The United States has urged Bangladesh to make government procurement contract information publicly available as part of a series of recommendations to improve fiscal transparency.
Washington has also called for budget documents to be prepared in line with international standards and for Bangladesh’s supreme audit institution, the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), to be given the level of independence required under international standards.
The observations and recommendations were made in the 2026 Fiscal Transparency Report published by the US Department of State on Tuesday.
The report said fiscal transparency is essential for effective public financial management, helping boost market confidence, maintain global economic stability and ensure a level playing field for US businesses.
It also strengthens government accountability by making public information on budgets and spending, the report said. The US Congress requires the annual assessment to help ensure that US taxpayers’ money is properly used in foreign assistance.
Of the 139 governments and one entity assessed this year, 73 met the minimum requirements for fiscal transparency. While 67 failed to meet the minimum standards, 14 of them showed significant progress.
Interim government made progress
The report said the interim government made significant progress in fiscal transparency in 2026 by publishing its year-end financial statement on time.
It said the government continued to follow the previous administration’s budget formulation and implementation processes while taking some important reform measures to improve fiscal transparency.
The State Department noted that the government had published its executive budget proposal and approved budget online.
Although the documents did not fully meet international standards, the budget information was generally reliable, while information on government debt was readily available to the public.
The budget documents also provided a reasonably clear picture of planned government revenue and expenditure, including income from natural resources, according to the report.
Gaps remain
The US, however, identified several shortcomings in Bangladesh’s fiscal transparency.
The report said the budget did not provide a breakdown of operating expenses for executive offices. It also failed to provide a fully comprehensive picture of government revenue and expenditure in all areas.
The State Department said the CAG had not achieved the level of independence required under international standards, limiting its ability to properly scrutinize government accounts.
On public procurement, the US acknowledged that Bangladesh has an electronic government procurement (e-GP) system in place but said access to the system and the availability of procurement-related information could be further improved.
US recommendations
The report recommended that Bangladesh:
- Publicly disclose basic information on contracts related to natural resource extraction
- Ensure actual revenue and expenditure are consistent with the approved budget
- Provide adequate funding and necessary autonomy to the CAG
- Ensure the CAG can audit the full annual budget on time without undue interference
The United States said implementing these measures would help strengthen fiscal transparency and accountability in Bangladesh.
