Integrated socio-economic database

Developing the much needed database on a broad spectrum of socio-economic conditions is a welcome initiative on the part of the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS). Though belated, this drive, given its benefit across a whole range of activities by the public and the private sectors, calls for utmost attention of all those involved. However strange it sounds, the fact is that there is no broad-based socio-economic database to plan any development programme in a methodical manner. This has been starkly reflected in so many of the state-run activities based mostly on off-hand surveys and botched-up implementation mechanisms. Observers believe that a good number of state policies on socio-economic uplift did not properly materialise for want of authentic and updated information.
It has been reported that in the first ever national household census scheduled to kick off in April this year, socio-economic status, particularly economic stratification of the masses in various regions and income brackets will figure prominently. More importantly, such database, if worked out with accuracy, will surely provide invaluable inputs to obtain a clear and precise understanding of the socio-economic conditions, such as poverty level, employment situation and a host of other critical areas. Information on rural and urban labour force, income patterns and seasonal shifts in income, return from rural farming, concentration of poverty in specific regions, inequalities in income etc., are some of the key information that should be well addressed in the data base. Obviously, for this to happen, the concerned authorities will have to apply their prudence in framing the required questionnaire for the census.
The country-wide household census project, mostly funded by the World Bank and executed by the BBS, is reportedly being designed to progress phase-wise and region-wise. A total of 150,000 people will be involved with the head-and-home count and collating the data. The BBS sources have stated that the entire population will be brought under the database. This is for the first time the BBS is using electronic-device for interviewing people. Scheduled to be completed by 2017, the project will be spread across eight phases.  The World Bank (WB) will also provide technical support in order that the data collated are as precise as possible, especially with regard to the poorer segments of the population. The WB that provides support for running $500 million social safety-net programmes (SSNPs) in Bangladesh is expected to primarily benefit from the census data in targeting the beneficiaries of the SSNPs. It has been alleged that a big chunk of the SSPN funds does not reach the target groups. The same is also believed to be the case with the government's various safety net programmes. This clearly reflects the urgency of a comprehensive database not only to identify the target groups, but also to take into account, equally important, the types of support they need. As for the government activities on poverty alleviation as well as those of the non-government organisations (NGOs), data on the area of activity will ease planning, identification of priorities and estimation of resources required.
One has to agree that the flow of state activities towards empowerment of the masses, especially the poverty-stricken rural masses, is strongly partnered by a large number of NGOs. Their programmes are widely diversified in order that such empowerment is sustained not only by sound planning but also reinforced by education, awareness building about hygiene, nutrition, training on cattle rearing, particularly buffalos and sheep in the char areas and so on. In most cases, due to the lack of comprehensive data base, they depend largely on surveys conducted by them. In order for them to be able to grasp the situation on a macro perspective and devise plans to address areas of their interest and expertise, a national database will make things much easier to identify their target groups, besides keeping them abreast of other related factors that could either be an advantage or in certain cases a deterrent to a particular programme.
Beside facilitating identification of the fields of activities, authentic data serves another purpose -- prioritising the projects. This is particularly important given the scarce resources of the country. A good deal thus depends on how well-structured the database is and how precise information can be obtained including, among others, on the associated peculiarities dependent on a variety of factors. In Bangladesh, despite the more or less similar topography, climatic conditions, crop patterns - to mention a few broad parameters - there are peculiarities particularly noticeable in the northern and southern regions, and the way such peculiarities hinge on the economic life of the people is worth noting. This is not to say that the database being worked on by the BBS will be tailor-made for the users. What is expected is that it should be able to provide the basic groundwork that all concerned, including the researchers, can find useful.
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