Income loss and wellbeing during COVID-19 lockdown in rural Bangladesh: Evidence from large household surveys

TY - JOUR

T1 - Income loss and wellbeing during COVID-19 lockdown in rural Bangladesh: Evidence from large household surveys

AU - Rahman, Tabassum

AU - Ahmed, Firoz

AU - Pakrashi, Debayan

AU - Siddique, Abu

AU - Islam, Asad

PY - 2021/2/28

Y1 - 2021/2/28

N2 - We conducted a large household survey immediately after the lockdown was imposed in response to COVID-19 outbreak in Bangladesh. We then followed up a random subset of households to examine the changing circumstances of rural households as the pandemic evolves. We find that nearly 90 percent of these households experienced a negative income shock. Households that had lost their income completely were more worried about their finance and food, while households with no income loss were mostly concerned about the health of their family members. We also find evidence that households where day laborers are the main income earners mostly rely on loans and help from others to cope with the shock. The overall findings suggest that households experiencing severe negative income shocks were less concerned about the health of their family members, which could further exacerbate the COVID-19 situation as the economic crisis has been deepening over time.

AB - We conducted a large household survey immediately after the lockdown was imposed in response to COVID-19 outbreak in Bangladesh. We then followed up a random subset of households to examine the changing circumstances of rural households as the pandemic evolves. We find that nearly 90 percent of these households experienced a negative income shock. Households that had lost their income completely were more worried about their finance and food, while households with no income loss were mostly concerned about the health of their family members. We also find evidence that households where day laborers are the main income earners mostly rely on loans and help from others to cope with the shock. The overall findings suggest that households experiencing severe negative income shocks were less concerned about the health of their family members, which could further exacerbate the COVID-19 situation as the economic crisis has been deepening over time.

M3 - Article

JO - Bangladesh Development Studies

JF - Bangladesh Development Studies

ER -