Commerce reporter:
Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury today said the government aims to democratise the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) and transform it into a fully independent, reliable, credible and transparent institution to ensure evidence-based policymaking and strengthen economic governance.
“We want to ensure full independence for the BBS so that it can perform its responsibilities without any interference. We have already taken decisions in this regard and are moving towards their implementation,” he said.
The finance minister made the remarks while addressing a discussion as the chief guest marking the National Statistics Day 2026, organised by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) and the Statistics and Informatics Division, at the BBS auditorium in the capital.
The Statistics and Informatics Division and the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) jointly organised the programme under the theme “Reliable and Accessible Statistics – The Foundation of Sustainable Development and Planning”.
Political Adviser to the Prime Minister and Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Planning Ministry Zahir Uddin Swapon, Adviser to the Finance and Planning Ministries Dr. Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir, and State Minister for Planning Md. Zonayed Abdur Rahim Saki spoke as special guests.
Secretary of the Statistics and Informatics Division Md Firoz Sarker chaired the programme.
BBS Director General Md Shamimul Haque delivered the welcome address, while BBS Director Kabir Uddin Ahmed made a presentation on the modernisation of the national statistical system and its future plans.
Professor Dr Syed Shahadat Hossain of Dhaka University and President of the Bangladesh Statistical Association (BSA), and BIDS Director General Dr A K Enamul Haque also participated in the discussion.
Khosru said reliable and accessible statistics form the foundation of sustainable development, effective planning and sound government policies.
“The most important asset on a government’s balance sheet is data. Without accurate data, there is no scope for moving forward,” Amir Khosru said, stressing the need to strengthen the country’s statistical system and ensure the availability of credible information.
Emphasising the importance of economic democratisation alongside political democratisation, he said empowering and democratising the BBS remained one of the government’s key objectives.
“We may achieve a certain level of political democratisation, but political democracy cannot function effectively without economic democratisation. That is why empowering the BBS and making it more democratic is essential,” he said.
The minister said the government wanted to make official statistics more people-oriented, measurable, transparent and trustworthy so that people could have confidence in the information produced by the national statistical agency.
He cautioned against any attempt by a government to manipulate statistics for political or administrative purposes.
“If a government manipulates data, it is deceiving itself. It is essentially making itself believe something that is not true. Such practices undermine the very programmes and policies that the government wants to implement successfully,” he said.
Explaining the need to review historical statistics, Amir Khosru said the government had undertaken a forensic examination of past data to identify inconsistencies and understand the underlying problems.
“We have to go deep into the disease to find a solution. Unless we understand where the problems lie, we cannot begin the journey towards correcting them,” he said, adding that the review should not be viewed merely as an exercise to identify the shortcomings of the previous government.
He said access to reliable data enables governments to formulate appropriate policies, researchers to conduct meaningful studies and authorities to identify disparities and take corrective measures.
The minister also underscored the importance of implementing existing policies rather than merely formulating new ones.
“Bangladesh has adopted many policies, but implementation remains the biggest challenge. This time, we are placing emphasis on implementation,” he said.
Highlighting the importance of digital infrastructure, he said a modern and effective statistical system would require strong digital foundations. Referring to his recent visit to South Korea, he said digital infrastructure plays a crucial role in enabling governments and citizens to move forward.
He also referred to the government’s vision of introducing a ‘One Citizen, One Wallet, One Card’ system, saying reliable and integrated information would remain essential to ensuring transparency in such initiatives.
The finance minister said the government wanted to expand open access to statistical information and research findings to encourage public scrutiny, feedback and independent research.
“Nothing should remain closed. We have to move towards open access. The more we make information accessible, the more feedback and responses we will receive. This will help us identify our mistakes and make necessary corrections,” he said.
Referring to the inauguration of a research centre, he said the government also wanted to make its research facilities and information available online to facilitate wider access.
He stressed that statistical information should not be treated as the exclusive property of the government, as it ultimately belongs to the people and serves the interests of society as a whole.
“Data may be collected through government initiatives, but its ownership belongs to everyone. We must work together to ensure its proper use,” he said.
Amir Khosru also thanked BBS officials and employees, particularly those working at the field level, for their dedication and cooperation in overcoming institutional challenges and aligning their activities with the elected government’s development programmes.
He said the government was also considering the manpower shortages and other operational challenges facing the BBS. The government had already taken some steps to address these issues and would take further measures, he added.
The minister expressed confidence that collective efforts by government officials, statisticians, researchers and other stakeholders would help establish a democratised, independent and transparent statistical system that would support evidence-based policymaking and national development.
