Upgrading the statistical system

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Statistical accuracy continues to be a fault-ridden exercise in Bangladesh. The Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), central official body for collecting statistical data for the use by the government, prepares statistical information in different spheres. But sometimes, the data, gathered by other government agencies or private organisations, is found to be in conflict with that of the BBS. This discrepancy painfully shows up the general problem of depending on official statistical information and the hazards involved in responding on the strength of such information.
The complete overhauling of the statistical system of the country was stressed in an international seminar sometime ago. It was participated in by representatives of 16 countries including those from the USA, UK, Australia, India, Pakistan and Singapore. The seminar was sponsored by a leading private university of Bangladesh and attended by the Governor of the Bangladesh Bank and other distinguished professionals. The participants in the seminar stressed the point that only a dependable statistical environment can help us take correct development initiatives for business growth.
They judged the prevailing statistical system in Bangladesh as archaic and inadequate and, therefore, underlined the importance for enhancing the facilities for statistical inference drawing, distribution theory, and formation of probability models, prediction and survival analysis, bio-statistics, bio-informatics, business statistics, reliability theory, quality control analysis etc., as soon as possible.
The authority concerned, in the government, should examine such feedbacks to take comprehensive steps to upgrade country's the statistical system.

Farid Ahmed
Dighirpar, Comilla.