Khulna:A discussion meeting marking National Statistics Day 2026 was held at the conference room of the Khulna Divisional Commissioner's Office this morning. Khulna Divisional Commissioner Md Abdullah Harun attended the program as the chief guest.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the theme of this year's observance was "Reliable and Accessible Statistics: The Foundation of Sustainable Development and Planning." During the meeting, the chief guest emphasized the importance of statistics in policymaking and decision-making, highlighting their role as essential tools for research, planning, and implementing activities in both public and private sectors. He stressed the need for reliable statistics to assess key national indicators such as gross domestic product (GDP), inflation, agricultural production, and overall economic development.
The chief guest urged all concerned parties to exercise greater awareness and responsibility in collecting and providing information, emphasizing the necessity for data to be truthful, objective, and accurate. The meeting was presided over by Joint Director of the Divisional Statistics Office Md Abdul Alim, with Associate Professor Dr Md Menhazul Abedin of the Statistics Discipline at Khulna University attending as a special guest. Deputy Director (in-charge) of the District Statistics Office Md Ayub Hossain presented a paper at the meeting, which was also attended by officials from various government departments.
The discussion highlighted three major censuses conducted by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS): the Population and Housing Census, Agriculture Census, and Economic Census. These are generally conducted every 10 years, with additional censuses undertaken as necessary. Notably, the BBS recently carried out the Navigation Census 2026 at the request of the Ministry of Shipping. Major BBS surveys include the Household Income and Expenditure Survey, Labour Force Survey, Manufacturing Industries Survey, Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey, and Sample Vital Registration Survey.
National Statistics Day was observed across the country today, as its scheduled date, October 20, coincided with a government holiday.