Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) has started the second phase collection of data (May 15-24) from the field level for the country’s third Economic Census with an aim to portray a more realistic picture of the booming industrial and services sectors.
The field-level collection of data will continue till May 24.
The BBS launched the second phase field-level collection of data at a function held at the BBS auditorium on Wednesday, reports UNB.
Planning Minister AK Khandker was the chief guest while Statistics and Informatics Division Secretary M Nojibur Rahman the special guest at the function, chaired by BBS Director General Mostafa Kamal.
Project Director of the Economic Census, 2013 M Dilder Hossain made a power-point presentation on the overall activities of the Census where he showed that the second phase activities would be conducted in 27 districts including Dhaka.
Earlier, the 1st phase of the Economic Census was conducted in 37 districts from April 15 to 24 this year.
M Dilder Hossain also informed that some 82,112 district census coordinators, zonal officers, supervisors and data collectors are being engaged in the entire Economic Census, 2013.
Speaking on the occasion, Planning Minister AK Khandker urged all involved in the census process to work with sincerity, honesty and integrity and to collect accurate information for the sake of better outcome of the Economic Census, 2013.
Replying to a question, Statistics and Informatics Division Secretary M Nojibur Rahman said that the preliminary findings of the census are expected by the yearend while the Post Enumeration Check (PEC) of the Census would be done by an independent agency.
To create awareness among the stakeholders about the Census, different committees have been formed in city corporations, districts, upazilas, pourashavas and at union parishad level.
The economic census has been gathering information about nearly every business to publish a directory of business statistics.
In Bangladesh, the economic census is supposed to be conducted every ten years on a local to national level to provide data concerning products, sales, industries, economic activities, investment, employers, and employees.
The BBS has been collecting data through a 27-point questioner on the type of economic activities of the business units, type of the manufactured products or services, type of ownership, equity, sales and accounting practices.
The state agency is also focusing on production methods of firms, involved workforce and their wages, safety and health condition of workers.
With an estimated cost of Tk1.94bn being entirely borne by the GoB fund, the Economic Census, 2013 project is likely to be completed by June 2016 by the BBS, Statistics and Informatics Division and the Planning Ministry.
The BBS conducted the first Economic Census in 1986 and the second one was done in two phases in 2001 and 2003.
During 1986 to 2003, the number of business establishments grew by 3.3 percent a year. The number of establishments rose to 3.70m in the 2001-2003 Census from 2.16m in 1986.