Infaq for Sustainable Development: The Pathway to Achieving No Poverty and Zero Hunger in Bangladesh

Abstract

The objective of this paper is to identify the role of ‘Infaq’ in alleviating poverty and hunger in Bangladesh. Therefore, this research introduces the Infaq supported ‘One to One Employment Model’ to eliminate poverty and hunger in Bangladesh. The study also finds out the challenges in Infaq model execution in Bangladesh. The study applied a mixed-method, i.e., qualitative and quantitative approach including primary and secondary data. The primary data was collected following the semi-structured interviews, while quantitative data has been presented from the secondary sources. The terms "poverty" and "hunger" are conceived in light of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals, whereas the notion of "Sadaqa" is derived from the Holy Quran, Hadith, and Fiqh. The research draws on labour market statistics for the 2019–20 session collected by the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank from employers, job seekers, and the agricultural and service sectors in Bangladesh. In Bangladesh, the infaq of a fully employed person may lead to self-employment in the service and agricultural sectors for an estimated 26 lakh unemployed people and 1.30 crore partially unemployed people. It can be implemented by the direct participation of the Local Government Administration, initiated as ‘One to One Employment Model". However, the qualitative results reflect that there could be some challenges, such as lack of interest, lack of practicing Muslims, complicated social structure, and lack of coordination. To overcome these challenges, the researchers have also presented some recommendations from the participants in semi-structured interviews.