Seven-member committee re-examining BBS data, methodology
22 July 2026, 00:00 AM
Md Asaduz Zaman
The ongoing forensic audit of key official statistics disclosed during the previous governments, including gross domestic product (GDP) and the consumer price index, is likely to be completed this month, according to an official.A seven-member committee, led by Statistics and Informatics Division (SID) Secretary Md Firoz Sarker, is carrying out the audit on data produced by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS). The panel includes five government officials and two Dhaka University professors.Once completed, the report will be submitted to Prime Minister’s Finance and Planning Adviser Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir. The audit comes after debate over Bangladesh’s official economic growth figures during the Awami League government.The interim government had formed an expert taskforce to assess the quality, transparency and accessibility of official statistics. After taking office, the BNP-led government said it was prioritising an in-depth investigation and review to determine whether any official data had been incorrect or distorted.
The committee is reviewing historical GDP and consumer price index data, cross-checking BBS figures against the Bangladesh Bank records to verify sector-wise estimates
