Bangladesh is set to conduct its 4th Economic Census this year to gain insights into the changing structure of the national economy. Scheduled under the Economic Census 2023 project, this initiative will span from July 1, 2023, to December 31, 2025, with a budget of approximately Taka 579.52 crore, fully funded by the government. Administrative approval for the project was granted on October 1, 2023.

An inaugural workshop for the project took place at the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) auditorium, chaired by BBS Director General Mohammad Mizanur Rahman. Key figures such as Dr. Shahnaz Arefin, Secretary of the Statistics and Informatics Division, and Khan Md Nurul Amin, Chief of the General Economics Division (GED), delivered speeches emphasizing the importance of the endeavor.

The preparatory phase, including zoning operations, economic unit listings, and workforce selection, will occur between January and October 2024. Data collection is slated for November-December 2024, utilizing the Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI) method, with post-census activities continuing throughout 2025.

The project aims to gather vital information such as establishment counts, economic activity breakdowns, workforce demographics, and business registration statuses. The country has been segmented into 130 census districts and 2,600 zones, with personnel selected for various coordination roles. The success of the census is crucial for future government planning and policymaking.