The Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) has initiated a project worth BDT 18 crore 65 lakh 30 thousand to conduct five surveys across the industrial and services sectors. Of the total budget, nearly half—BDT 9 crore —will be allocated to travel and transportation, while a mere 5%, or BDT 92 lakh, will be dedicated to the core survey activities.
The nationwide survey will cover key areas such as manufacturing industries, cottage industries, wholesale and retail trade, as well as the hotel and restaurant sectors. Recently approved by the Planning Ministry, the project is set to be completed by December 2027.
However, Planning Commission officials have raised concerns about the necessity and feasibility of conducting separate surveys for these sectors, especially in light of the ongoing nationwide economic census, which began on December 10 of the previous year.
Documents show that the BBS has allocated significant portions of the project budget for various expenses, with 4.4%, or BDT 82 lakh, earmarked for honorariums and entertainment. Travel and transportation costs will total BDT 5 crore 40 lakh over 36 months, accounting for 2.7% of the overall budget. Additionally, around 5% will be spent on seminars, venue rentals, and advertising. The largest share—over 47% of the total budget—amounting to BDT 8 crore 77 lakh 40 thousand, will go towards travel and transportation. Training costs will reach BDT 2 crore 55 lakh 40 thousand, or 14% of the budget, while consultancy and software expenses will amount to nearly BDT 1 crore.
The core activity of conducting the surveys is allocated just BDT 92 lakh 10 thousand, which is only 4.94% of the total project cost.
A senior former official of the BBS has pointed out that projects under the revenue budget are often prioritized to capitalize on potential cost increases in areas such as vehicle rentals, transportation, and procurement. Sources indicate that during a meeting of the project evaluation committee, Planning Commission officials recommended that such projects be implemented under BBS’s revenue budget.
In response, BBS officials assured that the surveys outlined in the proposed project would be institutionalized and regularly conducted under the revenue budget after successful implementation.
Planning Commission officials have also cautioned that the new project should not overshadow the ongoing economic census.
BBS clarified that the survey will adopt industry classifications aligned with the United Nations' International Standard Industrial Classification (ISIC) for sectors such as manufacturing, wholesale and retail trade, and hotels and restaurants. The aim is to produce and publish updated statistics for these industries.
BBS further noted that the last surveys for the hotel and restaurant sector, wholesale and retail trade, and manufacturing industries were conducted in 2021, 2020, and 2019, respectively.
BBS officials have said that the project to conduct several key surveys has been launched through an integrated process, aimed at addressing the irregular execution of such surveys under the revenue budget in the past. These surveys, previously not conducted on a regular basis, have now been included in the project due to their recognized importance.
Zahid Hussain, former lead economist of the World Bank's Dhaka office, emphasized that regular surveys, such as those on key statistics, labor force, and household income and expenditure, should be managed through the revenue budget.
Additional costs in such projects often arise from office furnishings, vehicle rentals for staff, consultancy firms, and procurement activities, he added.
Translated by ARK/Bd-Pratidin English
