Former Finance Minister M Syeduzzaman has raised question about data quality of Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS)—the national statistical agency.
“Data produced by the BBS is not dependable and may be politically motivated,” he said at a dialogue on National Level Implementation Challenges of 2030 Agenda arranged by Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) in the city yesterday.
“It is important to make BBS independent and autonomous and to keep it out of political influence.”
In reply to him, Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal, who was present at the event, offered outsourcing for producing data.
“I often faced this question. They don’t believe in our method. But I am empowered to work with you all.”
Media earlier reported that a lowerthanexpected provisional estimate of the country’s economic growth for the fiscal year 2014, done by the BBS, evoked deep dissatisfaction in the planning ministry.
The government revised its economic growth target downward to 6.5% from 7.2% because of long spell of political unrest centering on January 5, 2014 parliamentary polls.
According to BBS, GDP growth stood at 6.01% in FY14. At that time, World Bank (WB) has projected 5.4% GDP growth in FY14 as the economy suffered a loss of US$1.4bn due to the January 5, 2014 poll related political turmoil.
Asian Development Bank ADB) forecasted 5.7%, International Monetary Fund below 6% during the period.
