He said these things while speaking as the chief guest at an event organized on the occasion of BBS Day at the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) auditorium on Sunday.
Amir Khosru said the most important asset of a government is information or data. Without reliable information, it is not possible for any government to formulate and implement correct plans. Therefore, the government is emphasizing ensuring the reliability, transparency, accessibility and measurability of statistics.
He said BBS is being given full independence. Necessary decisions have been taken to advance the institution's activities and their implementation is underway. The government has also taken into consideration the issue of BBS's staffing shortage; some staff have already been provided, and more will be provided in the future.
The Finance and Planning Minister said that without democratization of the economy, political democratization will not be effective. For this, BBS's activities must be made more people-oriented. The credibility, reliability and transparency of information must be ensured so that no kind of doubt is created in people's minds.
He also said openness of information must be increased. The more information is made open, the more people's opinions and reactions will be received. This will create opportunities to identify where mistakes are being made and make necessary corrections. Access to information must be ensured for all—researchers, policymakers and ordinary people.
Highlighting the importance of digital infrastructure and artificial intelligence (AI), the minister said digital infrastructure must be built to ensure effective use of information. In the days ahead, digital infrastructure and AI will play an important role in the government and citizens moving forward.
