Following up on the signing of Updated Activity Plan 2015-16 on urban statistics and urban poverty between PPRC and BBS, the survey on Chittagong city was launched at a simple ceremony at the office of Joint Director, Divisional Statistical Office at Agrabad, Chittagong on the morning of Wednesday, 9 December, 2015. It may be noted that The Urban Statistics and Urban Poverty Project, supported by a grant from The World Bank is being implemented by PPRC in partnership with BBS through an agreement signed by PPRC with the Finance Division. Organization of the event was also facilitated by the Chittagong Research Initiative (CRi), the sister organization of PPRC based in the port city. Eminent Chittagong-based economist and chairman of Forum for Planned Chittagong Professor Sekandar Khan was present as the Special Guest. Mr. Emdadul Haque, Joint Director, BBS presided over the session. Mr. Wahed, BBS representative of Cox’s Bazar district, Mr. Harunur Rashid of Chittagong district BBS office and a large number of other BBS officials were also present.

The purpose of the session was motivational orientation for the 64 locally-based household data registrars who will undertake the task of household listing in the sample PSUs. All of these data registrars are females living in the locality who are called upon to provide part-time services for various BBS surveys. It may also be noted that BBS has established a countrywide integrated multi-purpose sample (IMPS) of PSUs from which the samples for the PPRC urban surveys will be drawn. Chittagong city has 64 IMPS PSUs from which 22 households will be randomly chosen for a total sample of 1408 households.  Hossain Zillur Rahman, Executive Chairman, PPRC explained the background to the project and impressed upon all the importance of accuracy and quality in the data collection process particularly in the context of the adoption of a national strategy for development of statistics (NSDS). Dr. Rahman moderated a lively question-answer session. Following the household listing and the finalization of household sample, PPRC field teams will execute the survey for which questionnaire and training stages have already been completed. The entire data-collection phase is expected to be completed within 25 December, 2015.