BBS makeover proposed: Taskforce seeks independent ‘Statistics Bangladesh’
The 8-member body suggests new name, restructuring and legal amendment to free national statistical agency from political influence
The Taskforce on Strengthening Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) has proposed renaming the agency as Statistics Bangladesh (StatBD) and restructuring it to elevate the dignity of statisticians and ensure full professional independence in releasing data.
One of the most persistent challenges undermining the BBS's credibility has been external interference in data dissemination. Despite its formal mandate to produce and publish official statistics, the timing and accessibility of key reports have often been compromised by political sensitivities, donor influence, and bureaucratic oversight. These delays, the taskforce notes, erode public trust and diminish the policy relevance of statistical outputs.
In its report to be submitted to the interim government, the eight-member task force headed by economist Hossain Zillur Rahman emphasises that external interference and funding dependencies have constrained the institutional autonomy of BBS. "Taking strategic measures to overcome these gaps in professional independence is a clear reform priority," the report states.
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Although the Statistics Act, 2013 provides a legal framework, flaws and loopholes leave BBS vulnerable to government control – particularly when data may reflect poorly on official performance. The taskforce recommends amending the 2013 Act and introducing legal safeguards to protect professional independence.
Among its key proposals are a revamped organogram, greater financial autonomy, and the establishment of an apex governing body – the Trust and Transparency Commission of Statistics – to oversee StatBD. Chaired by the planning adviser or minister, the nine-member Trust and Transparency Commission of Statistics would review and approve the annual report, audit practices, and budget of the new agency.
The report also calls for budgetary independence, with adequate allocations to support 12 core surveys – including population, agriculture and economic censuses, National Income Accounting, the Household Income and Expenditure Survey, Labour Force Survey, and Consumer Price Index. A new training academy would replace the existing training centre to enhance technical and analytical capacity.
To align with the expanded scope of work, the task force proposes doubling the number of wings from 8 to 16 and increasing cadre posts from 423 to 946, with upgraded status for senior positions. It suggests that the agency be headed by a chief statistician with special-grade status, replacing the current director general post, and introducing a new grade-1 additional chief statistician.
At the entry level, a new post of assistant statistician would be created for field offices from the division to the upazila level, with clear promotion paths. Existing Statistical Officers would be re-designated as senior assistant statisticians (grade-9). The restructuring aligns with the Public Administration Reform Commission's recommendation to eliminate disparities in cadre promotions.
"Since accurate and dependable data are indispensable for effective development planning, transforming BBS into a more robust, contemporary, and responsive national statistical agency requires comprehensive organizational restructuring," the report states.
The task force also endorses the Data Dissemination Policy 2025 and Statistical Compilation, Publication, and Preservation Policy 2025 prepared by the interim government. It recommends forming a recommendation implementation task team, headed by the planning adviser or minister, to ensure the timely execution of reforms.
Formed in April this year, the taskforce includes economists Atonu Rabbani, Fahmida Khatun, Mohammad Yunus, and Mohammad Abdur Razzaque, statistician Syed Shahadat Hossain, and population scientist Mohammad Mainul Islam.
