DHAKA, Jan 16, 2019 (BSS) – The government has evolved as a tracker in order to make visible the statistical data and information for attaining the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as well as ensuring balanced allocation of its limited resources.
The Access to Information (a2i) Programme under the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) has developed this tracker which will also be used for measuring and monitoring the progress towards implementation of SDGs.
In 2015, under the guidance of the United Nations, countries adopted a set of goals to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure prosperity for all as part of a new sustainable development agenda.
The a2i Programme, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) and the General Economics Division (GED) of the Planning Commission have been jointly ensuring apply of this SDGs tracker taking alongside the all concerned Ministries.
This was revealed at a consultative workshop on SDGs tracker organized jointly by the a2i programme and BBS held at the BBS auditorium in the city’s Agargaon area.
Principal Coordinator on SDG Affairs at the Prime Minister’s Office Md Abul Kalam spoke on the occasion as the chief guest chaired by Secretary of the Statistics and Informatics Division Saurendra Nath Chakrabhartty.
Country Director of UNDP Sudipto Mukherjee, Director General of BBS Krishna Gayen and Director of a2i project Mostafizur Rahman spoke among others.
The a2i head of results management Dr Ramiz Uddin and Deputy Director of BBS M Alamgir Hossain presented the key-note paper on SDGs tracker.
Speaking on the occasion, Md Abul Kalam Azad said one of the major catalysts towards attaining the SDGs is taking data and information-based decision as well as allocation of priority-based resources.
“An effective, information-based integrated SDGs monitoring structure can play a major role towards attaining the SDGs,” he added.
He underscored the need for making the SDGs tracker more effective, more visualized scheme, user friendly for all as well as demand-based.
“Besides, there is also a need for updating data maintaining qualitative standard,” The Principal Coordinator on SDG Affairs also directed the officials concerned to discharge their duties keeping pace with the level of development and advancement of the country.
Azad said if the 10 special initiatives of the Prime Minister could be implemented properly, then it would be possible to attain many more things of the SDGs.
Statistics and Informatics Division Secretary Saurendra Nath Chakrabhartty said SDGs tracker is a time-befitting step towards building ‘Digital Bangladesh’ adding that the BBS and the Statistics and Informatics Division would continue to work with a2i to monitoring implementation of SDGs through SDGs tracker.
UNDP Country Director Sudipto Mukherjee said that the UNDP has been extending technological support to a2i for successfully facilitating the SDGs tracker.
He also opined that the SDGs thematic area should have to be analyzed to use SDGs tracker as a progress tracking and reporting platform.