IN spite of substantial economic growth of the country during the last decade and some laudable initiatives to help the poor, a large section of population still face acute poverty and hunger. According to an estimate, about 36 million people still live below the poverty line. Bangladesh has set a target of achieving millennium development goals where eradication of poverty and hunger has been placed as the topmost aim. Along with the creation of employment opportunities through increased investment in production and services sectors the government has introduced some laudable measures like emergency relief operations, vulnerable group feeding, old age support, stipend for girl students, food for education and works, special works programmes in Monga-stricken areas. But poverty alleviation is too difficult a target to be achieved unless overall economic development of the country reaches a certain level. A clear understanding of the dynamics of poverty is indispensable to eradicate it from the society. A study on 1,800 households over a period of eight to fourteen years revealed some new findings as to how some households came out of poverty and why some of them remained trapped in it. It was found that improvement in poor people's livelihood tends to occur gradually while it declines abruptly. Families extremely vulnerable to unexpected shocks like illness, payment of dowry, wedding expenses and, most importantly, floods suddenly slide down to the poverty line. Legal dispute is another strong cause of poverty for rural people. Eradication of poverty cannot be accomplished by the government alone. The whole society, particularly its affluent sections, should come forward in the fight against poverty. A society cannot be peaceful if millions of people remain trapped in poverty.