Published: 01:23 AM, 23 June 2026
Govt working to build transparent, reliable data system: Zonayed Saki
State Minister for Planning Zonayed Abdur Rahim Saki on Monday said the government is working to establish a transparent, reliable and modern data management system to support evidence-based policymaking and accelerate the country's development process. "We want to ensure maximum transparency in data management and make information more accessible for research and policymaking," he said.
Saki was addressing an event on the 'Stakeholder Sensitization Workshop on Microdata Analysis Lab of BBS' at the NEC Conference Room in the city, reports BSS.
The workshop was organised under the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA)-supported Capacity Building of Statistics Services Based on Platform (CBSSP) project.
Zonayed Saki said the government is taking steps to strengthen the country's statistical system so that development planning, implementation and evaluation are based on accurate and dependable information.
He noted that questions had been raised in the past regarding the reliability of certain data and statistics.
To address those concerns, he said, the government is working to build a system where there is no scope for manipulation in the collection, analysis and publication of data. "The government wants to ensure that decisions on important issues such as GDP, poverty, population, economic census and social protection programmes are taken on the basis of credible information," he said.
The state minister said quality data are essential for measuring development progress, identifying policy gaps and determining necessary corrective actions.
Highlighting ongoing reforms, he said, the government is formulating a policy on data use to facilitate wider access to information while safeguarding privacy and security.
According to him, institutional users may be charged a fee for access to certain datasets, while special provisions are being considered for students to enable them to use data free of cost or at a reduced cost. Zonayed Saki said the newly established Microdata Analysis Lab at BBS marks a significant step towards modernising the country's statistical services and promoting evidence-based research.
He expressed hope that the facility would strengthen public confidence in official statistics and help transform BBS into a modern national data service institution.
The state minister also stressed the importance of protecting personal information, saying research data would be made available without compromising individual privacy or sensitive information.
Chair of the event, secretary of the Statistics and Informatics Division Firoz Sarkar said, the Microdata Analysis Lab is a major milestone in making BBS services more modern, secure and user-oriented.
BBS Director General (acting) Mohammad Obaidul Islam and KOICA Bangladesh Country Director Jihoon Kim also spoke at the programme.
Representatives from government agencies, development partners, universities, research institutions, media organisations and BBS attended the workshop.
