Dhaka: The Finance Division today unveiled the 3rd Public Financial Management (PFM) Reform Strategy 2025-2030, signalling a decisive shift in Bangladesh's fiscal governance by widening the focus toward building institutional strength, clearer outcomes, accountability, and improved service delivery. Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed formally launched the strategy at a high-profile ceremony attended by secretaries, senior government officials, heads of constitutional bodies, and key development partners.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the new framework provides a comprehensive roadmap to strengthen fiscal discipline, manage rising public risks, and ensure better value for money at a time when Bangladesh faces mounting pressure from climate change, global economic volatility, and expanding public expenditure needs, said a press release. While launching the PFM Reform Strategy 2025-2030, Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed emphasized transparency, accountability, and the quality of public services, urging officials to accelerate implementation of the strategy.
The launching ceremony was organized under the Strengthening Public Financial Management Program to Enable Service Delivery (SPFMS) at the multipurpose hall of the Finance Division. Finance Secretary Dr Md Khairuzzaman Mozumder presided over the event, joined by Comptroller and Auditor General of Bangladesh Md Nurul Islam and World Bank Division Director for Bangladesh and Bhutan Jean Pesme as special guests. Dr Ziaul Abedin, Additional Secretary (Budget-1) and National Program Director of SPFMS, delivered the welcome address, and Suraiya Zannath, Lead Governance Specialist at the World Bank, also spoke on the occasion.
In his remarks, Finance Secretary Dr Khairuzzaman Mozumder acknowledged the collective efforts of officials, line ministries, constitutional bodies, development partners, and technical experts in shaping the comprehensive strategy. Comptroller and Auditor General Md Nurul Islam highlighted the importance of fiscal discipline, modernizing financial processes, and strengthening governance to deliver efficient and transparent public financial services.
World Bank Division Director Jean Pesme praised Bangladesh's progress through reforms like iBAS++ and the digitalization of pension systems, while noting ongoing challenges related to institutional capacity, fiscal management, and public debt. He emphasized the need to address these issues alongside strengthening regulatory quality, governance, and corruption control to sustain credible projects and long-term fiscal stability.
The 2025-2030 framework is structured around 15 reform pillars covering fiscal sustainability, revenue mobilization, public investment management, treasury and debt management, procurement, internal and external oversight, digital transformation, and capacity building. For the first time, the strategy fully mainstreams climate-smart PFM, gender-responsive budgeting, and sector-specific financial management reforms for health, education, and social protection.
Resilience is a central theme of the strategy. With Bangladesh's tax-to-GDP ratio among the lowest in the region and fiscal exposure increasing through SOE liabilities and contingent risks, the document places strong emphasis on improved macro-fiscal forecasting, integrated debt management, and transparent reporting of fiscal risks. The strategy also focuses on institutionalization and implementation, noting that the success of the next reform phase will depend on sustained political commitment, stronger coordination across agencies, and continued investment in public sector capacity.
As Bangladesh moves toward upper-middle-income status, the new PFM Reform Strategy positions public finance as a cornerstone of economic governance, equity, and public trust.