Statistics Wing of Planning Division

Statistics Wing functions under Planning Division of the Ministry of Planning. According to the allocation of business of the Government of Bangladesh, all matters relating to official statistics are being looked after by this Statistics Wing. This Wing works under the policy guidance and supervision of the Ministry of Planning through Planning Division.

Functions of the Statistics Wing

Statistics Wing mainly looks after the promotion, development and co-ordination of statistics, elimination of duplication of efforts in statistical field and organizational matters of Bangladesh Bureau Statistics (BBS). This Wing assesses statistical requirement for the country in line with international standards, provides general guidelines of statistical activities and designates statistics collecting agency. In addition, this Wing looks after the service matters of the BCS (Statistics) Cadre Officers of the Government and provides support to the National Statistical Council (NSC).

Attached Departments

Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics is a directorate of the Statistics Wing with the following organizational set up:

· Headed by a Director General

· BBS has 7 functional Wings and several on going development projects.

· Total strength of BBS is 3942, of whom 2048 persons working in field offices.

Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics is entrusted with the responsibility of collecting, collating and dissemination of statistical data required for socio-economic development and policy formulation of the Government.

BBS collects statistics on agriculture and industrial production, price and wages, international trade, health and demography, transport and communication, energy and finance, labour force and environment and other social sector statistics. Besides periodical surveys, BBS conducts three major censuses viz (i) Population and housing census, (ii) Agriculture census and (iii) Economic census on a decennial basis.

BBS implements its statistical programmes and activities through the various subject mater wings. The functions of the wings are as follows:

National Accounting Wing

National accounts estimation is a core activity of National Accounting Wing. This Wing compiles GDP, GNI and other national accounts aggregates at current and constant prices. This Wing is also engaged in following regular activities :

· Compilation of foreign trade statistics

· Compilation of consumer price indices (CPIs)

· Collect data and compile producer’s prices of agriculture and manufacturing goods

· Compilation of various indices, such as QIP, BMPI, HRI, WRI, LPI, FFI, UPI for exports and imports etc.

Census Wing

The main functions of this Wing are to conduct population and Housing Census, Agriculture Census and the Economic Census on decennial basis.

Industry and Labour Wing

The major activities of the Industry and Labour Wing are to conduct annual survey on manufacturers (CMI) and Labour Force Survey (LFS) after every two years. The survey on manufacturers covers all manufacturing establishments of the countries employing 10 or more workers.

Agriculture Wing

This Wing engaged in collection of data on production and acreage of agricultural crops. About 110 various major and minor crops production data are collected.

Health and Demography wing

This Wing is involved to carryout Health and Demography Survey after every two years. Data of this survey are being disseminated in the form of a report. Some special ad-hoc studies and surveys are also conducted by this Wing. The special studies are:

· Survey on morbidity and reproduction health

· Survey on disability

· Survey on Child Nutrition etc.

Computer Wing

It is a service matter wing of BBS. The main job of this wing is to process of data of various censuses and surveys undertaken by different subject matter wings of the BBS.

Finance, Administration and MIS Wing

There are three distinct roles of this wing which are (i) prepare annual budget proposals in consultation with the different Wings of BBS for allocation and expenditure controls (ii) Administer field management of 500 Upazilas and 23 Regional Statistical Offices and (iii) MIS activities. The MIS included reproduction, documentation and publications of reports and printing of forms etc.

Ad-hocd Surveys and Activities

BBS also conducts various ad-hoc surveys, pilot and case studies as per users needs and for its own purposes. The most recent surveys, pilot and case studies are the following:

· Integrated Business Enterprise Survey (IBES)

· Household Investment Survey (HIS)

· Survey on Non-profit Institutions

· Pilot construction survey

· Survey on Fisheires Activities in Bangladesh

· Survey on livestock and poultry activities in Bangladesh

· Survey on forestry, horticulture and nursery

· Survey on stock of assests, level of depreciation and size of employment in various sub-sector of transport sector etc.

Modality of Statistical Works

The National Statistical Council (NSC) headed by Hon’ble Minister for Planning is the high powered policy making body in the field of statistics at the national level. This committee is constituted with 17 members from various Ministries, departments, research organizations and stakeholders. Besides the NSC, there are 7 Standing Technical Committee (STC) which are providing technical and advisory supports for improvement as well as implementation of statistical programmes on different subject matter areas. The Standing Technical Committees are as follows:

· STC on Agriculture Statistics

· STC on Industry Statistics

· STC on Population, Health and Demography

· STC on National Accounting

· STC on Foreign Trade Statistics

· STC on Labour, Wage and Price Statistics

· STC on Sample Survey

Coordination Between Data Producers and Users

BBS has a good coordination of works with various stateholders, research organizaitons, universities, processional organizations including chamer of commerce and inustries. They are very much involved in BBS statistica programmes and activities. Time to time workshops / seminara are organized with data producers and usera. As a part of coordination the following approaches are followed:

· Holding workshop / seminar

· Conduct Inter-Ministry / department meetings

· Communication with various concerned organization by letter, fax, telephone etc.

Manpower Development

BBS has a Staff Training Institute engaged in manpower development of BBS. This Institute imparting in service training to the field and head quarter staff. Generally the follwing courses are offered by Staff Training Institute:

· Refresher course for mid-level occicers and orientation course for new recruitees

· Mid and logterm couxes on general statisitcs and statitical activites of BBS

· Special courses are also offered particularly on national accounts, sampling and survey methods etc.

Data Dissemination and Publication of BBS

BBS primarily deiseminates statistical data in form of Monthly, quarterly and annual repost. Data are provided to the users in the form of compuer print out, in floppies and CD-ROM. The major types of BBS publication are as follows: