Maiden MICS launched with UNICEF support

A maiden study called Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) begins in Bangladesh soon to measure levels of blood lead, heavy metal, micronutrient and anemia of children, for remedial actions.
Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) will start the MICS: Round 7 survey this month and roll out preliminary data within June and the final findings in October next year (2025).
The UNICEF is facilitating technical and financial support to the BBS for the MICS. The survey was launched Tuesday at a function in Dhaka with State Minister for Planning Md Shahiduzzaman Sarkar in the chair.
With BBS Director-General Mohammad Mizanur Rahman presiding, Statistics and Informatics Division Secretary Dr Shahnaz Arefin, UNICEF Country Representative Sheldon Yett and Md Masud Alam, Director, BBS, spoke on the occasion.
MICS is a detailed survey on children and women where 200 indicators will be reflected.
The BBS will conduct survey on some 68,000 samples (households) across the country, including the Rohingya camps, to get socioeconomic and health data of the children and women.
Officials at BBS said the national statistical agency has conducted the survey for last 30 years but "for the first time it is going to collect data on blood lead level, heavy metal, and anemia of children and mothers".
In addition to the eight divisions, BBS will conduct survey in Dhaka North and South City Corporations and the Rohingya camps to assess the socioeconomic condition.
This survey will be helpful for evaluating the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the 8th five-year plan of the country.

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