Planning Minister MA Mannan on Sunday called for delivering the truth in statistics ignoring the questions raised by different quarters to prove the ability of the country's economic growth.
"Give the real truth, don't hide anything … give proper statistics," he said, adding that reform of data collection has been carried out to make the process reliable in the light of 21st century.
The government has proved its ability and will be able to continue it, the minister said while launching the National Strategy for the Development Statistics (NSDS) Implementation Support Project at a city hotel.
Echoing the same, World Bank Acting Country Director Dandan Chen also underlined the need for reliable, timely and quality data as well as access to the data to stimulate the community in the growth.
"As Bangladesh has the aspiration to become a middle- income country, statistics is important. It needs evidence-based policymaking and gets continuous result of development," the WB acting head said while speaking at the ceremony as the special guest.
Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics in association with the World Bank organised the launching ceremony after completion of the first phase of NSDS to start its implementation stage through a project.
Among others, secretary of Statistics and Informatics Division Saurendra Nath Chakrabhartty and Director of UN Statistical Institute of Asia Pacific Ashish Kumar also spoke on the occasion. Director General of BBS Dr Krishna Gayen presided over the launching session.
The planning minister said the government is sincere in delivering the truth in statistics for which poverty slab has started breaking.
People may raise questions about statistics, he said and urged all concerned to ignore those and work hard to reach the goals.
NSDS Project Director Dildar Hossain in his keynote paper highlighted the features of the new global concept for a comprehensive, inclusive, pragmatic and nationally owned policy framework for National Statistical System of the country.
"It will harmonise statistical activities of the NSS, develop systematic data reporting mechanism and partnership between the BBS and national and international stakeholders, data users and media."
After consultation with all stakeholders, he said, reforms have been planned to improve the capacity of BBS through developing skills and expertise of workforce.
Producing official statistics in a transparent and timely manner has been prioritised in the NSDS for all kinds of users, he added.
NSDS will collect data to improve economic, industrial, labour and agricultural statistics as well as environment, education, poverty and demography and health statistics.
Under the new initiative, a dissemination policy for core statistics, release calendar, review of statistical activities to identify gaps and redundancies will be made.
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