RETHINKING MULTIDIMENSIONAL POVERTY IN BANGLADESH: HOW DO WEIGHTS INFLUENCE THE MAPPING?

The complexity of poverty is widely acknowledged, as it involves various contributing factors. This study centers on implementing the modified Alkire-Foster methodology to establish a multidimensional poverty index. Utilizing data from the 2019 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey, encompassing three dimensions and ten well-being indicators, the analysis demonstrates that considering all indicators (n = 10,352) with no missing cases yields a multidimensional poverty index of 0.150. However, when incorporating missing cases as non-deprived individuals (n = 59,066), the index decreases to 0.104. Furthermore, utilizing modified principal component analysis, the poverty index is assessed at 0.260 (n = 10,352). The study’s findings suggest that individuals in rural areas, particularly those headed by males, experience heightened deprivation compared to their counterparts.