By Sharmin Rima, Md. Mahir Faysal, Abdullah Al Mamun, Khadija Akter Sonia, Hossna Tasmia Monia, Anika Tahseen Nuva, Ahbab Mohammad Fazle Rabbi, Abdullah-Al-Mamun & Mohammad Hossain

The Universal Pension Scheme (UPS) was introduced in Bangladesh in August 2023 to address economic security concerns for its growing older adults. Despite the government’s numerous promotional efforts, the response rate to UPS remains modest. This study aimed to investigate awareness of the UPS among the Bangladeshi population. The study’s sample size was 1624, and the respondents were from the 18-50 age group from seven administrative divisions in Bangladesh, utilizing a cross-sectional study design. The findings revealed that 47.7% of respondents were aware of the UPS. The analysis showed that awareness significantly varied according to respondents’ age, education, gender, religion, household incomes, place of residence, and administrative divisions. Findings from bivariate logistic regression indicated that older age groups, men, individuals with higher education, those from higher-income households, and residents of the Khulna region had lower odds of awareness. These findings highlight the need for targeted promotional strategies, including community outreach programs, social gatherings, diverse advertising platforms, and mobile service delivery, to effectively reach youth, individuals with lower education and income levels, and various geographical areas.

Source SSRN