions, and field observations. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, correlation, regression, and
paired-sample t-tests. The findings indicated that the enhancement of coordination between Upazila administration, Union
Parishad and line departments had a significant impact on the delivery of the SSN. There were statistically significant
differences between mean scores of overall effectiveness before and after the coordination improvements (p < 0.05) (from
13.39 to 16.08 respectively). There was also an improvement observed in the timeliness of benefits delivery (13.25-15.10),
the efficiency of the procedures (13.07-15.13), the accessibility of the services (12.19-14.29) and the satisfaction of the
beneficiaries (13.33-15.49). Other improvements included better transparency, more equitable benefits distribution, better
resource use and grievance redress mechanisms.
Keywords :
Social Safety Net; Local Administrative & Coordination.