The Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) is struggling to complete its economic census for 2024 as most medium to large scale industrial and commercial enterprises are reluctant to provide data on their income and expenditure.

The country's central statistical agency is currently collecting data focusing on eight major areas of the economy, including environmental costs and e-commerce, for the census being carried out between December 10 to 26 this year.

"When we approach any big enterprise like a garment factory, they usually try to avoid sharing data on income and expenditure," said Mohammad Nasim, an enumerator covering Ashulia in Savar.

Md Amirul Islam, zonal head for enumerators in Ashulia, echoed the same and said they are having to visit almost every business several times in order to collect the data.

"They typically refuse to divulge any information without the consent of their higher-ups," he added. For the census, the BBS has identified around 1.22 crore businesses across the country.

Md Mizanur Rahman, deputy project director of the census, said the hesitance among businesses to share financial data stems from their concerns about privacy.

"But we are trying to assure them that the data will remain private," he added.

Rahman explained that census supervisors and coordinators are having to step in and persuade businesses to furnish information when the enumerators fail in this regard.

He also said this is the first time that the BBS is collecting data on the consumption, expenditure and profit of businesses separately.

"As of Sunday, we have collected around 83 percent of the total information," Rahman added.

Bangladesh's first economic census was held in 1986 while the second was carried out between the years 2001 and 2003.

Rahman further said that businesses could be unwilling to share their financial data as they lack awareness about the census.

"But we have already conducted a lot of campaigns through online, broadcast, print and mass media to build peoples' awareness on the survey," he added while urging all to cooperate with the BBS to ensure credible and reliable economic data.