Undoctored inflation data from now on: Salehuddin
The interim government's finance and planning adviser, Dr Salehuddin Ahmed, announced on Tuesday that actual inflation and GDP data will be published from now on, with no alterations or manipulation. He emphasised that controlling inflation will be a top priority for the government.
Speaking after a meeting with key officials from the Planning Commission, Planning Ministry, and the Statistics and Information Management Department at the NEC Conference Room, Dr Salehuddin acknowledged the impact of recent shutdowns on the supply chain, which has driven up the cost of living. However, he noted that prices for some products have started to decrease and could continue to drop if the situation normalises.
"We are deeply concerned about inflation," Salehuddin said. "The supply chain is broken. How does a Tk 6 aubergine at the farm level end up costing Tk 80 at the retail level? We will focus on market monitoring to address this."
He also addressed the issue of extortion from goods-laden trucks, urging those involved to stop such practices.
Prioritising emergency projects
Dr Salehuddin said that funding will be allocated only to essential projects to avoid stagnation, with a focus on those that offer significant benefits with minimal expenditure. He assured that from now on, there will be no misinformation regarding economic indicators, and the Bureau of Statistics will be scrutinised to ensure accurate reporting.
Business and livelihood projects will continue, while decisions on large-scale or mega projects will be made in future meetings.
Curbing waste of foreign funds
The adviser also highlighted the need to curb wasteful spending, particularly concerning foreign funds. "We must ensure transparency and accountability in all expenditures," he said. "Nothing will be approved without these conditions."
Regarding the annual programme implementation, Dr Salehuddin pointed out inefficiencies, such as project directors managing multiple projects simultaneously, which leads to unnecessary expenditures. He stressed the need for a thorough review of project responsibilities and spending, especially in areas related to climate and environmental initiatives.
