The government has launched a new version of the SDG Tracker to monitor the national programmes integrated with Sustainable Development Goals (SGDs), which is considered as the first of its kind in the world.
A workshop on the launch of the new version of the SDG Tracker and VNR (Voluntary National Review) data validation was held at the headquarters of the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) in Agargaon, Dhaka.
Lamiya Morshed, chief coordinator (SDG Affairs) of the Chief Adviser’s Office, inaugurated the event as the chief guest. Special guests included Quayyum Ara Begum, member (secretary) of the Planning Commission, and Aleya Akhter, secretary of the Statistics and Information Management Division. UNICEF Bangladesh’s Deputy Representative for Operations, Farook Adrian Doomun, also attended as a distinguished guest. The session was presided over by BBS Director General Mohammed Mizanur Rahman.
Commending BBS’s efforts, Lamiya Morshed emphasised the need for professionalism and integrity in data management. She highlighted that the upgraded SDG Tracker—jointly developed by BBS and the Aspire to Innovate (a2i) Programme—would facilitate easier data access, real-time analysis, and an accurate representation of Bangladesh’s SDG progress on the global stage.
Dr Quayyum Ara Begum stressed the need for coordinated efforts among ministries, departments, and agencies to achieve SDG targets. She expressed confidence that the new tracker would effectively present Bangladesh’s progress, challenges, and future strategies.
Aleya Akhter praised BBS for its role in producing and preserving reliable statistics, noting that the SDG Tracker would help identify marginalised communities and analyse inequality.
Farook Adrian Doomun underscored the importance of data-driven policymaking for inclusive development and reaffirmed UNICEF’s commitment to supporting BBS in achieving a just and sustainable future. In his concluding remarks, BBS Director General Mohammed Mizanur Rahman outlined BBS’s responsibility for tracking 111 out of 248 SDG indicators. He expressed optimism that continued support from the government, organisations, and researchers would further enhance the tracker’s effectiveness.
Bd-pratidin English/ Afia
