*1. The Gap Between the Promise and Reality of a Data-Driven State*:

State governance in the twenty-first century no longer rests solely on ideological narratives or political promises; it is increasingly becoming dependent on data, analytics, and evidence-based decision-making. Many developed and emerging states have already embraced data-driven policy as a core pillar of state capacity. Bangladesh, too, joined this journey by declaring the vision of building a “Digital State”; however, in practical implementation it remains trapped in multiple structural, political, and ethical crises.

*2. Data-Driven Policy—Theoretical Standards*:

The core foundations of data-driven policy are—
Accurate and independent data collection
Institutional analysis and research
Primacy of evidence in policymaking
Outcome-based evaluation and revision
In an ideal state, this process makes policy transparent, accountable, and citizen-centric. Here, data influences political decisions; political decisions do not control data.

*3. Limited Policy Use Despite Digital Infrastructure in Bangladesh*:

Over the past decade, data infrastructure in Bangladesh has expanded significantly—
National identity cards and biometric databases
Birth–death and education data repositories
Beneficiary lists of social protection programs
Health and vaccine data systems
However, most of this data remains confined to administrative service delivery. Its use in policymaking, budget prioritization, or analysis of social inequality is still extremely limited.

*4. Misuse and Risks*:

A major crisis of data-driven policy in the Bangladeshi context is its politicization.
Surveillance-oriented use of citizens’ data
Risk of digital tracking to suppress dissent
Selective presentation of data in electoral or development narratives
In many cases, the purpose of data collection is not public interest, but rather consolidation of power and control of narratives. This undermines citizens’ trust in data and weakens the ethical foundation of policymaking.

*5. Structural Deficits in Global Comparison*:

By international standards, Bangladesh lags behind in several fundamental areas—
Lack of an independent statistical authority
Weak open-data culture
Political interference in policy research
Shortage of skilled human resources in data analytics
While advanced states revise policies using real-time data, many decisions in Bangladesh are made based on outdated, incomplete, or unverified information.

*6. Class-Based Inequality*:

The effectiveness of data-driven policy depends on its social impact. But in reality—
Despite the availability of poverty data, targeting errors persist
Even when education and health disparities are identified, budget allocations rarely reflect them
The voices of marginalized communities are absent in the language of data
As a result, despite having data, policies often fail to reduce class-based inequality.

*7. What Needs to Be Done to Build a Data-Driven State*:

For effective data-driven policy in Bangladesh, the following are essential—
(1). Establishment of an Independent Statistics and Data Commission:
To ensure politically neutral data collection and publication.
(2). Open Data and Research Access:
Making data accessible to universities, think tanks, and researchers.
(3). Data Privacy and Citizens’ Rights Law:
Ensuring that data becomes a foundation of citizen protection, not a tool of surveillance.
(4). Mandatory Impact Assessment in Policymaking:
Introducing data-based evaluation before and after every major policy decision.
(5). Human Resource Development:
Building skilled professionals in data science, public policy, and evidence-based governance.

*8. Data Exists, but the Perspective Is Missing*:

Bangladesh’s problem is not a lack of data; the problem lies in the absence of political will to view data as an instrument of democratic and justice-based governance. If data-driven policy remains confined to technological projects alone, it will not modernize the state—rather, it will further centralize power.