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The World Bank has approved a US$250 million project to strengthen Bangladesh’s key public institutions through digital transformation, improved governance and greater transparency, aiming to enhance public service delivery and support sustainable economic growth.
Approved on June 12, the Strengthening Institutions for Transparency and Accountability (SITA) project will support reforms in five major government agencies responsible for public financial management, revenue mobilisation, procurement, statistics and auditing, according to a World Bank factsheet.
The initiative will help modernise the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), the National Board of Revenue (NBR), the Planning Division, the Bangladesh Public Procurement Authority (BPPA) and the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (OCAG).
The World Bank said stronger public institutions are essential for sustaining Bangladesh’s economic growth, creating jobs and achieving long-term development goals by improving the efficiency, transparency and accountability of government operations.
Under the project, the BBS will develop an integrated national data ecosystem to improve the production, management and use of high-quality statistics for evidence-based policymaking.
The NBR will receive support to modernise tax administration through greater automation, electronic invoicing and integrated digital systems aimed at improving tax compliance and increasing domestic revenue collection.
The Planning Division will strengthen public investment management by introducing digital platforms, artificial intelligence-enabled analytics and real-time monitoring systems to improve project planning, implementation and evaluation.
Meanwhile, the BPPA will upgrade the country’s electronic government procurement system with advanced digital features designed to improve efficiency, transparency and value for public spending.
The project will also modernise audit functions at the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General by digitising audit processes and reducing the average audit reporting time from 72 months to just nine months, significantly improving financial oversight and accountability.
State Minister for Finance and Planning Zonayed Saki said the government remains committed to strengthening public institutions and improving governance to better serve citizens.
“By modernising systems and enhancing transparency in procurement, data quality, domestic resource mobilisation, public financial management and project implementation, the project is expected to build a stronger foundation for effective service delivery,” he said.
He added that the reforms would improve institutional accountability, increase public confidence in government agencies and strengthen the country’s overall governance framework.
Jean Pesme, the World Bank’s Divisional Director for Bangladesh and Bhutan, said the country’s next phase of economic growth would depend on capable, transparent and accountable public institutions.
“The SITA project will help modernise core government systems while strengthening data quality, so decisions are better informed, results are tracked more effectively and accountability is reinforced,” he said.
Officials said the project is expected to accelerate Bangladesh’s ongoing digital governance reforms, improve public sector performance and create a stronger institutional foundation to support the country’s long-term development ambitions.
