Government pledges accurate statistics, rejects misinformation in policymaking.
Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury today said the government will not allow any distortion or misinformation in official statistics, asserting that accurate data is essential for formulating sound public policies.
“This government will not do anything that creates confusion over information. There is no scope for such misinformation under this government,” he said.
The Finance and Planning Minister said this at a press meet after the closing ceremony of the three-day national conference titled “Navigating Five Year Strategic Framework for Achieving SDGs: Policy, Partnership and Priorities” at the Bangladesh China Friendship Conference Center (BCFCC) here in the capital.
Responding to a journalist’s question about the latest inflation figure of 8.32 percent for July and alleged public concerns over its accuracy, Amir Khosru said the government is committed to ensuring that accurate information is provided.
“Rather, we are asking the concerned authorities to provide us with accurate information so that we can work accordingly. If the government does not receive correct information, how can it formulate policies?” he said.
He said he had personally checked some of the data, including information showing that rice and meat prices had declined.
The minister said the government had repeatedly reviewed and verified the relevant information before the latest inflation data was released.
“We checked the information several times and held a number of meetings. The new inflation data has been provided correctly,” he said.
The finance minister said accurate statistics are particularly important for the government to take appropriate policy decisions.
State Minister for Planning Md. Zonayed Abdur Rahim Saki said the government would hold discussions with journalists in the future on how inflation is measured and calculated.
“We will have detailed discussions with journalists on how inflation is measured and will present the entire process before you. You will then be able to understand the government’s commitment to ensuring the reliability of information, and we will answer more of these questions,” he said.
The three-day conference concluded today after discussions involving policymakers, experts and stakeholders on Bangladesh’s five-year strategic framework and implementation of the SDGs.
