Government Will Not Engage in Any Form of Misinformation: Minister Amir Khosru

Photo: Collected

News Desk: Government Will Not Engage in Any Form of Misinformation: Minister Amir Khosru

Emphasizing that ensuring transparency in information is one of the government’s key priorities, Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury said that the current government would not engage in any form of misinformation. He said accurate data and statistics are essential for formulating public policy.

Referring to the confusion or “misinformation” allegedly provided to the public through data from the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) in the past, the Finance Minister said there would be no scope for such practices under the current government. He said, “This government will not do anything that creates confusion over information. There will be no opportunity for inaccurate information under this government. Rather, we are asking them (BBS) to provide accurate information so that we can work. Because if the government does not receive accurate information, on what basis will we formulate policies?”

He made the remarks while responding to questions from journalists at a press conference held after the closing ceremony of the three-day national conference titled “Navigating Five-Year Strategic Framework for Achieving SDGs: Policy, Partnership and Priorities” at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre (BCFCC) in the capital on Wednesday (August 12).

The minister said he had personally verified some of the data, including information regarding declines in the prices of rice and meat. He also said that the relevant data had been reviewed and verified several times before the latest inflation figures were released.

Amir Khosru said, “We verified the data several times and held several meetings. The new inflation figures have been provided accurately.”

The Finance Minister particularly emphasized the importance of accurate statistics for ensuring proper policy decisions by the government.

State Minister for Planning Md. Zunaid Saki said that journalists would be briefed in detail in the future about how inflation is measured and calculated.

He said, “We will present the entire process of how inflation is measured to you. Then you will understand the government’s commitment to ensuring the reliability of its data, and we will answer further questions of this nature.”

The three-day national conference concluded on Wednesday following discussions among policymakers, experts, and relevant stakeholders on Bangladesh’s five-year strategic framework and the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).