Debapriya Bhattacharya urges govt officials to disclose actual data without fear

Officials of the previous government could not release accurate data due to political pressure, said head of the White Paper Drafting Committee Debapriya Bhattacharya.

They were helpless in the past but can release all actual data now, the economist told reporters following a meeting with various organisations at the Nazia Salma conference room of the Planning Commission in Sherebangla Nagar in the capital today (17 September).

He said the estimators of GDP, National Income, Inflation and ADP have very weak material foundations. How these things are calculated will be investigated.

“We will sit with the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics regarding the matter,” added Debapriya.

He also said all original contract documents of all types of contracts, including those for energy, will be scrutinised.

The meeting was attended by representatives of 24 organisations that produce, serve and evaluate government information, including Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS), National Board of Revenue (NBR), Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA), Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA), Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC), Ministry of Agriculture.

At this time, the member of the white paper drafting committee Dr Mostafizur Rahman, Dr Celis Raihan and others were present.