Background of the project:

 

In order to sustain the success of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) as well as to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), the Government of Bangladesh has adopted various social security programs aimed at effectively alleviating poverty on a priority basis in addition to multiple developmental programs. At present, around 150 social security programs are being implemented with the main beneficiaries being the poor and backward communities. All these social security programs conducted by various ministries are playing an important role in poverty alleviation of the country. More than 2 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has been allocated to this sector consistently in the last few years. In the financial year 2008-2009, the total allocation for this sector was 13 thousand 845 crores, currently in the financial year 2017-18 the amount of allocation for this activity is 25 thousand 371 crores.

 

Beneficiary identification of all these social security programs has been a major challenge in the past due to lack of any unified or integrated approach. By overcoming all these challenges, the importance of a single and integrated approach in selecting the beneficiaries of the programs is immense. In this context, the "National Household Database Project" has been adopted under the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics under the Ministry of Planning to prepare a "National Household Database" containing household-wise socio-economic and demographic information for the purpose of properly selecting the beneficiaries of the social security program and avoiding duplication.

 

This activity is another important step in the implementation of the current government's vision 2021 and this data bank will be created using the latest technology, which will play a major role in the overall development of the country including the development of the people at all levels. Under this program;

 

• Data collectors at the field level will collect the necessary information from each house through ICR (Intelligent Character Recognition) method questionnaire.

 

• The data collected from the field level will be given a score indicating the socio-economic status of each household using the modern statistical method Proxy Mean Test (PMT);

 

• After preparing the database, various ministries and departments will use the information through the modern Management Information System (MIS) to undertake various development activities including the selection of beneficiaries of the social security program.

 

In order to implement the program correctly and regularly, data will be collected directly on the basis of interviews from all the khanas of Bangladesh, i.e. about 3 crore 60 lakh khanas in three phases. In the first phase, the data collection work of all districts of Barisal and Rangpur Division and Jamalpur, Sherpur and Mymensingh Districts of Mymensingh Division has already been completed.

 

In the second phase, the preparatory work zonal operation has been completed for the purpose of collecting information from all the districts of Chittagong and Dhaka Division and Netrakona District of Mymensingh Division and all the Khanas of 25 districts. From 14th January to 02nd February 2018, the basic data collection program of Khana will continue in the said districts. In this phase, data will be collected from about 1,60,15,000 houses in 200 upazilas of 25 districts including all districts of Dhaka, Chittagong division and Netrakona district of Mymensingh division. In the third and last phase, census activities will be conducted in the districts of Sylhet, Khulna and Rajshahi divisions.

 

Objective of the project:

• This database will help to get a complete understanding of the socio-economic picture and development progress of the country which will be used as a necessary aid in undertaking various development programs;

• This database will be used as an important and reliable aid in poverty alleviation and other services to be delivered quickly to the doorsteps of the people through the proper implementation of the various social security programs undertaken by the government;

 

  Project implementation and management:

 

• The National Household Database (NHD) project is being implemented through the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) under the Department of Statistics and Information Management, Ministry of Planning.

 

• Various committees are working to provide inter-ministerial coordination and policy-making decisions, proper implementation of the project, supervision and guidance and supervision and advice on various technical aspects of the project.

 

• In addition to BBS's own manpower, officials/employees of other government departments working at the field level have also been involved in this work during data collection.

 

• Enumerators and supervisors will be recruited from local educated youth/young women on the basis of merit for data collection from each Khana and preference will be given to female candidates in recruitment.

 

• The standing committee formed at the division, district, city corporation and ward, municipality, upazila and union levels will provide necessary support during data collection for the successful implementation of census activities.

 

• Mass publicity is undertaken at national and local level to motivate the public to provide accurate information in census work. Mikeing, postering, distribution of leaflets, banner hanging, campaigning through various religious and educational institutions and district level rallies will be organized for local campaigning. Apart from this, newspaper advertisements (local and national newspapers), TV and radio (spots, scrolls, jingles and PSAs) for national promotion, rallies and beautification of road islands, local and national.