The International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) on Tuesday signed a letter of agreement to strengthen the country’s national migration data systems through the revision of migration modules within the Sample Vital Surveillance System (SVSS) and the development of a National Migration Data Policy.
The agreement was signed by Mohammed Mizanur Rahman, director general, BBS and Lance Bonneau, chief of mission on behalf of their respective offices.
Aleya Akter, secretary, Statistics and Informatics Division, Ministry of Planning, was present as the Chief Guest at the signing ceremony.
Others present at the ceremony included Mohammad Masud Rana Chowdhury, additional secretary, SID; Md Emdadul Hoque, director, Demography and Health Wing, BBS; Md Alamgir Hossen, focal point of SVSS, BBS; Dr Ishita Shruti, head of Migration Policy and Sustainable Development and Migration Data and Research.
The participants underscored the critical importance of reliable, timely, and comprehensive migration data to support informed decision-making and effective policy development.
Under the partnership, migration-related modules within the SVSS will be revised to enhance the regular and systematic collection of migration and mobility data. In parallel, a National Migration Data Policy will be developed to provide strategic guidance on the generation, management, dissemination, and use of migration data across relevant institutions.
Bangladesh is among the world’s largest migrant-sending countries and is increasingly affected by internal displacement and mobility associated with climate change and disasters. Despite this context, comprehensive and routinely produced migration data remain limited. Integrating migration indicators into the SVSS, alongside the establishment of a national policy framework, is expected to address existing data gaps and strengthen evidence-based migration governance.
The initiative aims to enhance national capacity to monitor migration trends, support policy formulation and development planning, and improve coordination and data interoperability among government institutions.
Implementation of the initiative is scheduled to commence in January 2026.
The European Union is supporting the initiative, reaffirming its commitment to promoting data-driven governance and sustainable development in Bangladesh.
