SDG TRACKER
Enable tracking Bangladesh’s progress towards the attainment of SDGs and other national development goals through a web-based information repository.
Bangladesh’s development miracle: From MDGs to SDGs
Bangladesh has been lauded by the United Nations as well as the international development community as the epitome of socio-economic gains attained under the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The country has moved up to lower-middle-income status but, more importantly, by human development indicators and this achievement came on the back of the country’s stride towards higher per capita income in recent years, riding on stable economic growth. This indicates that Bangladesh is well-positioned to emerge as a global thought leader with regard to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Realizing this ambition rests largely on informed decision-making and targeted resource allocation. For a Government to plan and monitor the impact of its policies, it must be able to benchmark data and see year-on-year progress. An effective monitoring tool provides essential support in order to achieve the SDGs. Regular monitoring and evaluation of development interventions facilitate continuous improvement of their designs and thus enhance their potential to make an impact.
Objectives of the SDG Tracker
The Access to Information (a2i) Programme of the Prime Minister’s Office, with technical support from UNDP and USAID–in collaboration with General Economics Division (GED) of Planning Commission, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics and other government and private stakeholders, designed and developed SDG Tracker to:
Major Components of SDG Tracker
Two major components of SDG Tracker are SDG Portal and Dashboard. SDG Portal enables policymakers, government agencies, private sector, Civil Society Organizations, International organizations, academia, researchers and citizens to track year on year progress against each target and to create required visualizations. On the other hand, SDG Dashboards facilitate individual Ministries/Divisions and Agencies to consolidate available data for each SDG and compare it visually against performance thresholds. The resulting dashboards highlight areas where a Ministry needs to make the greatest progress towards achieving the Goals by 2030.
Way Forward
Bangladesh’s commendable achievement in implementing MDGs has poised Bangladesh to do better in achieving the SDGs. The government of Bangladesh is committed to sustaining the momentum of MDGs and leading by example again in the case of SDGs. National plans and actions are also directed towards this commitment. It is highly expected that the SDG Tracker (www.sdg.gov.bd) will support to drive these actions in the right direction.
