General Economics Division

department · verified (verified 2026-05-17)

Profile

Head: Dr Monzur Hossain
Role: Member (Secretary)
Annual budget: —
Staff: —
Established: 1972
Legal basis: Bangladesh Planning Commission established by presidential order 31 January 1972; GED constituted as one of six technical divisions of the Planning Commission under Cabinet Decision of 31 January 1972; Rules of Business 1996 (Allocation of Business among Different Ministries and Divisions) governs division-level functions

Leading the formulation of the 9th Five Year Plan (July 2026 -- June 2030) as draft strategic framework awaits NEC endorsement; simultaneously monitoring SDG progress and coordinating LDC smooth transition strategy ahead of Bangladesh's 24 November 2026 graduation; anchoring macroeconomic surveillance via the Economic Update and Outlook series.

Recent activity

2026-02-17 reform Following the formation of the BNP-led government under PM Tarique Rahman, GED confirmed that Bangladesh would not implement the abandoned 8th Five Year Plan and began preparatory consultations for the 9th Five Year Plan (July 2026 -- June 2030), with GED as the lead formulating body. ↗↗↗
2026-02-18 statement GED Member Dr Monzur Hossain expressed cautious optimism about macroeconomic stability under the new government, noting Q1 FY2025-26 real GDP growth of 4.50 percent (up from 2.58 percent in Q1 FY2024-25) and projecting full-year growth of approximately 5 percent for 2026. ↗↗
2026-03-15 policy GED circulated the draft strategic economic framework for the 9th Five Year Plan (2026-30) projecting real GDP growth rising to 8 percent by FY2029-30, nominal GDP at $749 billion, FDI rising from 0.45 percent to 2.5 percent of GDP, gross investment at 37.6 percent, and 10 million jobs created; a multi-stakeholder consultation attended by economists, civil society, and business leaders reviewed the draft. ↗↗↗
2026-04-15 policy GED presented LDC graduation smooth transition strategy (STS) progress, confirming Bangladesh's graduation date of 24 November 2026 under UN General Assembly Resolution A/RES/67/221; GED to submit annual STS implementation reports to CDP in 2027, 2028, and 2029, and at triennial reviews in 2033 and 2036. ↗↗↗
2026-05-15 policy GED advancing final consultations on the 9th Five Year Plan technical framework, incorporating the Input-Output Table 2024, Social Accounting Matrix 2024, Dynamic CGE Model 2024, and Employment and Poverty Modules 2024; SANEM engaged to construct and validate the quantitative framework. ↗↗

Provenance & notes

GED is one of six technical divisions of the Bangladesh Planning Commission (others: Physical Infrastructure Division, Social Development Division, Agriculture, Water Resources and Rural Institutions Division, General Economics Division, and the Programming Division). GED was declared National Poverty Focal Point (NPFP) by government decision in 2001. The official website ged.gov.bd redirects to gedkp.gov.bd (GED Knowledge Portal). Dr Monzur Hossain -- former BIDS Research Director with prior assignments at Bangladesh Bank, ADB Institute Tokyo, UNDP, ADB, UNCTAD, EU, World Bank, JICA, and IGC-LSE -- was appointed Member (Secretary) of GED on 8 April 2025 for a two-year term (TBS News confirmed). The head_role 'Member (Secretary)' reflects the Planning Commission convention: the head of each division holds the rank of Member, which carries Secretary-equivalent status. The 9th FYP draft strategic framework (GDP growth 8% by FY2029-30, nominal GDP $749 billion, FDI 2.5% of GDP, 10 million jobs) was cross-verified across The Daily Star, BSS, and SANEM. The Perspective Plan 2021-2041 (PP2041) remains the overarching vision document under which the 9th FYP operates as the second of four quinquennial plans. annual_budget_bdt and staff_count left null: GED operating budget is not separately published in primary sources accessed; it is subsumed within the Planning Division/Commission allocation.

General Economics Division

Profile

Recent activity

Sources