The Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) faces persistent external interference in its data releases and a severe manpower imbalance, with district offices critically understaffed while senior officials remain concentrated in Dhaka, according to a government-formed taskforce.

"One of the most persistent challenges undermining the credibility of the BBS has been external interference in its data release processes," the Taskforce on Strengthening the BBS said in its report released yesterday.

Despite the agency's mandate to produce and disseminate official statistics, the timing and accessibility of key reports are often compromised by political sensitivities, donor dependencies, and bureaucratic oversight, stated the report.

"These delays not only erode public trust but also diminish the policy relevance of statistical outputs," it added.

The taskforce cited several examples, including the delayed release of the Household Income and Expenditure Survey (HIES) 2022 and the Bangladesh Sample Vital Statistics (SVRS) 2019, which reported over-optimistic fertility rate estimates.

Similarly, the Maternal Mortality Survey (MMS) has not been continued since 2016, after its findings indicated a slower-than-expected decline in maternal mortality. In another case, 2025 inflation data were announced by government functionaries ahead of the BBS's official release, undermining the agency's authority.

The report also noted that the Bangladesh Urban Health Survey 2006 was published seven years after completion, while the donor-funded National Household Database (NHD) created confusion over ownership and data custody, reflecting broader institutional vulnerabilities that compromise the credibility of official statistics.

According to the taskforce, these cases exemplify a persistent pattern: political sensitivities, obstructive bureaucratic approval structures, and over-reliance on externally funded projects have fostered a culture of delayed dissemination.

The perception persists that the BBS remains vulnerable to government interference, particularly when data could reflect poorly on official performance.

The report also flagged a serious human resource crisis, with skilled officials concentrated at the head office while field offices remain understaffed.

There are 48 deputy directors posted at the BBS headquarters in Dhaka, while the number of approved posts is only 27. In stark contrast, district offices have only 21 deputy directors, while the approved posts are 64.

The taskforce noted that a growing "institutional dynamic" has emerged in which positions such as deputy director or project director have become highly coveted career objectives.

This "project-centric" culture, the taskforce report warned, has weakened the BBS's core functions, diverting attention from household, labour, and agricultural surveys toward short-term donor-funded projects. "This culture has led to data silos, professional rivalries, and institutional memory loss."

To address these challenges, the taskforce recommended reforming the BBS's structure, introducing rotational postings, and setting up a training academy to strengthen field capacity.

It also urged the BBS to implement an open data and release policy under which all reports would follow a publicly announced calendar, free from political or bureaucratic influence, giving all users equal access. Each release would include metadata and methodological notes, and a user-friendly online portal would provide searchable and downloadable datasets.

The taskforce said these measures will strengthen the BBS's independence, promote transparency, and support evidence-based policymaking and informed public discourse.

Besides, the taskforce recommended that the BBS be renamed Statistics Bangladesh (StatBD) and be legally recognised as the National Statistical Organization (NSO).

The head of the NSO will be the Chief Statistician, a special scale post tasked with overseeing the agency's operations and reforms to strengthen the credibility and independence of official data.