Six factors are deepening vulnerabilities in Bangladesh which are the main barriers for the country to attain the core aspiration of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) -- "leave no one behind" -- by 2030, says a new study of Centre for Policy Development (CPD).

The six factors are lack of access to quality education, wide infrastructure gaps, social discrimination, shocks particularly climate-induced ones due to geographical location, various forms of insecurity and lack of quality and disaggregated data.

CPD Distinguished Fellow Dr Debapriya Bhattacharya led the team of researchers.

The report titled "Quest for inclusive transformation of Bangladesh: Who not to be left behind" will be revealed on December 13 at a daylong citizens' conference on SDGs in Bangladesh 2017 in the capital.

Towfiqul Islam Khan, a research fellow of civil society think-tank CPD, acted as principal researcher of the team. The six factors were identified through focus group discussions.

According to the study, the vulnerabilities are underpinned low income status, lifecycle phenomena, adverse location, gender discrimination, civil identity problems, physical and mental disabilities and social stigma.

It said increasing income inequality is aggravating the problems and the asset inequality is increasing even faster.

The observed economic growth has been regrettably coupled with a growing number of disadvantaged and marginalised people.

Determining who is being left behind in Bangladesh by the term "vulnerability", the report used 12 vulnerability criteria to identify and assess vulnerable groups. The criteria are income, gender, geographic location, lifecycle, civil identity, disability, education and skills, health, occupation, religion and ethnicity, sexual orientation and shock-induced vulnerability.

"…addressing the vulnerability of those left behind in the traditional socio-economic growth process is a political economic task," it said.

Income poverty contributes significantly towards vulnerability and that people who meet more vulnerability criteria are more vulnerable in terms of income. Income poverty, occupation, educational attainment and age are highly correlated with higher vulnerability according to the vulnerability index.

The study, however, said poverty, education and inequalities are adequately addressed by policies, while lifecycle-based vulnerable groups are most frequently addressed by policies.

But it said delayed implementation of key policies taken in favour of the disadvantaged is not helping the situation.

Besides, policies addressing groups affected by climate shock-induced vulnerabilities are not proactive, while certain vulnerable groups like Dalit community, other minority ethnic groups and religious minorities remain excluded from policies.