Nationwide Ethnic Minority Survey Begins in October

Dhaka: 13 August 2026, Thursday.

The Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) is set to launch a nationwide special survey to assess the socioeconomic conditions and poverty status of ethnic populations in the country. For the first time, a full household-based database will be established through the "Ethnic Survey 2026", with field data collection scheduled from 1 to 25 October.

The announcement was made at a stakeholder consultation workshop held in Dhaka on Thursday, 13 August 2026. Experts noted that this independent nationwide survey would generate a reliable database along with Proxy Means Test scores, enabling the government to target social security programmes more efficiently toward deserving ethnic members.

Chief Guest at the event, State Minister for Planning Zonaed Saki stated, "The government wants to leave no one behind. To ensure integrated development in the country, people of all classes, professions, and ethnic groups must be developed. Accurate data is essential for this; without statistics, policy formulation for marginalized groups becomes difficult." He further added, "The government wants authentic information to surface because improper data leads to incorrect planning."

Chairing the event, Md Firoz Sarkar, Secretary of the Statistics and Informatics Division, noted, "This will be the country's first dedicated ethnic survey. It will help us understand their detailed socioeconomic status while significantly contributing to proper development planning."

Special Guest and Director General of BBS, Md Shamimul Haque, emphasized logistical challenges, stating, "There are several challenges in collecting data from hard-to-reach areas. Hence, full cooperation from local administration and community leaders is required. The survey data will assist policymakers in delivering public and private social safety services smoothly to ethnic minority members."

Keynote paper presenter and Project Director Farhana Sultana confirmed that preliminary preparation has been completed, and around 3,000 trained enumerators will collect data. The survey will cover household characteristics, education, economic activity, disability status, foreign remittances, NGO assistance, bank accounts, and access to safety nets.

Earlier, the welcome address was delivered by Md Sahabuddin Sarkar, Acting Director of the National Accounting Wing at BBS. Representatives from various ministries, ethnic minority organizations, UN agencies, and research institutes attended the technical sessions. BBS confirmed that recommendations gathered from discussions will be incorporated into the final questionnaire and field strategy.
//DBTech/JUBPM/MIS//