The health and wellbeing impacts of Covid-19 among rural households in Bangladesh

To curb the spread of the Covid-19 Bangladesh started a countrywide lockdown from late March 2020, which resulted in business closure and disruption of economic activities bringing the livelihood of millions of people, particularly those in the low-income groups, to a virtual halt. Food insecurity and job loss seem to have traded places with illnesses and virus-related deaths due to isolation and the lockdown of markets amidst poor institutions and lack of social safety nets in developing countries such as Bangladesh. The adverse effects of such a countrywide lockdown may extend beyond income shocks and food insecurity and may also affect people’s mental health and overall wellbeing. Adherence to the guidelines prescribed by the government agencies may be lower among the poor and those residing in rural regions due to their lack of education and awareness, thereby making them particularly susceptible to the spread of Covid-19. This project aims to examine the health and socio-economic effects of Covid-19, lockdown, and social distancing in the southwest region of Bangladesh.