The government on Wednesday unveiled a five-year strategic roadmap aimed at steering Bangladesh through economic recovery, institutional reforms and accelerated development, with the long-term goal of transforming the country into a $1 trillion economy.
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman formally unveiled the covers of the Five-Year Strategic Framework for Reform and Development (July 2026-June 2031) and its companion document, the Strategic Action Matrix, at a meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) at the NEC Conference Room in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar.
The two documents were prepared by the General Economics Division (GED) of the Planning Commission.
Briefing reporters after the meeting, State Minister for Planning Zonayed Abdur Rahim Saki and GED Member Dr Monzur Hossain said the framework was initiated shortly after the government assumed office and was finalised following policy approval by the National Economic Council (NEC) on May 18 and consultations with ministries and agencies.
New approach to planning
Dr Monzur said the framework departs from the traditional format of previous development plans, introducing changes in both structure and content.
The document is built around five broad pillars aligned with the government’s election manifesto and groups priorities under 11 economic clusters.
Unlike earlier planning documents, the framework identifies strategic priorities for individual sectors and assigns responsibilities to lead and supporting ministries and agencies, creating a clearer implementation structure.
Four-tier monitoring mechanism
To ensure effective implementation, the framework proposes a four-layer monitoring system.
An advisory council comprising economists and experts will periodically assess progress, while a coordination committee will conduct reviews every three months.
A steering committee headed by the finance minister will evaluate implementation every six months, and a governing council led by the prime minister will provide overall oversight and review progress reports.
Dr Monzur said the mechanism was designed to address a longstanding weakness in development planning, where plans were prepared and evaluated periodically but lacked a regular system for monitoring implementation.
Reform agenda
The framework highlights a series of reforms in areas such as land use, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) data management and public investment management to improve planning and policy execution.
The accompanying Strategic Action Matrix consolidates commitments made by ministries after the current government took office.
According to Dr Monzur, ministries initially submitted action plans covering six months, one year and five years, producing around 2,200 pages of material. The GED later consolidated the submissions into a document of about 300 pages.
The matrix outlines ministry-wise commitments and is intended to serve as a public accountability tool, allowing progress to be tracked against stated targets.
Three phases
The five-year framework divides the government’s agenda into three stages — recovery, restoration and acceleration.
The first year will focus on economic recovery, followed by two to three years of restoration. The final phase will concentrate on accelerating development, reducing poverty and achieving broader socio-economic goals.
Dr Monzur described the framework as a “living document” that can be reviewed and updated regularly rather than remaining a static planning document.
Annual reviews led by the prime minister will assess progress, identify implementation gaps and determine whether adjustments are required.
He said the framework was prepared through an extensive consultative process involving an advisory council, technical committees, steering committee meetings, NEC discussions and consultations with all ministries.
The government plans to make both documents available online through the websites of the Planning Ministry and the GED for public access.