BBS opens microdata lab for researchers, policymakers

The Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) has launched a microdata analysis lab to provide researchers, students, economists, and policymakers with secure, on-site access to fully anonymised census and survey data.

The lab was introduced at a stakeholder workshop held at the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) in Dhaka. The event was organised under the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA)-supported Capacity Building of Statistics Service Based on Platform project.

A microdata analysis lab is a dedicated, highly secure physical facility where qualified users can access and analyse raw, individual-level statistical data collected from national censuses and socioeconomic surveys.

The raw data will remain restricted within the lab. Only vetted outputs—such as tables, graphs, code, and analytical results—will be released after review.

State Minister for Planning Zonayed Saki attended the launch event as the chief guest, while Statistics and Informatics Division Secretary Md Firoz Sarkar presided over the programme. KOICA Bangladesh Country Director Jihoon Kim joined as a special guest, and BBS Director General (acting) Mohammad Obaidul Islam delivered the welcome remarks.

“Reliable statistics and rigorous analysis are increasingly vital for policymaking and development planning,” Saki said, adding that the lab would position BBS as a modern national data service provider.

The Statistics and Informatics Division Secretary described the lab as a “milestone in modernising BBS’s services,” stressing the need for clear standard operating procedures and swift output reviews.

According to a statement released by the BBS today, the organisation plans to introduce a data migration and dissemination system, microdata catalogues, metadata, and online access by 2027.